International Teacher Education Conference 2014 1

International Teacher Education Conference 2014
Supported by well-acquired pronunciation units, listening can be the most accelerating tool for learners to
learn speaking ability. Qualified input gives birth to be desired and accepted output in English learning.
The sound changes in the articulation and pronunciation of both the function and content words obscure the
familiarity of the sounds of the words that learners encounter before. Especially, the weak forms in the function
words cause to be misunderstood in a listening period. Two or three words in connected speech are perceived as
if they were one word.
Function words carry only grammatical meaning, such as: prepositions, auxiliaries, articles, quantifiers, and
pronouns. However: content words carry real meaning such as: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs.
1) What are the several major problematic areas for learners of English:
The several major problematic areas are as important as the teaching methods of English language.
These are:
1.1)weakening - words such as prepositions, articles & auxiliary verbs are in their unstressed form, they are
softer & shorter. The schwa sound (the most common) & the sounds & are reduced
forms.
Here are the weak forms of 'him', 'she', 'does', 'some', 'them', 'was', 'that'.
1.2) Catenation/linking - a consonant at the end of one word is carried over to connect with a vowel at the
beginning of the next word. This causes learners to misinterpret word boundaries. The two words 'he's in' are
linked with the 's' & the 'i' - learners can hear this as one word.
The same linkage with 'an apple'
1.3) Intrusion - an extra sound is introduced to lubricate the flow of one vowel to another. The utterance 'we
are leaving' needs the /j/ sound between the 'we & the 'are'. Other common intrusive sounds are the /r/ & /w/
The /w/ sound is needed between 'go' & 'off'.
1.4) Elision - a sound is missed out e.g. for 'correct' -
The /t/ sound is dropped in 'next door'.
1.5) Assimilation - a sound changes because it is affected by the sound that follows it e.g. for 'sandwich' &
'light blue' -
As with all areas of phonology it is a good idea to introduce these gradually. I would introduce them in the
order given above. This is based on frequency & the amount of interference they cause.
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