Common Myths about Teaching Pronunciation with Emma Walker

Founder of Pronunciation with Emma, Emma Walker, addresses myths surrounding teaching pronunciation, from misconceptions about the skills we need as teachers to common mixups between accent and pronunciation.

KEY TALKING POINTS

Myth 1: Certain Teachers Can't Teach Pronunciation

Emma emphasises the importance of mindset shifting among teachers, learners and the wider community. Teachers who speak English as a second language can still effectively teach pronunciation and provide an inspiring role model for learners. Resources like Emma's YouTube channel provide valuable guidance for building confidence in teaching pronunciation.

Myth 2: Accent Equals Pronunciation

While accent and pronunciation are connected, they are not the same. Accent refers to regional or cultural speech patterns, while pronunciation focuses on specific sounds. Emma illustrates the distinction with practical examples and highlights the importance of intelligibility.

Myth 3: Pronunciation Lessons Are Limited to Short Activities

Emma challenges the misconception that pronunciation lessons can't fill an entire class. She recommends resources like Mark Hancock's "English Pronunciation in Use" series for structured lesson planning. Elementary-level materials can be adapted for advanced learners, providing clarity and simplicity in pronunciation instruction.

ABOUT

Emma Walker has been teaching for over 15 years and decided to focus on helping English learners improve their pronunciation and listening skills after noticing that many of her students (who were living and working in the UK), were struggling to understand other people in the UK. She started making videos on social media back in 2018 and has amassed a following of over 1 million English learners and over 22 million views. Emma is also a copywriter and ghostwrites social media content for some of the biggest ELT companies. Visit Pronunciation with Emma to learn more.

REFERENCES

1. Baker, A. (2006) Ship or Sheep? Book and Audio CD Pack: An Intermediate Pronunciation Course. Cambridge University Press; 2nd edition
2. Baker, A. (2006) Tree or Three?: An Elementary Pronunciation Course. Cambridge University Press; 2nd edition
3. Hancock, M. (1995) Pronunciation Games. Cambridge University Press
4. Hancock, M. (2017) English Pronunciation in Use. Cambridge University Press

TRANSCRIPT

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CREDITS

Producer Laura Wilkes

Editor Haven Tsang

Thanks to our fun guest, Emma Walker.

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