"How Do I Say That Again?"-Refining Pronunciation

Pronunciation makes me think of a warm up that many actors and singers do:
and it makes sense because pronunciation, those parts of your face and some muscle memory are all closely related. In the first language that we learn, we developed specific ways of moving our jaw, tongue, teeth and lips to produce sounds. This makes sense considering that languages using a Roman alphabet have different pronunciations for even some vowel sounds because in reality, we may make different movements to produce the sounds of a,e,i,o,u.

Really, just listening to a native speaker is not enough. Besides working with a great teacher like me (shameless plug), here are a few tips for starting off with refining your pronunciation:



1. Isolate and produce short vowel sounds in your native language and English. Feel the changes in movement of tongue and shape of mouth. You'll probably feel silly and like it is exaggerated. That's ok. Look in the mirror while you do this. Try repetition of words with same isolated vowel sounds. This work can continue with dipthongs, digraphs and other sounds too.
Example:
  • sand, dance, have, ample




2. Associate and Differentiate sounds that may seem similar when learning English.
Example:
  • eat vs. it
  • seek vs. sick
  • least vs. list




3. Make pronunciation groups using knowledge of vowel spelling patterns to reinforce sounds. Having a visual reference point for how the word looks will help create a stronger memory of how to pronounce it.
Example:
  • long A= a_e . ai . ay . ei . ey . (end of syllable TAble) etc..

This list is meant to be a starting place if you are getting really serious about pronunciation. I look forward to hearing from you if you'd like to work on this together.

Happy Practicing!
3 de Julho de 2019
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Brandi Forte

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Hello! I love trying new things and getting to know about as many cultures and places 🌏as I can. I can help you build English skills for conversation, presentations, public speaking, business, social purposes or to better understand the lyrics to your favorite English songs. I employ a student-centered and responsive approach that includes learning about the student and what real world contexts are meaningful to them. I support students in developing specific, personal mini-goals and checking for understanding in multiple ways. We work to develop various entry points for understanding and give attention to the process (not just the product) and a means for recognizing growth in understanding. I grew up on the East coast and West coast of the United States and am fluent in both cultures 😉. I spent a long time in New York and California. I graduated from University of California San Diego (B.A. Sociology) and University of California Los Angeles (Masters of Education). I am ...
Flag
Inglês
globe
Estados Unidos
time
24
Fala:
Espanhol
B2
,
Francês
A2
Hello! I love trying new things and getting to know about as many cultures and places 🌏as I can. I can help you build English skills for conversation, presentations, public speaking, business, social purposes or to better understand the lyrics to your favorite English songs. I employ a student-centered and responsive approach that includes learning about the student and what real world contexts are meaningful to them. I support students in developing specific, personal mini-goals and checking for understanding in multiple ways. We work to develop various entry points for understanding and give attention to the process (not just the product) and a means for recognizing growth in understanding. I grew up on the East coast and West coast of the United States and am fluent in both cultures 😉. I spent a long time in New York and California. I graduated from University of California San Diego (B.A. Sociology) and University of California Los Angeles (Masters of Education). I am ...
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