SEMINAR: "Improving Learners' Pronuciation Skills."

Improving Learners´ Pronuciation Skills

                                   By Professor Andrea Gil

I attended this seminar in charge of Andrea Gil because I am really interested in pronunciation and how to encourage students to improve their own pronunciation.  The main purpose of this seminar was to make us aware of the importance of using pronunciation activities in our lessons since there is a general tendency among teachers to skip those activities every time they appear on course books.

  We worked in groups to revise most features of speech such as stress rhythm and intonation and we also explore and tried out simple activities, which we could implement in the classroom. The teacher also talked about the importance of technological digital tools that would really help to increase learners´ autonomy when dealing with pronunciation. Students can use these tools both in and out the classroom. We have to motivate them to practise at home.

 We also discussed about the importance of intonation and little by little we could get our students used to reading properly giving a bit of rhythm an intonation to the texts.

  We also saw on screen some useful websites that offered further practice on pronunciation. In one of them, for example, students could record themselves to practice pronunciation.

  In my opinion, it was a very interesting seminar since I consider that speaking and pronunciation should be essential for our students so as to be able to communicate in English. I really agree with the fact that teachers normally avoid pronunciation activities because they may think that they are difficult for students or they may have no time in their lessons because they have to cover all the contents from the curriculum. We have to feel comfortable and confident about integrating pronunciation within our teaching practice.