Category Archives: Jason’s Post-class
Zehra BORA
My Post-Class Task for Unconventional Approaches to Accent Reduction:Music, Mimicry, and Sound Morphing
Class Description
Level :Intermediate
Age :15-16
Class size :25 students
Duration :45 min.
Objective : To raise students’ awareness of features of connected speech
Procedure
1.Make a photocopy of the questions below.Cut up the strips and give each student in the class a question.
How often do you come here?
What have you got there?
What are you going to do tonight?
What did you do yesterday?
What do you want to eat?
How is it going?
What do you usually do at the weekends?
2. Tell all of the students to stand up and mingle asking and answering the questions.Thus,students have the chance to express themselves,which builds confidence in them.
Once they have finished, tell the students to take a seat and then go over what some of the replies were to the questions e.g. ‘I went to the cinema’ , ‘I usually meet with my friends’ etc.
3.Say one of these sentences to the students
e.g. What did you do last night? Repeat it a few times.Say each word slowly and clearly.
4.Ask the students to tell you what happens to the language when you say the question in a more natural way. Try to prompt them towards: the ‘did’ and the ‘you’ joining and becoming a /dj/ sound.
5. Say a few more questions,first slowly and then normally.Draw students’ attention to any contractions and linking etc.
6.Explain students what makes up connected speech,e.g. Linking words, Vowel reduction,Weak Forms
Rhythm,Word stress.
7.Ask students to work in pairs.Dictate these sentences first slowly and then naturally:
I don’t know,maybe I can stay.
Say it isn’t true.
Could you give me a light?
I went to the hotel and booked a room for two nights for my father and his best friend.
What’s that knife for?
Jack’s happy.
Ask students to explain different aspects of connected speech in these sentences.
8.Ask students to repeat these sentences after you.
9.Demonstrate students a video titled ESL Pronunciaton Exercise:Free Time from
http://www.rachelsenglish.com/videos/ben-franklin-exercise-free-time.
10.Homework: Students are to write about what they like to do on their free day.They are going to
present their work in class paying attention to features of connected speech.