The importance of teaching phonetics in grade 6, secondary school

- During the process of teaching and studying English, phonetics is anindispensable field and the correct pronunciation is mandatory for any foreignlanguage learners because of pronounci

IV The effectiveness of the topic in the process of teaching 16

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A BACKGROUND

1 The reasons of choosing the topic.

- English – an international communicative language has been becomingmore and more important in today's modern world And when people have beenaware of that importance, raising the quality of teaching and learning in school

is the top priority issue The new process of replacing textbooks has beenconducted nowadays for no such purpose The application of the new methods atfirst is effective but it also causes lots of problems The question is: Howstudents can comprehend all the knowledge they have studied and used itfluently ? Always concern for those who have been working in Education Tomeet that requirement, each teacher must find an active teaching method, to suiteach student and achieve the highest result at their schools

- During the process of teaching and studying English, phonetics is anindispensable field and the correct pronunciation is mandatory for any foreignlanguage learners because of pronouncing vocabularies exactly will be able tohelp learners understand them easily Conversely, speakers pronounce a wordincorrectly, it will make listeners misunderstand or even cannot At any time, ourEnglish teachers often say that After having studied English for a number ofyears, students might be deaf-mutes Recognizing that importance, the newtextbooks in all four levels of education compiled by the Ministry of Education

is due to communication through the combination of four teaching skills.Thinking that it is a more effective method than any others used today

- However, after a number of years teaching in secondary school, I myselfhave noticed the fact that although students have been learning English foryears, they are not effective, too What they said hardly did people hear andwhen others said, they could not hear This question has always reminded me for

a long time and I also realized that if students mispronounce any words, it willlead to speaking wrongly Consequently, they cannot hear others For thementioned reasons above, I do think that changing in teaching and learningEnglish is necessary so that after leaving school, learners can use English better,

to meet the need of modern society today

2 Research purposes.

- During the process of learning English, phonetics is indispensable forlearners and pronouncing correctly is mandatory for any foreign languagelearners because if speakers pronounce exactly, listeners can understand themeasily Conversely, when speakers pronounce incorrectly, it will make listenersmisunderstand and even cannot This leads to bad effects and learners havedifficulties in higher study Therefore, researching the topic will help me findout good methods and apply them in teaching listening and speaking skillsbetter, students can understand the lessons more easily

3 Research subjects.

- As time is limited, in this topic I proceed only the simple ways of teaching

phonetics for all the students in grade 6 - The school year: 2017 – 2018.

4 Research methods.

- Through practical periods in the class

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- Using synthetic method.

- Read documents with the research-related issues

- Using survey method and using pedagogical observation method

5 The new points of the topic.

- Students have more time to practice phonetics in pairs, groups

- Give practical examples and ask students to compare with the voice of native speakers to pronounce exactly

- Ask students to find out mistakes of their partners in pronunciation, and help them to correct

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B SOLUTION

I RATIONALE

Dated on 22nd december 2017 in Ha Noi, the Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc approved the adjustment and supplement of the scheme on teachingand learning foreign languages in the national education system in the period of

2017 - 2025 with the following principal contents:

- Create a breakthrough in the quality of teaching and learning foreignlanguages for all levels of education and training levels, encouraging theintroduction of foreign languages into schools from pre-school levels and socialactivities Promote foreign language teaching integrated in other subjects andteaching other subjects such as math and science subjects, specialized subjects

in foreign languages

- Promote the application of advanced technology in teaching andlearning foreign languages with a suitable electronic learning system for allsubjects so that learners can study foreign languages, approach native languages

at any time, anywhere, with any vehicles, especially in developing listening andspeaking skills

- Create a good environment of learning foreign language in schools,families and society for teachers, lecturers, family members and students tostudy foreign languages

- Ensure foreign language competencies and pedagogical capabilities offoreign language teachers and lecturers, teach specialized subjects of scienceand subjects in foreign languages for all levels of education and training levels

- Strengthen testing and evaluating of teaching and learning foreign languages

- Prioritize supporting to improve the quality of teaching and learning foreign languages for disadvantaged areas

- Promote socialization, promote the role of foreign language centers in teaching and learning foreign languages outside the school

- Renovating the management of the Scheme to ensure practicality,

feasibility and effectiveness with general goals below:

Renovating teaching and learning foreign languages in the nationaleducation system, continuing to implement new foreign language programs at alllevels, training levels and capacity building for foreign language uses to meetthe demands of study and work; strengthening the competitiveness of humanresources in the integration period, contributing to the construction anddevelopment of the country; create a universal language foundation for generaleducation by 2025 One hundred percent of graduates to meet the professionalstandards of teachers and the capacity of foreign language teachers at differenteducational levels and levels By 2025, striving to complete the construction ofteaching and learning foreign language programs in regular education tobasically meet the needs of the society

II REALITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH IN

SECONDARY SCHOOL TODAY.

