Teza de licenta - Teaching English pronunciation to secondary school students with focus on “th” consonants - iD:04061 - Volum 70 pagini

1 Introduction ...................................................................7

2 Theoretical Part .............................................................9
2.1 Features of Pronunciation .............................................9
2.1.1 The most problematic sounds for Czech learners...........11
2.2 Why to teach pronunciation ...........................................14
2.2.1 Intelligibility ...............................................................16
2.2.2 Model .......................................................................17
2.3 Teaching and learning pronunciation................................17
2.3.1 Pronunciation teaching.................................................18
2.3.2 Teacher’s role ...........................................................20
2.3.3 Student’s role............................................................21
2.4 Factors influencing pronunciation learning .......................22
2.4.1 Age factor..................................................................22
2.4.2 The role of the mother tongue ....................................24
2.4.3 Motivation .................................................................25
2.4.3 Learner’s attitude and sense of identity ........................26
2.5 Consonants...................................................................27
2.5.1 Production of voiced and unvoiced consonants “th” ........30
2.6 Summary of the theoretical part.....................................31

3 Practical Part ..................................................................33
3.1 Introduction to the Practical Part ......................................33
3.2 Activities focused on pronunciation of “th” sounds ..............35
3.2.1 Introducing TH fricative consonants ................................35
3.2.2 Minimal pairs ................................................................38
3.2.3 Tongue twisters ............................................................41
3.2.4 Oral reading..................................................................43
3.3 Introduction of the students..............................................45
3.4 Recordings .....................................................................47
3.4.1 Assessing recordings.......................................................48
4.4.2 First recording ..............................................................48
3.4.3 Second recording..........................................................51
3.4.3 Third recording.............................................................55
3.4.5 Summary of the recordings...........................................60

4 Conclusion ........................................................................62

5 References.......................................................................64

6 Appendix..........................................................................67
6.1 Appendix 1: reading text.................................................67
6.2 Appendix 2: TH fricative consonatns.................................68
6.3 Appendix 3: table of consonatnts ....................................69