Practicing Pronunciation For Higher Scores In Standardized .
SAUNDZPracticing Pronunciationfor Higher Scores inStandardized English Tests(TOEFL/IELTS)A White PaperSaundz Research11/5/2014The paper discusses pronunciation assessment methods on standardized English tests such as TOEFL andIELTS, as well as the ways Saundz pronunciation software can assist students in achieving higher scores.
Table of ContentsIntroduction: Speech Delivery Rating .2Importance of Pronunciation in TOEFL/IELTS .2Features of Saundz .3Expected results .4TOEFL Speaking Assessment Rubrics .4Independent Speaking Rubrics .5Integrated Speaking rubrics .7IELTS Speaking Assessment Criteria.8Conclusion .101American English Pronunciation Software Saundz
Introduction: Speech Delivery RatingStandardized English language tests such as TOEFL and IELTS both include assessment ofstudents‟ speaking skills. Although their rating rubrics slightly differ, both could be said todedicate similar amount of attention to correctness of pronunciation. While TOEFL speechdelivery rating sees pronunciation in the framework of independent andintegrated speaking tasks, IELTS on the other hand, observespronunciation as a separate category. On both these tests, speaking is a“Pronunciation is acategory that is rated on a 0 – 4 or 0 – 9 scale, respectively.vital part of anyspoken language, andImportance of Pronunciation in TOEFL/IELTSit is often the mostAs suggested by many EFL professionals, pronunciation is a vital partdifficult skill toof oral proficiency in English, since without mastering this skill,improve.”students cannot be neither properly understood, nor assessed onstandardized tests. Furthermore, students themselves considerpronunciation as one of the most difficult part to master for these typesof test. Kaplan TOEFL iBt Premier 2014-2015 explicitly states that “pronunciation is a vital partof any spoken language, and it is often the most difficult skill to improve” (232). They also notethat answers on TOEFL are not only marked by content but speaking ability as well, which iswhy it is essential to improve pronunciation.“The proper pronunciation of vowels and consonants in English depends onmanipulating the mouth, lips, tongue and breath in specific but subtle ways. Just as adancer or athlete practices the same essential movements over and over, you shouldpractice the actions necessary for various sounds.”Since this is exactly what Saundz does, it may be valuable for students to engage in this type ofpractice. Furthermore, practicing pronunciation can also help students perform better on thelistening component of these tests because developing better pronunciation skills also helps inimproving listening skills. In relation to the importance of pronunciation for TOEFL, CambridgePreparation for the TOEFL states that pronunciation practice can help students succeed on theTOEFL test in two ways:“You will improve your understanding of spoken English and do better on the tasks thatinvolve listening and you will improve the clarity and comprehensibility of your ownspeech and perform better on the speaking task. In order to improve your pronunciationskills, you should focus on three different areas of English pronunciation: individualspeech sounds, stress and rhythm, and intonation.”Obviously, it is highly important for students who aim at the highest marks to be able todemonstrate a high level of fluency, which includes correct pronunciation as well. However,pronunciation practice does not always receive the attention it deserves in the teaching process.2American English Pronunciation Software Saundz
For example, in a 2010 Survey of the Teaching of Pronunciation to Adult ESL Programs inCanada, survey respondents noted that 85% of their students requested pronunciation instructionor classes, due in part to their interest in taking a TOEFL/IELTS test.This is where Saundz pronunciation software reaches its fullpotential, since it can help students who lack consistentcommunication in English. With a variety of exercises aimed atstudents on different levels of English proficiency, Saundz helpsthem correct their basic pronunciation mistakes.Features of SaundzIn a 2010 survey, 85% ofstudents requestedpronunciation instructionor classes to prepare foreither a test or aninterview.Saundz represents a unique pronunciation practice tool because itincludes the advanced technical features and professionallydeveloped learning curriculum that supports the needs of both individual and classroom practice.Saundz enables students to practice 40 basic sounds of American English through more than 160lessons that include: 400 example words (with dictionary definitions, images and example sentences)Minimal pair drills (used to differentiate phonemes perceived as same or similar;especially when it comes to distinctive phonetic features such as vowel length, nasalityand aspiration)Word stress representationSyllabification (enables students to easily recognize basic units of words and potentiallypatterns for combining syllables into words)Multiple curriculums (focus on phonemes historically proved to be problematic forspeakers of particular languages)These represent the basics for organizing the Saundz curriculum. By practicing every sound inrelation to those that could potentially be perceived as similar to it, students better understand thedifferences between authentic English sounds and possible equivalents in their native languages.Furthermore, Saundz provides the following (Resource: Saundz as a Pronunciation TeachingTool for Modern Classrooms): Studio recorded high quality native speakers‟ recordings (4 voices, 2 male and 2 female)Visual input in the form of Simone, a high-definition movie quality animated teacher whois able to show speech mechanics from two available modes – side view and front view –and clearly shows the proper movements of the tongue, lips and jawIn recording mode students record their pronunciation of a word and compare it side byside with that of one of Saundz‟s native speakersSaundz use the IPA, an internationally recognized orthoepic convention for teachingEnglish pronunciation3American English Pronunciation Software Saundz
