This article looks at the use of the phonemic script in the classroom. It discusses and provides references to sources which discuss the following questions:
- What are the advantages of using the phonemic
script in the classroom?
- What are the disadvantages? With which learner types and in which learning contexts might it not be appropriate?
- If phonemic symbols are used in the classroom, how can they be introduced and taught?
a) What are the advantages of using the phonemic script in the classroom?
1. The
frequent lack of correspondence between the written and spoken forms of words
in English means that the pronunciation of each word must be explained and
practised as it is introduced – and the phonemic script gives the teacher a
time efficient way of demonstrating any differences between the spelling and
the pronunciation. . For example, learners can easily be shown how the addition
of the letter “e” in the spelling can change a preceding vowel (eg not vs note
- /nɒt nəʊt/); or how some letter sequences are unpredictable in their
pronunciation (eg cough /kɒf/. though /ðəʊ/, through /θruː/, ought /ɔːt/
etc).
2. If the
phonemic script is used as explained above, the learners can also note it in
their vocabulary records. This means that when they revise the word, they can
also revise the pronunciation – which by then they may have forgotten
3. If the phonemic script is used in the
classroom, Ls will gradually become familiar with it. This will increase their
autonomy as they will be able to check the pronunciation of new words met
outside the c/r with the help of a dictionary (though see point 10 below).
4. Any Ls who need to understand native speakers
of English will need to understand (though not necessarily produce)
the features of connected speech (vowel weakening, elision, assimilation,
gemination etc) in order to decode reduced forms of utterances such as “He
won’t be expecting it” /iː wəʊmp bɪjɪkspektɪnɪt/. The use of the phonemic
script again allows the teacher to demonstrate the changes between the
pronunciation if the words in their citation form and the connected speech
version.
5. Feedback : The phonemic script is again a fast
and efficient way of following up on errors in pronunciation overheard by the
teacher. The teacher can use the board to contrast the learner’s pronunciation
and the correct pronunciation.
6. The
phonemic script also “enables the students to comprehend the elements of
pronunciation visually as well as aurally” (Celce-Murcia et al., p. 54). Providing
a visual representation of the pronunciation of the word, may make it more
“concrete” and memorable – especially for learners with a visual learning
preference.
b) What are the disadvantages? With which learner types and in which learning contexts might it not be appropriate?
7. It
is time consuming, and if pronunciation is not a course priority, the time
needed may be better spent on other areas which reflect the analysis of the
learners’ needs. This might be particularly important on short courses.
8. There
are a number of learner types who will be learning the Roman script for the
first time. To introduce a second set of symbols will only cause confusion.
This includes:
a) Beginner learners whose L1 does not use the
Roman script – eg Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic speakers.
b) Some ESOL learners who may not even be literate
in their own language and are therefore learning to read and write for the
first time.
c) Very young learners who are unable to or just
starting to learn to read and write in their own language (kindergarten and
early primary learners).
9. Additionally,
these young learners are not analytic and will be acquiring rather than
learning the language. Accurate pronunciation will therefore develop though
mimicry and repetition rather than explanation.
10. There
are several different versions of the IPA symbols used to represent English
sounds. The one most usually used in the classroom is, in my experience, Adrian
Underhill’s phonemic chart. However, dictionaries often use different
symbols and this can confuse students. For example, the Longman Dictionary of
Contemporary English transcribes the vowel in bed as /e/ while the online
dictionary Vocabulary.com
transcribes it as /ɛ/. This can confuse
students.
c) If phonemic symbols are used in the classroom, how can they be introduced and taught?
See the following:
Adrian Underhill, How
to Introduce the Pronunciation Chart to your Class
Teaching English, Using
the phonemic chart for autonomous learning
Teaching English, Young
Learners and the Phonemic Chart
Teaching English, Remembering
the phonemes
Teaching English, Vocabulary
Recycling and Revision of Phonemic Symbols
If you need to learn to read and write the phonemic script, whether for classroom use or a TEFL exam such as the Cambridge CELTA or DELTA, and the Trinity College Cert TESOL and DipTESOL, this post and the tasks it includes will help: Learning the phonemic script
