Phonetic A

Wed, 20 Feb 2019 Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences English as a Non-Phonetic Language Like we all know, the English alphabet has 26 letters. These 26 letters can make 44 different sounds or phonemes – 20 sounds come from the vowels a, e, i, o and u; and 24 sounds come from the remaining 21 consonants. A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound that can change the meaning of a word. Table of Contents The Vowel Sounds The Consonant Sounds Syllable Stress Without Jumping to Conclusions Listen to this blog post Are you ready to take your TEFL course? Related Articles: If we consider sounds made simply by the letter 'a' for instance, in the word 'apple' – it's /ae/, in 'car' – it's /a:/, in amount – it's /a/, and so on. This, consequently, makes English a...  [Read more]

Pronunciation and Phonology in the EFL Classroom - International Phonetic Alphabet   A better way to go about imparting how to make sounds or what sounds are utilized in a word, is this international phonemic alphabet. Now we have as mentioned one symbol being used in all the words which share that same sound. Now once we get a little bit more familiar with our phonemic alphabet we can also show how different our different sounds can be as in this symbol for ?ooh?, this symbol for ?ow? and this symbol for ?uh?. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design...  [Read more]

Pronunciation and Phonology in the EFL Classroom - Traditional Spellings to Phonemic Spellings Pt. 1   Now let's take a look at how we go from traditional spellings into the phonemic spellings. The first step in this process is identifying each unit of sound or each phoneme within a word. Let's look at bet, bit, but, and bought. The only difference in each one of these words is in the vowel sound. We have bet, bit, but and bought. Each word simply uses three sounds. Now we have photo. That's four phonemes. Wow we have taxi. That's five phonemes. We have unite with a hidden phoneme in there being the ?y? sound before anything else. Those are five phonemes as well and now we have a longer word: chemistry. Let's give that a shot. That's eight phonemes used in the word chemistry. Now...  [Read more]

TEFL Review For In-class Beijing Course   This is a TEFL review from Hsing Hui Hsu, a teacher trainer at our Beijing training center in China. She is in charge of teaching grammar and phonology. Before coming to China, she taught in France where she was in charge of phonetics and oral communication. She enjoys working at the training center in Beijing and training TEFL trainees from all over the world who are ready to teach overseas and start their careers as ESL teachers. She recommends the in-class course to anyone who wants to live abroad working as an English language teacher. Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Check out ITTT's Blog Posts  [Read more]

TEFL Review For In-class Phuket Course   This is Pam’s video testimonial after the first two weeks of her 1-month TEFL in-class course in Phuket. She learned a lot about English grammar, teaching techniques as well as phonetics. She enjoyed the non-native language classes. After several theoretical classes, the trainees were then able to prepare and teach their own lessons to local EFL students at the center in Thailand. She is excited to work on her student-profiling project as well. She highly recommends the course and is excited to complete the course soon. Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Check out ITTT's Blog Posts  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Liza is a translator, freelancer and ESL teacher from Russia. She had been teaching in a Chinese bilingual school for more than two years and recently moved to Thiland to run her blog about teaching and freelance job. Read my articles Establishing a Deep Rapport In The Classroom | ITTT | TEFL Blog Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In this article, you will learn how to build rapport between students and teachers deeply and effectively. Phonetics/Phonology: Why Teaching this Neglected Aspect of Language is Important | ITTT | TEFL Blog Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This blog post is devoted to the problem of phonetics and phonology. Our TEFL graduate shares their thoughts on the point. The Principles of Teaching ESL in Waldorf Elementary School | ITTT |...  [Read more]

Agency Week TEFL Check out tefl tesol about Agency Week TEFL and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: Check out ITTT's Blog Posts A.D. - India said: PHONETICS?The English Language must be introduced to the Indian students by using the phonetics in all the schools?. The English Language is difficult to learn as far as the spelling and their pronunciation goes and the same can be well understood by George Bernard Shaw?s poem ?Hints on Pronunciation for Foreigners?. The same is also evident with the examples of similar spellings but different pronunciations as well as different spellings but same pronunciations...  [Read more]

