Teaching Pronunciationfor the TOEFL iBT

Tamara Jones

SHAPE Language Center, Belgium

jonestamara@hotmail.com

Speaking Tasks

• 2 independent tasks about familiar topics

–Responses based on personal experience

–15 seconds to prepare

–45 seconds to speak

Speaking Tasks

• 4 integrated tasks

–2 Reading / Listening / Speaking

–2 Listening / Speaking

–Responses based on what was read and heard

–Academic and campus-based material

Speaking Scoring

Topic Development

– Connections

– Details

– Accuracy

– CompletenessLanguage Use

– Grammar

– Vocabulary

Delivery

– Fluency

– Pronunciation

Independent Response Rubric

•Generally well-paced flow

•Speech is clear

•Minor difficulties do not affect overall intelligibility4•Speech is generally clear

•May include minor difficulties

•May require listener effort, but overall intelligibility is not affected3•Speech is basically intelligible

•Listener effort is needed

•Meaning may be obscured in places2•Consistent pronunciation difficulties cause considerable listener effort

•Delivery is choppy, fragmented or telegraphic

•Frequent pauses and hesitations1

Integrated Response Rubric

•Speech is generally clear, fluid and sustained

•Minor difficulties

•Pace may vary as the speaker attempted to recall information

•Overall intelligibility remains high4

•Speech is generally clear with some fluidity of expression

•Exhibits minor difficulties

•May require listener effort, but overall intelligibility remains good3•Speech is clear at times

•Significant Listener effort may be needed

•Speech may not be sustained consistently throughout

•Meaning may be obscured in places, but not throughout2

•Consistent pronunciation difficulties cause considerable listener effort

•Delivery is choppy, fragmented or telegraphic

•Frequent pauses and hesitations1

Pronunciation Triage

• Word Stress

• Sentence Stress

• Intonation

• Thought Groups

• Linking

• Consonants

• Vowels

Sample Lesson Plan

• Brief PPT Lesson– Explanation of importance

– Explicit instruction

– Choral repetition

• Practice– Communicative activity

– Recording / Transcription

Word Stress

Explicit Instruction

• “The Sell” – increased intelligibility

• Tapping out syllables with pencil

• Rubber bands

• Choral repetition

Practice

• Recordings

• Scattergories

Sentence Stress

Explicit Instruction

• “The Sell” – the key to fluency

• A great visual

• Breathing Exercises

• Clapping

Clapping

I want to go on the boat.

The boy can run and jump.

want go boat

boy run jump

Explicit Instruction

• Choral repetition

– Rubber bands

– Moving the sounds

– Markers

Practice

• Mark the Stress

• Dominos

• Songs

Intonation

Explicit Instruction

• “The Sell” – listener friendly pronunciation

• Awareness raising

• Choral repetition

– Conducting

– Kazoos

Practice

• Mark the intonation

• Mirroring project

Thought Groups

Explicit Instruction

• “The Sell” – MUCH easier for listener to understand

• This one time, at band camp …

• Student generated sentences

• Choral repetition

– Slashing

Practice

• Mark the thought groups

• Dictations

• Slashing texts

Let’s Practice!

Finally according to the speaker each

time you prepare the solution you

should take into account the

temperature of the liquids.

Don’t mix these two liquids together

unless they have the same

temperature room temperature.

Let’s Practice!

Finally / according to the speaker each

time you prepare the solution you

should take into account the

temperature of the liquids.

Don’t mix these two liquids together

unless they have the same

temperature room temperature.

Let’s Practice!

Finally / according to the speaker /

each time you prepare the solution

you should take into account the

temperature of the liquids.

Don’t mix these two liquids together

unless they have the same

temperature room temperature.

Let’s Practice!

Finally / according to the speaker /

each time you prepare the solution /

you should take into account the

temperature of the liquids.

Don’t mix these two liquids together

unless they have the same

temperature room temperature.

Linking & Blending

Explicit Instruction

• “The Sell” – fluency & flow

• Show the change

• Choral repetition & movements

Practice

• Knock knock jokes– Knock knock.

– Who’s there?

– Cantaloupe.

– Can’t elope with you,I’m already married.

• Songs– Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?

• Dictations

ʤ w

Consonant & Vowel Sounds

Explicit Instruction

• “The Sell” – No need

• One BIG PPT

• Tricks for tricky sounds

Practice

• Board Games

• Scattergories

• Vowel Poetry

Some Great Supplements

• Avery, P. and Erlich, S. (1997) Teaching American English Pronunciation, Oxford University Press

• Beisbier, B. (1994) Sounds Great, Thompson and Heinle

• Gilbert, J. (2001) Clear Speech, Cambridge University Press

• Grant, L. (2001) Well Said, Heinle and Heinle

• Hancock, A. (1995) Pronunciation Games, Cambridge University Press

• Meyers, C. & Holt, S. (2001) Pronunciation for Success, Aspen Productions

• Miller, S. (2005) Targeting Pronunciation, Houghton Mifflin Co

• Noll, M. (2007) American Accent Skills, Ameritalk Press

Our goal is to develop listener-friendly pronunciation.

Judy Gilbert

Thanks for your attention!

Tamara Jones

jonestamara@hotmail.com