1 Reality.

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- In general, English has become a major subject in school for such a longtime, but its benefits have not been taken more notice On the one hand, it is due

to limited infrastructure and teaching facilities in schools, and the other factor isdue to the quality of teaching is not high, yet attracts the enthusiasts of students’learning This is further evident in the hours taught listening and reading skills Moreover, students are just interested in the meanings of words withoutknowing the words that are pronounced and how they are used

Especially pressing word stress, sentence of specific communication situationsthey were not paying attention Therefore, the quality of teaching dropped, thiscannot meet the needs after graduating and working

- The other factor is that, the role of the teachers cannot mention Mostteachers love teaching and love their students, very enthusiastic and considerstudents to be their children; but some teachers neglect their work Due to lowsalary, they may think that: “The ones who work hard, and the ones who workless are the same Salary has not been deducted” Negative thoughts thatinvisible kill future generations of the country The others are only interested inbusiness and do the other side job to earn money for their families The viewbecomes misleading when some teachers were not interested in teachinglistening and viewing this skill was not important Maybe they do not know thatthey are carrying on their shoulders a great responsibility that their country putstrust in, entrust; a nobler profession regardless of how noble profession Thefuture of the country will depend on the quality of education and training In myviewpoint, if we want better teaching quality, the mind of the teachers puts ontop The teachers must have innovative teaching methods appropriate to eachlesson, each student object In the teaching process, they should combine toteach all four skills: Listening - Speaking - Reading - Writing so as to have themost effective results

- Teaching a foreign language lesson in secondary schools today is that, thetask of teachers and students are: Students only prepare their lessons at home such

as investigating some new words or writing a few words and go to the classes, theteachers present the lessons, students record and repeat passively He or she thencomments and gives correct answers, students record them and copy down Thisorganization is found only about 20% of the students understand the lessons andwork hard The rest just copy all on the table and listen passively, machinery Someother students are seen as ignorant Thinking that good students are always good,and weak students are still weak forever The question I do mention in the topic is:Why many students are afraid to learn a foreign language and why they are still badeven though having studied for a long time

2 The results of the status.

For such thoughts in the school year 2017 - 2018, I have explored, studiedmaterials and through the practical teaching hours in the class to find a way toteach students a pronunciation effective way to help them hear - say better andeliminate the feeling afraid of studying English Then, teachers can capture,control all activities of the students in each lesson

Now, I would like to present the topic that: “The importance of teaching

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phonetics in grade 6, secondary school” I have applied in the teaching process

in grade 6, school year 2017 - 2018 by my colleagues in charge prior to conferexchange, mutual learning, to enhance expertise and professional I look forward

to the truthful help of all my colleagues

III SOLUTION IMPLEMENTATION

Realizing the urgent issues on and how to teach them to pronouncecorrect lexicon, I give some experimental solutions as shown below:

PART I: STUDENTS SURVEY

- Before teaching how to pronounce phonetics, I have set up thequestionnaire to check how they understood their lessons in primary school Asfar as I know, students have learnt pronunciation the suffix [s / es / ed] in grade

5 I give the assignments:

Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the three others in the same line.

1 A learns B meets C laughs D books

The correct answer: 1 A 2 B 3 C 4 A

And the results were so disappointing:

Number 0 – 2,4 p 2,5 – 4,9p 5,0 – 6,4p 6,5 – 7,9p 8,0 – 10 p Class of

PART II: PHONOLOGICAL TEACHING PROCESS

To help the students how to pronounce exactly new words and speakEnglish well, I have conducted the process of teaching phonics and surveyresults in all two classes – 6A and 6B First of all, I made three of the symboltable consonants and vowels as well as examples for each case in order that the

students can understand this in an easy way Below are the tables illustrated with

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consonants, vowels and dipthongs:

1 THE PROCESS OF TEACHING CONSONANTS

a Single consonants.

a.1 Consonant “c”