Fri, 22 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Why Learning Phonetics is Important Linguistics is the scientific study of the human language and its structure, and as any other science, it is divided into different branches or areas of analysis. One of these divisions examines the articulation of sounds and has a name that corresponds to its function: phonetics. Despite the crucial character it plays in its scientific field, the one it performs in teaching is considered roughly secondary. Nonetheless, a change in role assignment could improve the learning of the English language immensely. Table of Contents Speaking as a skill What aspects should you teach? Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Phonetics and Phonology in the ESL Classroom What is phonology? Most students have not even heard about it. Whenever I ask my students whether they know or have ever learned about phonetics, the same answers come out, "No, we don't know about it at all". It is no wonder they reply like this because there is no phonetic teaching lesson in English classes from KG to high school here in my country. As for me, I got to study about this only when I attended college. Even then, it wasn't taught comprehensively and I only learned very little. So I couldn't read nor write phonetic symbols very well. Thus I thought it was the most difficult part of studying English. Table of Contents Reasons to pay attention to phonetics Phonetics in the...  [Read more]

Wed, 27 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Phonetics/Phonology: Why Teaching this Neglected Aspect of Language is Important I chose this topic for my essay because it is not something I had ever given much thought to. As a native speaker, I don't recall studying correct pronunciation in school along with other aspects of language learning such as grammar and vocabulary. Correct, or at least acceptable and understandable, the pronunciation was something that just happened. Table of Contents Why is Teaching Phonetics Important? What is the Best Way to Teach Phonetics? Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: I was initially somewhat surprised when I saw that an entire online module had been devoted to the topic, but as I read the module,...  [Read more]

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Advantages and Disadvantages of Teaching Phonetics This will be a discussion aimed at presenting both the advantages and disadvantages of teaching phonetics. We will show how teaching phonetics help create approachability and reinforce language similarities. Inversely we will look at how English suffers from inconsistent phonetic rules and the conflict between words as written and words as said. We will also look at methods to mitigate these issues. Table of Contents Self-awareness Noticing language similarities English rules Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mitchell D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent...  [Read more]

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Common Pronunciation Mistakes of Japanese Students This piece will discuss the difficulties faced by Japanese learners of English regarding English pronunciation and suggest methods to help learners in different age groups overcome them. It posits that most difficulties stem from the differences in phonology between the English alphabet and the Japanese kana system. Table of Contents Differences in the Alphabetic Systems Ways to Overcome Difficulties Working with Adults How to Approach Young Students Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Niall M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of...  [Read more]

Location Reputable TEFL Check out tefl tesol about Location Reputable TEFL and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: Check out ITTT's Blog Posts D.B. - China said: Phonetics PhonologyPhonetics and phonology are both branches of linguistics which deal with the sounds of language. The main difference is that phonetics is concerned with the physical properties of the sounds produced in language, whereas phonology is concerned with the theory and grammar behind the sounds the sounds produced in language. Phonetics can further be broken down into three subfields: articulatory phonetics, which deals with the manner of...  [Read more]

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching English Pronunciation to Students from Japan In my experience teaching elementary and junior high school level English in Japan, several different pronunciation problems appear frequently. The Japanese phonemic inventory is smaller than English's phonemic inventory, and the sounds present in each language differ from each other quite dramatically. Because of this, it can be difficult for native Japanese speakers to learn and master English pronunciation, but there are a few teaching techniques that can help students overcome this difficulty. Table of Contents Consonants Challenge Non-Existent Sounds in the Native Language Vowel Challenge 3 Methods to Work on Problems 1. Visual Representation 2. IPA Phonetics 3. Pronunciation...  [Read more]

Fri, 24 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Top Reasons Why Rules of Pronunciation are Extremely Important for Teachers Many ESL teachers have never even heard of phonetics or phonology, yet they use these aspects of speech naturally when they speak. Phonetics and phonology are two areas of linguistics that study the sounds of language. Phonetics focuses on individual sounds, while phonology studies the features and combination of sounds (McMahon, 1-3). There are two reasons why ESL teachers need to know phonetics and phonology: first, it helps them to conceptualize English in a way that their students can understand; and second, it helps them to address their students' difficult pronunciation problems. Table of Contents Why Students Suffer from Pronunciation Issues? Lack...  [Read more]

