Top ten tips for students


1. Little and often

Short frequent practices of one or two minutes are good for fitness training for your ear and pronunciation muscles!


2. Hear it, say it

Two things are important: the sound you hear in your ear, and the sound you make in your mouth. They are not the same! Try to become good at noticing both and developing both.


3. All the sounds are important

You need all the sounds for speaking and listening and even for thinking in English!


4. The chart is a map

It shows you how and where the sounds are made in your mouth. Get to know the chart. Be curious and enjoy your practice!


5. Integrate pronunciation when you learn new words

When you learn a word, say the word, but you could also try listening to it internally (in you mind’s ear), counting how many sounds it has (his will help you hear them), finding those sounds by tapping the chart or saying the words aloud. Don’t worry if you make lots of mistakes!


6. Experiment with the sounds

When you practise a sound, experiment with making small changes to it and hearing the difference. Notice which one seems most ‘correct.’


7. Pronunciation is a physical activity: so keep fit!

It’s like learning to dance. When you dance you move your arms, legs, body and head in a coordinated way, and this makes all dances different. When you speak you move your tongue back and forward, your jaw and tongue up and down, your lips from rounded to spread, and your voice on and off in a coordinated way, and this makes all the sounds different. Pronunciation requires fitness!


8. Repeat mode

Tap a sound on the chart and try to hear in your mind’s ear how it sounds without tapping again. Then say it aloud, noticing if it is different. Tap and hold the symbol on the chart to listen to the example word. Again, listen to the word in your mind’s ear and count how many sounds in the word. Finally say the word aloud and listen to yourself.


9. Test yourself

Choose a sound from the chart and silently think about how it is produced. When you think you know, say it aloud. Use the app to tap the sound and check yourself.


10. Listen to how English people speak your language.

This can tell you a lot about English pronunciation! If you try speaking your language with their pronunciation you will be practising English pronunciation!


Interested in learning more?

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