Module 6: Lesson 6 - Teaching techniques and mother-tongue interference

Question 1

List 12 teaching techniques to improve pronunciation.

Answer 1

• Drilling
• Backchaining
• Use the phonemic chart
• Write problematic sounds in phonemic script
• Mark silent letters in words
• Reference word stress and location
• Use arrows to mark intonation patterns.
• Minimal pairs
• Use a mirror
• Picture bingo for similar sounding words
• Use songs to focus on connected speech / stress / rhythm
• Cuisenaire rods

Question 2

What is mother tongue interference?

Answer 2

When a learner’s first language (L1) causes problems for learners speaking a second,or subsequent, language (L2).

Question 3

Why would mother tongue interfere with English learning?

Answer 3

• There may be sounds in English that learners are not familiar with, or simply do not have in their own language.
• They may be familiar with the sound, but in their L1, the place or manner of articulation is different.
• We have the vast differences between spelling and pronunciation that can be found in English, it’s not a phonetic language.

Question 4

Name 7 methods to prevent mother tongue interference.

Answer 4

• Knowledge of the student’s L1
• Focus on typical errors
• Comparing and contrasting
• Positive and negative transfer
• Using a variety of correction techniques
• Use the board/screen
• Listening (and more listening)

Question 5

Name some challenges Spanish students could come up against in pronunciation.

Answer 5

Consonant clusters can be confusing.

Spanish often add the letter ‘e’ to words starting with ’s’.

Diphthongs are likely difficult to pronounce.

“Th” sounds can be difficult to differentiate between.

V and B differentiation could be tricky - minimal pairs.