26,187 research outputs found

    This is tom = /ZYZYS’tom/ pronunciation in beginners’ EFL textbooks then and now

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    The textbook appears to be one of the most fundamental elements of all formal-setting foreign language teaching and learning. Textbooks function in a foreign language classroom in many capacities (Cunningsworth 1995), one of which is the provision of text, used as a model for language practice, including practice of pronunciation. The changing methodological trends in EFL pedagogy over the decades affect EFL textbook pronunciation treatment in a variety of ways. In this paper a simple feasibility study is presented whereby a few beginners’ textbooks are compared with respect to their handling of pronunciation in the first unit of the course. Four textbooks come from about ½ century ago, and three are sampled from among those currently available. On the descriptive level, some analysis is offered of the phonetic (and especially phonolapsological) characteristics of the sampled texts, as they changed through time. On the level of application, it is claimed that, while the lexico-grammatical and pedagogical limitations on the content of the first lessons/units in EFL textbooks leave authors little space for phonetic control, a modicum of such control is feasible if attention is paid to such variables as pronunciation difficulty and L1 transfer. The Phonetic Difficulty Index (PDI), which is briefly introduced in the paper, can be used to measure and control some of these variables and give the textbook authors and users a useful teaching/learning instrument

    \u201cImprovisation is not allowed in a second language\u201d: A survey of Italian lecturers\u2019 concerns about teaching their subjects through English

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    English Medium Instruction (EMI) is increasingly being introduced across European universities in countries where English is not a commonly-used language, such as Italy and other central and southern European countries. However the competences and concerns of the lecturers involved are not always considered when such developments are introduced and support or training may not be offered. This paper reports on a survey on English-Medium Instruction (EMI) to which 115 lecturers in a public university in northern Italy responded. The survey was carried out by the university\u2019s Language Centre as part of the LEAP (Learning English for Academic Purposes) Project which was developed to support lecturers in EMI. The survey sought to identify what the lecturers perceived as their strengths and weakness in English, their concerns and also their evaluations of the experience of teaching through English if they had had any. The findings discussed in this paper shed light on the needs of lecturers that are involved in EMI, which relate to methodology as well as language issues. The implications of this for European Language Centres intending to support EMI at their universities are discussed in the conclusions

    Learning English pronunciation in and outside the classroom: Psychopedagogic considerations

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    Udostępnienie publikacji Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego finansowane w ramach projektu „Doskonałość naukowa kluczem do doskonałości kształcenia”. Projekt realizowany jest ze środków Europejskiego Funduszu Społecznego w ramach Programu Operacyjnego Wiedza Edukacja Rozwój; nr umowy: POWER.03.05.00-00-Z092/17-00

    Challenges in Teaching Pronunciation at Tertiary Level in Bangladesh

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    Teaching pronunciation is one the most challenging parts of ELT in Bangladesh. Very few research and least attention on pronunciation teaching has instigated those challenges more. Moreover, setting an ambitious target to achieve native like pronunciation and teaching without considering the Bangladeshi context are more specific reasons for creating those problems. Therefore, this paper concentrates on the discussion of the existing condition of teaching pronunciation in Bangladesh. Consequently, it starts with presenting existing circumstances of pronunciation teaching in Bangladesh, and showing what the achievable and realistic goal should be for this situation. Then, it talks about the challenges that the teachers face while teaching pronunciation in ELT classroom. This discussion provides deep insight into those challenges which are only applicable to Bangladeshi students. Finally, the paper suggests some contextual and practical solutions to those specific problems

    PHONOLOGICAL PROCESS IN INDONESIAN SPEECH (CASE OF ASSIMILATION AND ELISION IN INDONESIAN)

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    This paper discusses the phonological process in the Indonesian speech, particularly on assimilation and elision. Assimilation is the influence exercised by one sound segment upon the articulation of another, so that the sounds become alike or more identical. Elision or deletion is loss or omission of segments or syllables. This phenomenon might be rooted from the fact that the speakers seem to have trouble pronouncing the words that have more than 4 (four) more syllables. Therefore, this paper discusses; (1) the types of phonological processes frequently employed, (2) the typical vocabulary undergoing phonological processes, and (3) the causes of phonological process in the speech. The data are the Indonesian words which are obtained from the record of such speech as in seminar, lecture, sermon, and conversation among people

    Humanistic Strategies in the Efl Speaking Class

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    This paper focuses on the humanistic strategies woven into the EFL speaking class activities. The speaking class, which the writer used for her study, is the highest level of speaking course offered in the curriculum of the English Department of Petra Christian University, to develop students' English speaking skills, particularly in public speaking. The humanistic strategies are based on the assumption that a "supportive and co-operative group atmosphere" ((Hadfield, 1995, p.15) will enhance learning to bring out the best of the students. The primary aims are to help the students, through active participation, to develop more positive feelings about themselves and their classmates, to co-operate and support each other to grow and excel at their speech performance. Based on the students' evaluation and the teacher's observation of the students' public speech performance and their academic achievement, it can be concluded that the humanistic strategies have created a co-operative and supportive group atmosphere and has given positive effects on the students' speech performance. This is also a rewarding experience for the teacher

    Year 1 phonics screening check consultation

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    "The Government is committed to raising children's achievement in reading, and has expressed the intention to establish a phonics screening check for children in Year 1. This will be a short, light-touch screening check designed to confirm that children have grasped the basics of phonic decoding and to identify those pupils who need extra help at an early stage, so that schools can provide support. The results of the screening check will provide valuable information to parents. The screening check will be part of the arrangements for the statutory assessment of children in respect of the first Key Stage. This consultation seeks views on proposals around the purpose, structure and administration of the screening check" -- front cover

    The English pronunciation teaching in Europe survey: selected results

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    The results of EPTiES reveal interesting phenomena across Europe, despite shortcomings in terms of construction and distribution. For example, most respondents are non-native speakers of English and the majority of them rate their own mastery of English pronunciation favourably. However, most feel they had little or no training in how to teach pronunciation, which begs the question of how teachers are coping with this key aspect of language teaching. In relation to target models, RP remains the variety of English which teachers claim to use, whilst recognizing that General American might be preferred by some students. Differences between countries are explored, especially via replies to open-ended questions, allowing a more nuanced picture to emerge for each country. Other survey research is also referred to, in order to contextualise the analyses and implications for teaching English and for training English teacher

    A University EFL Teacher’s Strategies in Solving the Teaching Pronunciation Problems

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    This study aimed to deal with a university English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher’s experience in teaching pronunciation, particularly on the problems faced by teacher and the strategies used in solving the problems in teaching pronunciation. To achieve the objectives, two interviews was done to Lily, an English teacher who had been given responsibility to teach pronunciation in a private university of Yogyakarta. The collected data was obtained from narrative inquiry design in qualitative method. The findings of the study discovered that familiarize the different sounds, lack of time and problems from students’ side were all the problems faced by Lily. Moreover, increasing teaching quality, introducing pronunciation rules, and using various teaching techniques and classroom activities became the strategies to solve teaching pronunciation problems
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