4.

0: Pronunciation Activities to Help Pupils Improve Their Pronunciation

Improving pupils pronunciation can be quite troublesome to teachers. However, with suitable and interesting pronunciation activities, the problems can be improved by time. Even though the problems cannot be overcome immediately, it will somehow help pupils to realize the mistakes that they made. Therefore, pronunciation activities should be implemented in classroom to overcome pupils pronunciation problems. Pronunciation activities can be kept simple and employ exercises which are both accessible and enjoyable for pupils. Whenever pupils do a freer speaking activity, the main aim is usually for them to develop their spoken fluency in the language. However, the activity also serves to work on pupils' accuracy through the feedback we give them on their use of language. From the problems identified and explained in the previous pages, I chose the // pronunciation problems and created two activities that can be used to improve pupils pronunciation. The activities created are What Is My Phone Number? and BINGO!. The activities created are for Year 4 pupils and are at intermediate level. This is due to the fact that the words chosen for this activity are based from the word list for Level 2 taken from the Standard Document for Year 4. The said activities are created to help pupils improve their pronunciation on the // sound. The stages and teaching aids for each of the activities will be further explained in the next part.

4.1

Activity 1: What Is My Phone Number? What Is My Phone Number? is an activity that requires pupils to guess the correct

telephone number by pronouncing the words listed on the dial pad prepared. Each word will have its own numbers and pupils need to guess the telephone number repeatedly until they make the correct guesses. This activity practices discrete consonant sounds as well as both speaking and listening skills. It works well in pairs or in groups and usually generates lots of fun. This activity can also be adapted to include other sounds, minimal pairs or stress patterns. Other than that, the activity created is for Year 4 pupils and is at intermediate level. The words chosen are based from the word list for Level 2 taken from the Standard Document for Year 4. The words chosen consist of initial and final sounds.

4.1.1 Stages 1. Teacher drills the pupils with a list of words. Teacher will drill the pupils with words containing // sound prepared in a slideshow. Below are the suggested communications for teachers based on a situation: Drilling the pupils o o Repeat after me Notice that the tip of my tongue touches the front teeth

2. Teacher pastes the dial pad on the board and distribute hand-outs to the pupils. Teacher prepared a dial pad with words and numbers listed on it. Then, the dial pad will be pasted on the board as well as hand-outs containing the same dial pad with words and numbers listed on it to the pupils. Each number will have its own words. Teacher will explain to the pupils on how the activity will be carried out. Other than that, teacher will also let the pupils know about the aim of the activity. Below are the suggested communications for teachers based on several situations: The dial pad is pasted on the board. o o This is a dial pad that teacher has created. What is the difference between the dial pad pasted and the usual dial pad?

Explaining on how the activity will be carried out.

o o

This activity requires all of you to guess the correct telephone number by pronouncing the words listed on the dial pad prepared You need to guess the telephone number repeatedly until you make the correct guesses.

Explaining to the pupils about the aim of the activity. o This activity will help you to practice the // sound as well as listening skills

3. Teacher divides the pupils into four groups. After the pupils are aware about the aim of the activity, teacher will divide the pupils into four groups namely Alpha, Beta, Charlie and Delta. Each of the groups names represents their home. Therefore, every group will have to guess each groups home telephone numbers. Each group will also have to choose a leader to lead the group. The leader plays an important role because the leader is the one who will be sitting in front and confirms the guesses made by other groups. Below are the suggested communications for teachers based on several situations: Teacher divides the pupils into groups. o o Now, I will divide all of you into four groups Each group will have different names which are Alpha, Beta, Charlie and Delta and the names represent your home. Choosing a leader o o Every group has to choose a leader to lead the group The leader will be sitting in front and confirms the guesses made by other groups. 4. Teacher asks each group to decide on a telephone number. After all the pupils are divided into groups, teacher will then ask each group to decide on a telephone number. Then, each group will let the teacher knows their telephone numbers. This is important because the teacher needs to verify the guesses made by the groups. Other than that, the group also can create their own telephone numbers based on their creativity. The telephone numbers must consist of ten digits. This is to ensure that each pupil will have the chance to practice pronouncing the // sound. This will eventually generates a lot of fun. Below are the suggested communications for teachers based on a situation:-

Deciding on the telephone number. o o o You may discuss among your group and decide the telephone number that will be used You have to make sure that the telephone numbers created must consist of ten digits You can create the telephone numbers based on your own creativity.

5. Teacher will asks each group to make guesses on the other groups telephone number. After deciding the telephone number, teacher will then asks each group to make guesses of the other groups telephone number. The four groups namely Alpha, Beta, Charlie and Delta will take turn in guessing the telephone numbers. The first telephone numbers to be guessed is from Alpha and followed by Beta, Charlie and Delta. When the other groups are making guesses, the leader from each group will have to go in front and listen to the guesses from the other team. Teacher will assist the team leader to verify the guesses. By doing this, the groups that are making guesses will have to pronounce the words correctly to make sure that their answer can be accepted. This will consequently improve their pronunciation on the // sound. Other than that, the leaders should also have good listening skill. Therefore, this activity not only helps in improving the pronunciation of // sound but also practices both speaking and listening skills. Below are the suggested communications for teachers based on a situation: Teacher asks each group to make guesses of the other groups telephone number. o o o The first group, Alpha, can I have your leader to stand beside me? Now, the other groups can make guesses of Alphas telephone number You may discuss among your groups to make the guesses but the same person cannot guess twice. 6. Teacher asks the group who have their telephone number guessed to respond to the guesses made by the other groups. After each group has make guesses for Alphas telephone number, teacher will asks the group who have their telephone number guessed to respond to the guesses made by the other groups. If one of the group manage to guess correctly, team Alpha will respond Hello!. However, if the group guessed wrongly, team Alpha will respond The number you have dialed cannot be reached at the moment. Please try again later! By having these kinds of responds, it will generate a lot of fun.

