A super short Q&A with Teech...
Q: "Teech, do you think I should study English pronunciation?"
A: "Of course, my dear student! It is unfortunate that many English classes (and teachers) do not stress pronunciation enough. The sooner you learn pronunciation rules, the better!"
At the bottom of this page, you will find a COOL TOOL that I have developed to help you with your pronunciation of English, but before that...
...let me share with you some more pointers on proper English pronunciation:
WATCH A FILM!
Really! Watch this film, entitled 'My Fair Lady'. It is an old movie (1964 I think) but in the movie you will learn many things about proper English pronunciation and the many variations in existence, even among native English speakers in ye olde England.
LISTEN TO THE 'QUEEN'S ENGLISH'!
Listen to English speakers, who speak 'The Queen's English', it remains the official standard of spoken English in the world today. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the channel of choice for learning proper English pronunciation if you ask me.
BUY PRONUNCIATION TEXTBOOKS!
Learn or improve English pronunciation by listening to the CDs that come with these textbooks. They allow learners to 'pronounce along' and thus familiarise themselves with English words, phrases and sentences. You can progress at your own pace by listening to it as much or as little as you want.
SPEAK A LOT OF ENGLISH WITH OTHERS!
Practice speaking English with someone who speaks well, and don't be afraid of making mistakes, because conversing in English is the most active and direct way to master proper pronunciation.
CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPEAKING!
Many students complain that they cannot speak well or that their pronunciation is terrible. If you are still in school or college there are many activities that can help you improve AS LONG AS YOU WORK HARD AT IT!
For example, you can arrange group reading sessions with like-minded friends or acquaintances so that everyone benefits and can help one another with the correct pronunciation. The more you read aloud, the more confidence you will build in public speaking and the more your English pronunciation is likely to improve.
FINALLY, TRY USING THIS COOL FLASH TOOL TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION. YOU NEED TO TURN ON YOUR SPEAKERS OR RAISE THE VOLUME. I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN LEARNING PROPER PRONUNCIATION. ENJOY!!!
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain!
In Hartford, Hereford, and Hampshire hurricanes hardly happen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVmU3iANbgk
Posted by: jmlldn | Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 05:51 AM
i had to do a review on the movie when i was in part 2 i think.
Posted by: farhana rahim | Sunday, January 16, 2011 at 01:33 AM
I AGREE with this article. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) definitely should be the channel of choice for learning proper English pronunciation. I always ask my students to watch it. Most of my students are beginners of language learners, therefore most of them shy away from speaking due to their inability. But I have few students who are with higher confidence but they tend to use American slang. Heh...how anything bout America is first in their minds, right? Then i will have to explain all over again what i've learned about the 'Queen's English' and also RP.
Posted by: Hayatinurul | Thursday, September 02, 2010 at 06:03 PM