- Consonant [c] may be pronounced: /k/, /∫/, /t∫/, /s/

- When [c] is followed by e, i or y; it is often pronounced /s/

Eg: centre, cinema

- But when [c] follows with vowels: a, u, o; it is pronounced /k/

Eg: cake, course, cup

- Besides above, the consonant [c] is also pronounced /∫/

Eg: delicious, ocean

- In some cases, it is pronounced /t∫/ as in the word:

cello a.2 Consonant “g”

Consonant [g] can be pronounced: /g/, /dʒ/

- When follows with e, i, y; it is usually pronounced /dʒ/

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Eg: engineer, village, age

- When it goes with other letters (except e, i, y), it is pronounced: /g/

Eg: go, grow, get

a.3 Consonant “d”

Consonant [d] can be pronounced by /d/ and /dʒ/

- [d] is usually pronounced /d/ as in the words: dog, dry

- Consonant [d] is also pronounced /dʒ/ as in the word: education

- In some causes, [d] is not pronounced

Eg: handsome

a.4 Consonant “n”

Consonant [n] can be pronounced: /n/, /פ/

- When [n] stands before letters /k/, /g/; it is pronounced: /פ/

Eg: ink, single

- In the other cases, it is often pronounced /n/

Eg: need, nice, new

a.5 Consonant “s”

Consonant [s] can be pronounced: /s/, /z/, /∫/, /ʒ/

- Consonant [s] is often pronounced /s/ as in the words: see, sit

- Sometimes, it is also pronounced: /z/ as in the words: is, season

- Consonant [s] is also pronounced /∫/ as in the words: sure, sugar

- The last, it is also pronounced /ʒ/ as in the word: vision

a.6 Consonant “t”

Consonant [t] can be pronounced: /t/, /t∫/, /∫/, /ʒ/

- [t] is usually pronounced /t/ as in the words: ten, student

- [t] is also pronounced /∫/ as in the words: invention, option

- In addition, it is pronounced /ʒ/ as in the word: equation

- [t] stands before consonant [u] is pronounced: /t∫/

Eg: nature, picture, future

a.7 Consonant “x”

Consonant [x] can be pronounced: /ks/, /gz/, /k∫/, /z/

- Consonant [x] is often pronounced /ks/ as in the words: box, mix

- [x] is also pronounced /gz/ as in the words: exact, exam

- [x] is pronounced /k∫/ as in the word: luxury, anxious

- The last, [x] is pronounced /z/ as in the word: xyster

a.8 Consonant “z”

Consonant [z] can be pronounced: /s/, /z /, /ʒ/

- It is pronounced /z/ as in the words: zoo, zero

- And in other words, it is pronounced /ʒ/ as in the words: seizure, azure

- In a few words, it is also pronounced /s/ as in the word: waltz

After having already taught single consonants with effective results, Ihave surveyed all the students in two classes to check their understanding Theexercise is:

* Fill in each blank one consonant guided as in the table below:

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Consonant Pronunciation form

And the results are quite good below:

Number 0 – 4,9 p 5,0 – 6,4 p 6,5 – 7,9 p 8,0 – 10 p Class of

Consonant [sh] is usually pronounced /∫/

Eg: wash, she

b.2 Consonant “ch”

Consonant [ch] can be pronounced: /t∫/, /k/, /∫/

- It can be pronounced /t∫/ as in the words: chicken, chest

- It is pronounced /k/ as in the words: school, christmas

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- Besides, the consonant [ch] is also pronounced /∫/ as in the word: champagne

b.3 Consonant “th”

Consonant [th] can be pronounced: /θ/, /ð/

* When it is pronounced: /θ/

- State noun form from the adjective, it is pronounced: /θ/

Eg: depth, width

- The ordinal numbers (except the first, second,

third) Eg: fourth, fifth

- In other cases, it is also pronounced: /θ/

Eg: think, thick, month

* When it is pronounced:

/ð/ Eg: clothing, with

b.4 Consonant “gh” and “ph”

Consonants [gh] and [ph] often represent a single consonant with /f/

Eg: phone, physics, laugh

* After teaching consonant diagraphs, I give the test to check how they understand the lesson The question is that:

Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the rest of the three others in the same line.

1 A throw B this C thick D think

2 A.ch ild B school C ch ocolate D.ch est

3 A.sit 2 B B she C show D.sugar

c.1 When two consonant letters stand together, one is pronounced, the other is

not, it is called silent onsonant

Eg: occasion, rubber

c.2 Some common silent consonants.

- Consonant [b] often stands after [m] and before

[t] Eg: lamb / læm /, debt /det/

- Consonant [c] is often silent before [k] and sometimes after [s]

Eg: black /blæk/, scene /si:n/

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