6. Steps 4 and 5 are repeated for the other groups. Steps 4 and 5 are repeated for group Beta, Charlie and Delta. This will continue until all of the group manage to guess the telephone number correctly.

4.1.2 Teaching aids To ensure that this activity be carried out effectively, teaching aid is needed. The teaching aid needed for this activity is the dial pad, slideshow for drilling (Refer Appendix 2) as well as hand-outs containing the same dial pad with words and numbers listed on it. Below are the teaching aid used:4.1.2.1 Dial Pad

4.1.2.2 Hand-Outs

1 that 4 moth 7 myth *

2 Keith 5 booth 8 Beth 0 thumb

3 teeth 6 both 9 with #

Based on the dial pad above, make a guess and write down the telephone numbers. Then, replace it into its respective words in the space provided in the table below. Make sure that you pronounce the words not the numbers to make guesses!

Telephone number
1. 0195307572 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

Words
thumb, that, with, booth, teeth, thumb, myth, booth, myth, Keith

4.1.2.2 Hand-outs

4.2

Activity 2: BINGO!! BINGO! is an activity that provides an interesting and motivating way to review and

reinforce the correct pronunciation of // sound. In this activity, pupils should have good speaking and listening skills. This activity also works well in pairs or in groups and can also be adapted to include other sounds, minimal pairs or stress patterns. Furthermore, this activity usually generates lots of fun. Other than that, the activity created is for Year 4 pupils and is at intermediate level. The words chosen are based from the word list for Level 2 taken from the Standard Document for Year 4. The words chosen consist of initial and final sounds.

4.2.1 Stages 1. Teacher drills the pupils with a list of words. Teacher will drill the pupils with words containing // sound prepared in a slideshow. Below are the suggested communications for teachers based on a situation: Drilling the pupils o o Repeat after me Notice that the tip of my tongue touches the front teeth

2. Teacher will flash a list of words on the board and explains to pupils about the activity. Teacher will flash a list of words on the board. Then, teacher will explain to the pupils on how the activity will be carried out. Other than that, teacher will also let the pupils know about the aim of the activity. Below are the suggested communications for teachers based on several situations: Explaining on how the activity will be carried out. o o The activity that will be carried out today is BINGO! This activity requires all of you to pronounce and circle the words listed in the sheet. When one of you has a row of five words down or across, you yell, "BINGO!" Explaining to the pupils about the aim of the activity.
o

This activity will help you practice the // sound as well as listening skills

3. Teacher asks pupils to sit in a circle. Teacher then asks pupils to sit in a circle. By having the students sit in a circle, it will be easier to conduct the activity. Other than that, teacher will also able to observe the pupils progress and correct them when they make mistakes. Below are the suggested communications for teachers based on a situation: Asking the pupils to sit in a circle. o o In order to carry out the activity effectively, you have to change your sitting arrangement So, all of you have to move and sit in a circle

4. Teacher distributes a blank BINGO! sheet, with a five-square by five-square grid to

pupils. Teacher will prepare a blank BINGO! sheet for this activity. The blank BINGO! sheet will be distributed to the pupils. Each and every one of the pupils will have the blank BINGO! sheet. Teacher will also explain to the pupils on how to use the sheet. Below are the suggested communications for teachers based on a situation: Distributing the BINGO! Sheet o o The BINGO! Sheet will be used in this activity Later on, you will be copying the words from the list pasted on the board to carry put this activity
5. Teacher asks each student to fill in the spaces with the words from the list of

words pasted on the board. Once the entire class has their own BINGO! sheet, teacher will ask the pupils to fill the blank spaces with the words from the list prepared. Pupils will fill the blank spaces with words depending on their own choice. Below are the suggested communications for teachers based on several situations: Asking the pupils to fill in the spaces o o As you can see, there is a list of words pasted on the board. You will have to copy the words and fill the blank spaces with the words You can copy the words based on your own choice

6. Teacher asks one of the pupils to pronounce a word from his or her BINGO! sheet

and the other pupils will mark the corresponding word on their BINGO! Sheet. Once each pupils has completed the BINGO! sheet, teacher will then asks one of the pupils to pronounce a word from his or her BINGO! sheet. After that, the other pupils will mark the corresponding word on their BINGO! sheet. By doing this, pupils should be able to improve their listening skill other than improving their pronunciation of // sound. Below are the suggested communications for teachers based on several situations: Asking the pupils to pronounce a word from the BINGO! sheet. o o o o Can you pronounce one of the words in your sheet? Pronounce it correctly so that your friends can hear you Did you hear the words that your friends pronounce? Now, mark the word on your BINGO! sheet.

Asking the pupils to mark the corresponding word on their BINGO! Sheet.

7. Steps 5 and 6 are repeated

Steps 5 and 6 are repeated for the other pupils to pronounce a word from his or her BINGO! sheet. This will continue until all of the pupils have a row of five words down or across. Once they manage to have a row of five words down or across, they call out, "BINGO!.

4.2.2 Teaching aids The teaching aid needed for this activity is BINGO! sheet and the list of words with // sound. The BINGO! sheet used are printed on A4 paper and distributed to the pupils. As for the list of words, a LCD is needed for it to be flashed on the board. Below are the teaching aid used:-

4.2.2.1 BINGO! sheet

feather weather together bathing father

List of Words With the another they bathing their bothersome them brotherly these fatherly
4.2.2.2

// Sound gather this leather those mother though neither themselves other therefore

List of words with // sound