Introduction to Teaching English Phonology

Pronunciation teaching consists of both speaking and listening: learners need to practice hearing the sound/word etc as well as producing it. Teachers can opt for a variety of ways to teach pronunciation but the easiest is integrating into the language being taught and practiced. This course covers why teaching pronunciation is important, what it is and how to do it in a fun, interactive, communicative way that will aid learner motivation, engagement and retention.

Research shows that a combination approach of implicit (drilling) and explicit (talking about or eliciting what is happening from the learners) is the best approach to teaching pronunciation especially in adult classes. Phonology is a skill that needs regular practice both for the teacher and learner.

For learners the spelling (orthography) of English is unhelpful when it comes to pronunciation. Teachers should be aware of the sounds to help learners and encourage them to be more independent in their studies. It is easier to help learners with difficult sounds if the teacher understands the sound and how it is formed themselves.

We will be using the International Phonemic Alphabet (IPA) for standard British English which has 44 symbols. The phonemic symbols and the examples given relate to RP (Received Pronunciation) English or Southern British Standard (SBS), on the assumption it is widely accepted as a standard model, certainly in Britain. It is well described in literature and useful for teachers of English and is used in a number of pronunciation dictionaries.

This is not to suggest other varieties of English are inappropriate or “wrong”, teachers should teach their variety of English but be able to point out to learners where their accent differs from standard.

The course also covers a few activities you might like to try with your learners to make phonology enjoyable.