Focus on Pronunciation is a course for higher level students (Intermediate and above). Improve your pronunciation by focusing on features that English language learners find difficult, including aspects that Chinese speakers often find tricky. The practical activities in this course will help you develop rhythm, stress, intonation and individual sounds, and also give you the opportunity to practise them doing interactive, real-life tasks.
The 6-week Focus on Pronunciation course includes two parts – ‘Rhythm, Stress and Intonation’ and ‘The Sounds of English’.
Part 1: Focus on Rhythm, Stress and Intonation
Part 1 is designed as an introduction to the ‘music’ of English. There are no special requirements, other than the motivation to improve your rhythm, stress and intonation. In this module, you will:
- Learn about basic terms, rhythm, stress, intonation, accuracy and fluency, and how they help you to be clearer when speaking.
- Set pronunciation learning priorities that will help you in the course, as well as in real life after the course.
- Develop an ability to identify rhythm, stress, and intonation patterns, listening to speakers with a variety of accents.
- Practise important rhythm, stress, and intonation patterns in a wide range of everyday tasks.
- Develop your understanding of ways to interpret and use the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) in your learning.
Part 2: Focus on the sounds of English
Part 2 helps you explore the sounds of English, particularly those that are most challenging to Chinese learners. You will learn about how we make the sounds in our mouth and throat, and identify them in others’ speech. In this module, you will:
- Learn about the characteristics of the sounds of English: how consonants and vowels are made, and the parts of the mouth and throat that are involved in the process.
- Establish your pronunciation learning priorities, so that you continue your journey independently after the course.
- Develop your listening skills by identifying how sounds are produced and modified in words, phrases and sentences, using oral examples from a wide range of speakers and accents.
- Expand your practical knowledge of how the sounds of English are made, particularly those that are difficult for Chinese learners.
- Practise the sounds of English in isolation and in interactive, authentic contexts.