Being able to provide quality pronunciation instruction and feedback during lessons is an essential part of learning any language. The following is a list of resources you as well as your students can make use of during lessons.
If you have any great resources of your own, feel free to share them by connecting with me via LinkedIn.
List of Pronunciation Resources
- Websites:
- International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) Chart: Provides a visual representation of English sounds with corresponding IPA symbols. Useful for teaching phonetic transcription. (e.g., www.ipachart.com)
- Rachel’s English: Offers a variety of video lessons on English pronunciation, covering sounds, stress, intonation, and more. (e.g., www.rachelsenglish.com)
- Sounds of English: Provides comprehensive resources, including pronunciation exercises, audio clips, and interactive activities. (e.g., www.soundsofenglish.org)
- English Club Pronunciation: Offers lessons, practice exercises, and audio clips for learners at different proficiency levels. (e.g., www.englishclub.com/pronunciation)
- YouTube Channels:
- Pronunciation with Emma: Emma’s channel focuses on teaching pronunciation, accent reduction, and common pronunciation errors. (e.g., www.youtube.com/pronunciationwithemma)
- Pronunciation Pro: Provides instructional videos on specific sounds, word stress, and rhythm to improve pronunciation. (e.g., www.youtube.com/pronunciationpro)
- Tarle Speech & Language Services: Offers pronunciation lessons and tips for English learners, including minimal pairs and word stress exercises. (e.g., www.youtube.com/tarlespeech)
- Mobile Apps:
- ELSA Speak: Assists learners in improving pronunciation through speech recognition technology and personalized feedback. Available for iOS and Android. (www.elsaspeak.com)
- Sounds: Provides a comprehensive collection of minimal pairs, audio exercises, and quizzes to help learners practice English sounds. Available for iOS. (www.soundsofenglish.org/sounds-app)
- English Pronunciation: Offers lessons and interactive exercises to help learners practice and improve their pronunciation. Available for Android. (www.pronunciation.app)
- Books:
- “Ship or Sheep?” by Ann Baker: A popular resource for practicing minimal pairs and differentiating between similar sounds.
- “English Pronunciation in Use” by Mark Hancock: Covers various aspects of pronunciation, including individual sounds, word stress, intonation, and connected speech.
- “Pronunciation Pairs” by Ann Baker and Sharon Goldstein: Focuses on pronunciation through pair work activities and includes audio material.
- Online Communities:
- /r/JudgeMyAccent: A subreddit where English learners can post recordings of their speech for feedback and advice on pronunciation. (www.reddit.com/r/JudgeMyAccent)
- English Language Learners Stack Exchange: An online community where learners can ask questions related to English pronunciation and receive answers from experienced users. (https://ell.stackexchange.com)
Remember that a combination of resources and approaches is often the most effective way to teach pronunciation, allowing learners to practice different aspects of pronunciation in various contexts.