Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

1.  Understand the development of pronunciation skills as a process that involves determination of purpose, selection and adjustment of strategies, comprehension checks, and integration of prior knowledge with new knowledge to address the purpose.

2. Identify and correct pronunciation problems to produce clearly understandable English in an academic setting.

Class time includes a combination of lecture, listening, pronunciation activities, and discussion. Other activities, such as skits and group projects reinforce content and language topics. Homework includes preparation for all the above as well as background reading and study for quizzes and tests.

The following assessment strategies may be used to determine a student’s competency in pronunciation:

Speaking

1. Grade short prepared presentations  in terms of intelligibility.
2. Assess impromptu speaking assignments in terms of intelligibility.
3. Evaluate pronunciation using online voice recording applications, such as Blackboard Wimba.
4. Assess student communication in group work, such as discussions and group presentations.
5. Conduct one-on-one oral interviews of each student.
6. Assess assignments requiring communication with fluent speakers of English, such as surveys, interviews or conversation groups.
7. Evaluate student skits or role plays in terms of intelligibility.
8. Assess students’ in-class participation.

Listening

1. Assess complete sentence and fill-in-the-blank dictations
2. Test students’ ability to distinguish English phonemes (sounds) using the International Phonetic Alphabet.

Other

1. Evaluate comprehension of readings related to lectures/class discussion
2. Factor in attendance/tardiness as part of the grade

A.  Consonants, Vowels, Stress and Intonation

B.  Grammar and Vocabulary

C.  Critical Thinking Skills

D.  Listening Comprehension

E. Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication

Competencies and Skills

A.  Consonants, Vowels, Stress and Intonation

1.  pronounce word endings consistently and link correctly

2.  recognize common sound substitutions: e.g. i/I, ʌ/æ, θ/s and l/r sounds

3.  understand and use stress patterns, reductions, and phrasing in relation to the meaning

4.  understand and use rhythm and intonation patterns

5.  use the IPA to improve speaking skills

6.  identify and orally produce all of the sounds in the IPA (consonants, vowels, diphthongs)

B.  Grammar and Vocabulary

1.  choose appropriate words and word forms for academic vocabulary

2.  consistently use correct word order

3.  consistently speak appropriately and accurately using past, present, and future time frames

4.  use question and negative forms correctly

5.  use articles, helping verbs, and prepositions consistently and correctly

C.  Critical Thinking Skills

1.  avoid plagiarism

2.  consistently demonstrate an awareness of audience and purpose

3.  read and follow directions

D.  Listening

1.  distinguish between the sounds of American English

2.  recognize intonation, stress, and phrasing patterns

E.   Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication

1.   initiate questions without being prompted

2.   participate by contributing and connecting ideas

3.   demonstrate strategies to achieve intelligibility