How do you address pronunciation challenges faced by students from different linguistic backgrounds?
4 answers from our tutors
Best answer
●Help them say words correctly if they mispronounce them, but do it matter-of-factly, not scolding. ●Have them point to words and say them out loud. ●Have them sound out the letters in words. ●Help them break larger words into smaller sounds, such as “c-a-t.”
My explanation is that languages have an element of music, as do accents. When you can hear the music in a language then it helps you to pronounce. Well, most of the time. Let's face it, English doesn't always make linguistic (or musical) sense.
Going the syllable route is best, it's easy to form words first broken up and then added together, so it can justify to the pronunciation problems.
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If they're having a particularly hard time, pronouncing a word, I always have them break it up into syllables. That always seems to help.
Other student questions
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Hi My first advice is watching TV series and listening podcasts. In addition buying favourite books in English Best regards
