Week 3: Language Description & Analysis

How important is it to teach

intonation, rhythm and
stress? (What problems do
learners typically
encounter?) You have 2 minutes to
discuss your ideas with a
partner.
 Intonation is considered the „music‟ of speech.
 Incorrect intonation can result in
misunderstandings.
 Raising awareness of intonation can aid
understanding.

It‟s not what you know | it‟s who you know.

or
It‟s not ↑ WHAT you know, it‟s ↑ WHO you know.
 Intonation, like other paralinguistic features
of language, is best acquired through
exposure rather than taught in the classroom.
(Thornbury, 2006)

 Awareness-raising activities:
◦ “It‟s raining!”
 Rhythm “is the way that some words are
emphasized so as to give the effect of regular
beats” (Thornbury, 2006) or fluidity in spoken
language.
 How would you say the following?
◦ If I‟d known you were coming, I‟d have prepared a
meal.
◦ If I‟d known you were coming, I‟d have prepared a
meal.
 Introduce rhythm by humming, clapping,
singing or using tongue twisters.
If two witches were watching two
watches, which witch would watch
which watch?
 “Word stress refers to prominence at the word
level, while sentence stress refers to the
patterns and unstressed syllables over a
whole sentence.” (Thornbury, 2006)
 Vowel sounds are typically weak and
unstressed. (Scrivener, 2005)
 Word stress is a common cause of
misunderstanding in English:
◦ “They will desert the desert by tomorrow morning.”

desert desert
 Effects of stress in sentences:

◦ David wanted the to buy the red shirt. (not the red tie)
◦ David wanted the to buy the red shirt. (not …)
◦ David wanted the to buy the red shirt. (not …)
◦ David wanted the to buy the red shirt. (not …)
◦ David wanted the to buy the red shirt. (not …)

 Students could complete the explanation as

in the first example.
interview completely

innocent example

suitable opposite

universe revision

computer important

recorder
 Cuisenaire rods or Lego
bricks
 Integrating within lessons
 Tongue twisters
 Songs, poems, etc

 Sound Foundations by Adrian Underhill

 Teaching English Pronunciation by Joanne
Kenworthy
 An A-Z of ELT by Scott Thornbury
 Learning Teaching by Jim Scrivener
 Word Stress:
◦ http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/word-stress
 Intonation:
◦ http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/intonation
 Rhythm:
◦ http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/rhythm
 Tongue Twisters:
◦ www.learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/tongue-twisters
 Wordle: www.wordle.net