If learners have access to a computer outside class, they can use the chart together with a dictionary to check the pronunciation of new words they meet in their own reading. This is particularly useful for learners who are not yet fully familiar with all the sounds on the chart. Encourage your learners to record the pronunciation of new words they meet, both in and out of class, in their vocabulary notebooks.
You can also set homework related to pronunciation, which learners can
check using the online chart before bringing to class. As mentioned
above, you could ask them to write 5 new words from the class in
phonemic script for homework, to be used to test their classmates.
Similarly, if you want to focus on a sound which is problematic for
your learners, ask them to find 5 words including that sound and write
them in phonemic script. With a little training, your learners could
prepare their own 'minimal pairs', for example with the sounds /i:/ and
/I/. Depending on their level, they might come up with something like
this:
| /I/ |
/i:/ |
| Sit | seat |
| hit | heat |
| will | wheel |
| mill | meal |
| bin | been |
| ship | sheep |
They can use these to test their classmates' ability to discriminate between these sounds, as well as their own pronunciation, in the next class. They simply show the two lists of words to a partner, and say one of the words. The partner responds 'left' or 'right'. For example, in the list above, if student A says 'seat', student B will (hopefully) respond 'right'.
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Comments
I have tried myself this one, and it is really entertaining, LIKE THAT !
@anisamuca is right! It's really useful as well
It's quite interesting to use the phonemic chart, in spite of being a teacher, I keep on learning. I really recommend it to everyone.