TESOL_MAN
01-03-2006, 12:46 PM
How serious are you about your students’ pronunciation to the following sounds: ch/sh, p/b, and f/v.???!!! As you know lots of Saudi students have serious problems in using those sounds appropriately. For example, they say beoble instead of people; fery instead of very, and sheap instead of cheap. This problem, of course, has occurred as an effect of their mother-tongue language (Arabic.) In our language we don’t have the sounds ch, v. and p.
I am interested to know how much attention and emphasis the Saudi teachers pay to this problem. I also want to know what are some ways and approaches they apply in their classes to overcome this obstacle.
I personally pay much attention to it, and try to implement the importance of differentiating between these sounds. One of the technique I use is that I divide the class to two permanent teams and let them play a sound game. In this game, they will practice all the intended sounds: ch/sh, p/b, and f/v . For example, the first team will say a word that has P sound and pronounce it correctly, and the other team will say a word that has B sound and pronounce it correctly. They keep changing the words and rotating the sounds. The winner team will get one point in every class they practice that game. At the end of the semester, I calculate every team’s points then give them the deserved marks. In this game, I found myself able to improve my students’ pronunciation, increase their vocabulary, and implement the importance of group-work.
THANK YOU
I am interested to know how much attention and emphasis the Saudi teachers pay to this problem. I also want to know what are some ways and approaches they apply in their classes to overcome this obstacle.
I personally pay much attention to it, and try to implement the importance of differentiating between these sounds. One of the technique I use is that I divide the class to two permanent teams and let them play a sound game. In this game, they will practice all the intended sounds: ch/sh, p/b, and f/v . For example, the first team will say a word that has P sound and pronounce it correctly, and the other team will say a word that has B sound and pronounce it correctly. They keep changing the words and rotating the sounds. The winner team will get one point in every class they practice that game. At the end of the semester, I calculate every team’s points then give them the deserved marks. In this game, I found myself able to improve my students’ pronunciation, increase their vocabulary, and implement the importance of group-work.
THANK YOU