|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Ask for help > Pronunciation: /wo/ eg. would
Pronunciation: /wo/ eg. would
|
Jayho
|
Pronunciation: /wo/ eg. would
|
|
Hello everyone
Some of my international adult students have difficulty pronouncing words starting with �wo � e.g. would, woof, Woodstock, wool, (but not world). It seems to be mainly Japanese students.
There is limited information, on the internet and in pronunciation books, that addresses this particular phonemic combination.
Does anyone have any experiences, good tips or resources that they can share?
Cheers
Jayho |
16 Aug 2009
|
|
|
|
goodnesses
|
Why don �t you try to find similar sounds in their native language so that they can get how to pronounce them correctly in English worlds. Using the SS L1 as an aid especially to teach pronunciation of some sounds is always a good method for non-native speakers. In particular the adults or even young adults who always have more difficulties to acquire the pronunciation skills than the very young ones.
Cheers
|
16 Aug 2009
|
|
|
moravc
|
if you don �t know their mother tongue, make it a game!
ask your students to write as many "woo" words as they can ... in their mother tongue (and / or in English...)
sort of a competition...
ask for English translation / mime the words ... etc... I can be a GREAT fun :-D
maybe... ask them to TEACH YOU the words... it can be challenging for you as well :-))
and it �s superb icebreaker :-) Ss love when teacher cannot do what they can...
ask ss to write a short poem with the words or story or saying... Good luck !!!
|
16 Aug 2009
|
|
|
HARIM
|
|
I �m having a short teaching experience in China and I know how hard it is for the majority of students to pronounce some sounds correctly.The reason is very simple:They don �t have those sounds in their mother tongue and they weren �t exposed to the target language at an early age.I think the best solution is to use phonetic transcription and make them repeat those problematic sounds in isolation before you put them in words.Practice makes perfect.This can be hard but funny.
Cheers |
16 Aug 2009
|
|
|
joy2bill
|
|
I also found that there is very little out there on this point so I created this worksheet.
It includes minimal pairs, tongue twisters and a running dictation.
Because it is aimed primarily at Japanese speakers it also has work on "l" and "r". I always pair a Japanese student with a student from another country when we do this.
I agree with Harim that practice does make perfect but let �s make it as fun as possible.
Hope this helps.  Joy |
16 Aug 2009
|
|
|
libertybelle
|
My dearest Russian friend has the same problem.
I tell her to "pucker her lips" as if she is going to kiss someone!
It helps! 
L
|
16 Aug 2009
|
|
|
Jayho
|
|
Hi everyone
Wow - great suggestions!
This particular phonemic combo is so difficult for some of these adult students. They can easily pronounce /w/ and /ʊ/ in isolation but just not together. Every other combo is fine. We tried puckering the lips (very entertaining) but still only �ood� comes out instead of wood. We practice � what, why, when, where, where, would� and they say �what, why, when, where, ood�. I tailored a tongue twister specifically for this /w ʊ / combo. It provides great practice and some students do eventually master the sound within their ten week course but I�d like to see them all master it.
I shall incorporate your fabulous suggestions for my current intake and see if it builds on what I have already developed. It�s such a shame that none of the well known pronunciation books (that I have access to) look at this particular phonemic combination.
Once again thanks for your suggestions.
Cheers
Jayho |
16 Aug 2009
|
|
|