Saundz curriculum is carefully designed and organized to progress students in an orderlymanner sound by sound until they master their pronunciationStudents can practice on their own, while teachers can monitor their progressSaundz is also a cost-effective solution for classrooms; unlike language laboratories,Saundz allows browser-based access and mobile device access and does not require anyspecial equipmentExpected resultsTo illustrate the potential of Saundz, there are results from a field test that was carried out inOctober 2013. Namely, after the test all students showed some improvement in their skills. Somegeneral conclusions are that: Students with advanced knowledge of English and relatively good pronunciation skills,made progress in terms of specific features (e.g. corrected pronunciation of specificsounds.) Students who lacked good command of English pronunciation were able to improvespecific consonants and vowels, but their improvement was better reflected in theirreading abilities (they sounded clearer, more confident and were easier to understand.)Source: Saundz Software Application Provides Students with Functionality Necessary forImproving English Pronunciation SkillsThese results demonstrate the potential of phonology practice in general; namely, the basicpractice (segmentals) contributes to developing better overall reading and speaking skills.Although listening skills have not been tested in this particular test, it is reasonable to assumethat students may enhance those too.TOEFL Speaking Assessment RubricsSource: Educational Testing ServiceDuring the speaking part of the TOEFL exam, students are required to possess advancedpronunciation skills in order to get the highest mark. Correct pronunciation therefore plays animportant part in test preparation. In terms of speech delivery, students get the highest mark ifthey demonstrate the following:Speech is generally clear, fluid and sustained. It may include minor lapses or minordifficulties with pronunciation or intonation. Pace may vary at times as the speakerattempts to recall information. Overall intelligibility remains high.4American English Pronunciation Software Saundz
On the other hand, bad delivery skills refer to the following:Consistent pronunciation, stress and intonation difficulties cause considerablelistener effort; delivery is choppy, fragmented, or telegraphic; frequent pauses andhesitations.Therefore, poor pronunciation could potentially impede students‟ ability to demonstrate theirknowledge of grammar or vocabulary to a listener/rater on a test.Independent Speaking RubricsIndependent speaking tasks refer to students‟ ability to effectively share their personalexperiences, and communicate clearly their ideas and opinions. Since students are required torespond on topics familiar to them, this part of the TOEFL examination focuses solely onstudents‟ speaking skills.While responding to integrated speaking tasks, students are required to use more than one skill.In other words, developed speaking skills are not enough for the successful completion of thistask. Instead, these tasks integrate reading or listening with students‟ speaking skills. To put itsimply, students are graded on the basis of how well they can digest information andcommunicate it.5American English Pronunciation Software Saundz
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Integrated Speaking rubrics7American English Pronunciation Software Saundz
IELTS Speaking Assessment CriteriaThe IELTS test approaches assessing speaking somewhat differently. As highlighted below,Pronunciation is a separate category on the test. The greatest mark/band would be assigned tostudents who “use a full range of pronunciation features with precision and subtlety.” Thisalso relates to the ability to correctly pronounce individual sounds, and especially to makingdistinctions between vowel lengths in order to avoid possible misunderstandings. This is again,one of the areas where Saundz can prove to be a helpful tool.Table source: British CouncilBandFluency and coherenceLexical resourceGrammatical range andaccuracyPronunciation9 Speaks fluently withonly rare repetition orself correction; anyhesitation is contentrelated rather than to findwords or grammar Uses vocabulary withfull flexibility andprecision in all topics Uses a full range ofstructures naturally andappropriately Uses idiomaticlanguage naturally andaccurately Produces consistentlyaccurate structures apartfrom „slips‟ Uses a full range ofpronunciation featureswith precision andsubtlety Speaks coherently withfully appropriatecohesive features Sustains flexible use offeatures throughoutcharacteristic of nativespeaker speech Is effortless tounderstand Uses a wide range ofstructures flexibly Uses a wide range ofpronunciation features Produces a majority oferror-free sentences withonly very occasional Sustains flexible use offeatures, with onlyoccasional lapsesinappropriateness orbasic/unsystematic errors Is easy to understandthroughout; 1 accent hasminimal effect onintelligibility Uses a range of complexstructures with someflexibility Shows all the positivefeatures of band 6 andsome, but not all, of thepositive features of band8 Develops topics fullyand appropriately8 Speaks fluently withonly occasional repetitionor self-correction;hesitation is usuallycontent related and onlyrarely to search forlanguage Develops topicscoherently andappropriately Uses a widevocabulary resourcereadily and flexibly toconvey precisemeaning Uses less commonand idiomaticvocabulary skilfully,with occasionalinaccuracies Uses paraphraseeffectively as required7 Speaks at lengthwithout noticeable effortor loss of coherence May demonstratelanguage-relatedhesitation at times, orsome repetition and/orself-correction Uses a range of8 Uses vocabularyresource flexibly todiscuss a variety oftopics Uses some lesscommon and idiomaticvocabulary and showssome awareness ofstyle and collocation,with some Frequently produceserror-free sentences,though some grammaticalmistakes persistAmerican English Pronunciation Software Saundz