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Importance of Teaching Phonetics to ESL Students How many of us have had to call into customer service only to struggle to understand the employee's English? The simple process to find a solution to a problem often becomes increasingly frustrating and exhausting for both parties. While monolinguistic persons may not appreciate the struggle to learn and master a new language, as instructors to those individuals working to learning English, phonetics is key. Table of Contents English alphabet Why do students need phonetics? How to teach phonetics effectively? Practice in isolation Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Antranik...  [Read more]

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Should Chinese ESL Students Have Explicit Phonetic Instruction? During nine years of teaching English as a Second language, I have discovered how important phonetics is in learning the correct pronunciation of the English language, and in fact, in any language. Derwing and Munro (2005) emphasize, "It is essential to have an accurate understanding of the target language phonological system to enhance the quality of pronunciation". Table of Contents We should look at some of the problems that L2 learners have when trying to produce accurate L1 language patterns. We also have to take into account the students. Chinese students are very reluctant to speak in a classroom setting. So what pronunciation mistakes are most common? Do you...  [Read more]

Cheap TEFL Centers Check out tefl tesol about Cheap TEFL Centers and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: Check out ITTT's Blog Posts V.S. - U.S.A. said: PhoneticsIt is no secret that many learners face pronunciation difficulties at every stage of their English studies. Linguistics, specifically the fields of Phonetics and Phonology, are invaluable assets to learners and teachers alike. English, as any other language, has a certain set of linguistic rules which foreign students must acquire and which native speakers adopt naturally throughout the course of their early years. Unfortunately, each language has...  [Read more]

Agency Official TEFL Check out tefl tesol about Agency Official TEFL and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: Check out ITTT's Blog Posts A.C. - Korea said: Phonetics/Phonology Phonology is the study of the sounds by speakers of a particular language. A phoneme is a sound that makes a difference in meaning in a language. Since all students who study language need to be able to perceive and create the sounds that make up words, it is obvious how important the role of phonological knowledge is in learning a second language. Freeman and Freeman (2004) believe that ?students learning English as a second language...  [Read more]

Fri, 08 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Importance of Phonetics and Phonology and Suggestions for Their Effective Teaching Phonetics and phonology may seem like advanced or 'bonus' aspects of teaching the English language, but they are essential and fundamental to successful English communication for English students. While teaching and practicing concepts like pronunciation, intonation, stress, and articulation may be difficult (or seem outright impossible!), there are several methods and tools which English teachers can employ to help their students master them. Table of Contents Clear Understanding Importance to Teach this knowledge How to start? Practical Work Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our...  [Read more]

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Phonological Awareness for Developing Language Abilities Phonology involves studying how sounds are organized in a language to create meaning. It differs in every language as sounds are organized to create words, which are then organized in sentences. Table of Contents Understanding both phonology and phonetics is important when teaching language to others. The English IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) utilizes symbols to represent single sounds. Do you want to teach English abroad or online? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jane M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the...  [Read more]

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences What are Common Pronunciation Challenges Faced by L2 English Learners in Mexico? Spanish speakers from Mexico face several challenges for acquiring successful pronunciation skills in English. Many students here will have had at least some exposure to English through media and contact with American-English speakers, however, this does not mean that they will have a complete understanding of the phonemic system in English and how it differs from that of Spanish. This essay will briefly describe some outcomes stemming from pronunciation problems in students, followed by an overview of the basic phonetic and phonological differences between English and Mexican Spanish with examples and discussion around the rules that govern English...  [Read more]

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Mastering English Language Sounds: Enhancing Pronunciation and Auditory Receptive Skills Explore the challenges and strategies in teaching English language sounds and pronunciation across different age groups.It's widely known that students of various age groups exhibit varying learning capacities. Despite these differences and regardless of background or origin, learners of English (referred to as L2) often struggle with speaking and listening due to the language's heavy reliance on auditory comprehension. This article delves into the importance of addressing these pronunciation challenges, especially in the context of teaching English as a second language. Table of Contents Understanding Age-Related Differences...  [Read more]

