with Speak Method
| English Online with Speak Method |
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| This is a general course in American
English pronunciation for people
from India. You may need to adjust
your training depending on your dialect and level of
fluency. Students should practice for 20 minutes/day as often as possible. Use the pages with word lists and reading practice repeatedly. Watch the videos and repeat after the speaker. (You may need to enable pop-ups to see the videos.) Get further practice by reading from a newspaper or book to apply the sounds and rules. On all 500 Words pages, there are links for extra practice: use these links too! If you are a beginner in English learning, you may need to study only the 500 word lists, as other pages may be too difficult. It is wise to begin your language learning with correct pronunciation. |
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| Week |
Focus |
Study Pages |
| Week 1 |
Learn about English
pronunciation training. Study American English T sounds. The T sounds represent an important difference between British and American English. Begin work on stress. |
Introduction Study T Sounds T Sounds: 500 Words Syllable Stress |
| Week 2 |
Pronounce the R sound clearly. Remember that the tip of the tongue does not touch for the American R. Also, remember that R is never silent in American English. Begin thinking about intonation (word stress): how to speak with natural rhythm. |
R Sounds R Sounds 500 Words Read about Intonation (Word Stress) |
| Week 3 |
Study all short vowel sounds:
focus on the short A sounds, the short I sounds and the Ö sound. Notice that "been" in American English is pronounced "ben." Study the 5 rules of intonation in more detail. Practice L sounds, especially reducing L at the ends of words. Practice R sounds. |
Short
Vowels: 500 Words L Sounds 500 Words Intonation: More Basics Practice R sounds |
| Week 4 |
Study the long vowel sounds.
These should not be too
difficult. Remember that long vowels are actually long: move your mouth and speak the sounds fully. Work on intonation by repeating after the speaker. Always stress the vowel sound on stressed syllables or stressed words. Americans stress vowels more than British speakers do. Review L and R sounds as needed. |
Long
Vowels: 500 Words Intonation Practice: American Slang Practice L sounds Review R sounds: Readings on Refugees |
| Week 5 |
Study the 2 sounds of TH. Practice the 2 sounds of TH with the 500 words lists. Continue to work on intonation. Don't forget to notice reduced T sounds. Get extra practice by printing the page (you'll need to copy/paste and reformat). Then you can write visual notes to yourself about T reductions, vowel sounds and stressed words. |
Study TH
Sounds TH Sounds: 500 Words |
| Week 6 |
Practice the 3 sounds of -ed as
needed. Study V and W as needed. Work on intonation by repeating after the speaker. |
-ED
sounds V and W sounds |
| Week 7 |
Learn how S sometimes sounds
like Z. Finish intonation work by reading aloud with good intonation after listening to the entire video. Always stress vowel sounds. Take the online grammar tests as needed. |
S and
Z sounds Take online grammar tests. |
| Week 8 |
Study the grammar pages you
need. Review everything by speaking through the English evaluation. This includes everyday words with all major English pronunciation rules. |
Study
grammar as needed. |
| Continued
Practice |
To keep practicing, read through
the 500 word lists regularly and take the links to extra
practice pages
on each sound. Practice repeating after the videos--it is
better to
repeat at least once a week rather than speak on your own
all the time. |
500 Words Lists |
*** If you have not reached your pronunciation goals at the end of this class, do repeat the class. New practice pages are often linked to the pages above. Remember, to change habits of speaking, you need new habits! By practicing pronunciation every day, you give yourself a new habit. Think about the number of years you have spoken English and give yourself a reasonable amount of time to change. *** |
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