World Alphabet Chart

  There are two issues that need to be stressed when working with the international phonemic alphabet. First is the fact that we are no longer concerned with how a word is traditionally spelled. Additionally we need to stress that we are only concerned with the sounds needed to correctly produce a word. So rather than numerous spellings, which can often be pronounced in different ways, we have one symbol representing one sound. Once we can isolate a sound, rather than juggling various spellings, we can work with our students on how to say that sound. Doing that successfully is related to manner and place of articulation, which will be covered shortly. To get a better understanding of the phonemic alphabet, let's take a look at our chart. In the bottom half of our chart we have our...  [Read more]

North American English Pronunciation: Difficulties of the Spanish Speaker<br /><br />The variety of English spoken in North America not only has particular grammatical structures, vocabulary, slang, and orthography, but it also comprises a unique system of pronunciation. Improper pronunciation can render a word unintelligible and yet the main goal of learning a language is to be able to communicate. While native-like pronunciation may never be attainable for some learners, it is important for teachers of English to identify potential problem areas so that their students will at least be able to communicate competently.<br /><br />The Spanish speaker will encounter several phonetic difficulties upon learning North American English (NAE). First, I will...  [Read more]

The technology Era has transformed the options for teaching in the classroom. Gone are the days when the teacher only had a blackboard and a chalk. If available or possible the possibilities of having a computer in the classroom are infinite. There are many activities and software to aid the students in their challenge of learning a new language. With just a computer, the students can practice the alphabet by looking at the keyboard, see words used when opening a program and interact with them. As Bernie Poole stated in What Every Teacher Should Know about Technology, 'Every teacher should be proficient in the use of productivity tools. Teachers have to process many different types of data. Productivity tools (word processor, spreadsheet) are available on all computers and are...  [Read more]

My article is based on personal experiences as I teach a French Kindergarten class on a voluntary basis. One September afternoon my sons? new teacher asked if I would be interested in teaching English to her Kindergarten class. Standing in front of the class for the first time I realized how dreadful it could be. I didn?t have any real experience, only teaching my children at home. Armed with a few songs, an alphabet chart, and a mini lesson plan, I found myself defenseless in front of a class whose concentration span was short. They just wanted to play. It didn?t help that their teacher was there and kept telling them to be quiet in French. I finally managed to speak to all the children and ask them their names. It was difficult and I had to revert to asking questions...  [Read more]