Fri, 01 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Usual Problems of Japanese Students in English A large number of obstacles can arise for the students when learning a foreign language. Some of these problems are related to the contrast between the mother language and the learned language. About the differences between L1 and L2, there is plenty of research in the field of contrastive linguistics. Moreover, regarding that topic, many papers can be found comparing English to Japanese with the aim to address the problems of Japanese learners of English. However, other predicaments with the apprehension of the L2 can develop when teachers underestimate the importance of the cultural dimension of the language taught. Concerning that particular impediment, less scientific literature...  [Read more]

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Deciphering English Language Sounds: The Realm of Phonetics and Phonology In this blog post, we'll will delve into phonetics and phonology as described in George Yule's book, "The Study of Language." Phonetic and phonology are two branches of linguistics focused on the sound system. They are critical to understanding how speech sounds are produced, which, in turn, shapes language and communication. This discussion will explore various aspects of phonetics and phonology, breaking down the complex world of sounds in the English language. Table of Contents Phonetics and the Sound System Articulation Points Manner of Articulation Vowels and Diphthongs Phonology: The Sound Patterns of Language Teaching...  [Read more]

College Inclass TEFL Check out tefl tesol about College Inclass TEFL and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: Check out ITTT's Blog Posts A.P. - South Africa said: Phonetics Phonology Phonology has to do with the how a language sound, where as phonetics as part of phonology focuses on the production, perception and physical nature of how people produce speech sounds. Directly or indirectly the role of phonetics and phonology should play a profound role in TEFL. Teachers need to know how words are pronounced and knowing how words are formed is of great help in teaching English as a foreign language to students....  [Read more]

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Rules of Phonetics and Phonology in ESL Teaching In my experience tutoring students in English as a foreign language, the most overlooked learning points were undoubtedly phonetics, phonology, and their connection to pronunciation. Occasionally, there would be a few students who specifically asked for materials that would allow them to perfect or improve their English accent. Some students even requested to receive tutoring in different accents such as the Australian accent. No matter what the request was, it became clear to me over time that the missing link when teaching pronunciation was its connection to phonology and phonetics. From this point on, I became incredibly interested in this topic. Table of Contents My Course Research...  [Read more]

Pronunciation and Phonology in the EFL Classroom - Issues with the International Phonetic Alphabet   There are two issues that need to be stressed when working with the international phonemic alphabet. First is the fact that we are no longer concerned with how a word is traditionally spelled. Additionally we need to stress that we are only concerned with the sounds needed to correctly produce a word. So rather than numerous spellings, which can often be pronounced in different ways, we have one symbol representing one sound. Once we can isolate a sound, rather than juggling various spellings, we can work with our students on how to say that sound. Doing that successfully is related to manner and place of articulation, which will be covered shortly. To get a better understanding of...  [Read more]

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Phonetics: How can Phonemic Awareness Facilitate Effective Reading? Phonemics according to the Merriam Webster dictionary is a branch of linguistic analysis that consists of the study of phonemes. In other words, it could be explained as the study of the sound system of a given language and the analysis and classification of its phonemes. Phonemics awareness, on the other hand, is the ability to examine language independently to its meaning and to manipulate its component sound[1]. Table of Contents Difference between phonemes and phonics Universal way of acquiring a language Why phonemes are important? Correlation between phonemic awareness and spelling ability Teachers' Role Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL...  [Read more]

Our ITTT TEFL and TESOL Alumni Stories Issues in English for Learners from China Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences In this article, our TEFL graduate tells about the common problems faced by Chinese students in English. Reasons to Obtain a TEFL Certificate Even if You Have Teaching Experience Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences This article is devoted to the problem of taking a TEFL course while being an experienced teacher. English in Early Childhood: Alumni Teaching Experience Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Our TEFL Alumni share their experience of working with young children. Why The World Speaks English Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences In this article, our TEFL graduate contemplates the reasons why English has become global. The Necessity...  [Read more]