65connectives anddiscourse markers withsome flexibilityinappropriate choices Is willing to speak atlength, though may losecoherence at times due tooccasional repetition,self-correction orhesitation Has a wide enoughvocabulary to discusstopics at length andmake meaning clear inspite ofinappropriateness Uses a range ofconnectives anddiscourse markers but notalways appropriately Generally paraphrasessuccessfully Usually maintains flowof speech but usesrepetition, self-correctionand/or slow speech tokeep going Manages to talk aboutfamiliar and unfamiliartopics but usesvocabulary with limitedflexibility May over-use certainconnectives anddiscourse markers Attempts to useparaphrase but withmixed success Uses paraphraseeffectively Produces simple speechfluently, but morecomplex communicationcauses fluency problems4 Cannot respond withoutnoticeable pauses andmay speak slowly, withfrequent repetition andself-correction Links basic sentencesbut with repetitious useof simple connectivesand some breakdowns incoherence3 Speaks with longpauses Has limited ability tolink simple sentences Gives only simpleresponses and isfrequently unable to9 Is able to talk aboutfamiliar topics but canonly convey basicmeaning on unfamiliartopics and makesfrequent errors in wordchoice Rarely attemptsparaphrase Uses simplevocabulary to conveypersonal information Has insufficientvocabulary for lessfamiliar topics Uses a mix of simpleand complex structures,but with limitedflexibility May make frequentmistakes with complexstructures, though theserarely causecomprehension problems Produces basic sentenceforms with reasonableaccuracy Uses a limited range ofmore complex structures,but these usually containerrors and may causesome comprehensionproblems Produces basic sentenceforms and some correctsimple sentences butsubordinate structures arerare Errors are frequent andmay lead tomisunderstanding Attempts basic sentenceforms but with limitedsuccess, or relies onapparently memorisedutterances Makes numerous errorsexcept in memorisedexpressionsAmerican English Pronunciation Software Saundz Uses a range ofpronunciation featureswith mixed control Shows some effectiveuse of features but this isnot sustained Can generally beunderstood throughout,though mispronunciationof individual words orsounds reduces clarity attimes Shows all the positivefeatures of band 4 andsome, but not all, of thepositive features of band6 Uses a limited range ofpronunciation features Attempts to controlfeatures but lapses arefrequent Mispronunciations arefrequent and cause somedifficulty for the listener Shows some of thefeatures of band 2 andsome, but not all, of thepositive features of band4
convey basic message2 Pauses lengthily beforemost words Little communicationpossible1 Only producesisolated words ormemorised utterances Cannot produce basicsentence forms Speech is oftenunintelligible No communication possible No rateable languageConclusionAs outlined in the summary of this paper, Saundz represents an efficient practice tool forstudents who aim to take standardized English language tests. Saundz represents a unique tool intoday‟s EFL market because of the variety of features it containsand because of the professionally-designed curriculum thatenables students to practice on their own. Since students are“Pronunciation proficiencyrequired to demonstrate minimum pronunciation mistakes onin a foreign language shouldTOEFL/IELTS, practicing with Saundz can help them achievenot be something that can bethis. However, it students should take the practice seriously„turned on‟ specifically forbecause improving pronunciation skills is very important on atests.”long-term basis. In Pronunciation and Phonetics: A PracticalGuide for English Language Teachers Adam Brown states that:“Pronunciation proficiency in a foreign language should not besomething that can be „turned on‟ specifically for tests.”Pronunciation practice with Saundz can have an important effect not only on students‟ testscores, but their future ability to communicate in English, too. Therefore, all students of Englishwho feel uncomfortable with their pronunciation skills should dedicate some time to improvingthis aspect as well.10American English Pronunciation Software Saundz
References:Brown, Adam. Pronunciation and Phonetics: A Practical Guide for English Language Teachers.Foote, Jennifer A., Amy K. Holtby and Tracey M. Derwings. Survey of the Teaching ofPronunciation in Adult ESL Programs in Canada, 2010. TESL Canada Journal/Revue TESL DuCanada, vol. 29, No 1. Winter 2011.Kaplan, Inc. Kaplan TOEFL iBt Premier 2014-2015 with 4 Practice Tests. New York: KaplanPublishing. Routledge. 2014.11American English Pronunciation Software Saundz
Standardized English Tests (TOEFL/IELTS) A White Paper Saundz Research 11/5/2014 The paper discusses pronunciation assessment methods on standardized English tests such as TOEFL and IELTS, as well as the ways Saundz pronunciation software can assist students in achieving higher scores.
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Different teaching methods have had different opinions about the importance of learning correct pronunciation and about how pronunciation should be taught. See Appendix 1, page 449, for a chart that summarizes various teaching methods’ approaches to teaching pronunciation. What is the main emphasis of pronunciation teaching today?
Spelling and Pronunciation Errors in English Language ARTICLE HISTORY Received: 11.01.2017 Revised 01.03.2017 Accepted 03.03.2017 ABSTRACT Pronunciation is the way a word or a langu someone letters a word. A way of speaking a word, especially a way that is accepted or generally understood. Pronunciation is a graphic representation of the way a
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