How to Learn English Pronunciation?

A screenshot . jpg" alt=" A screenshot which says: learn pronunciation - English."> — Learn English Pronunciation

Being fluent in a language means understanding others and being understood as you speak the language. To improve this skill, it is essential to learn English pronunciation effectively.

As non-native you can’t expect to achieve this naturally.

Why can’t this happen?

Here is the reason why…

English has its own intonation and and “music”.

Source: Google.com

This is the reason why it is difficult to master English

How to solve this problem

You need to have a clear understanding of the concept of phonology.

You also need to know how to explain the way International Phonetic Alphabet System Works.

This is what makes harder learning English pronunciation.

But, luckily, you don’t have to go through all this.

There is a solution:

In this post you’ll know exactly:

Best ways that help learn English pronunciation faster and easily

What listening resources truly help master English pronunciation;
How repetition can be a powerful learning technique
How speaking by yourself can help be familiar with English sounds.

Ready?

Best ways that help learn English pronunciation faster and easily?

#1: Make use of available listening tools:

Listening resources like audio books, learning apps and others, are extremely important. They help you enhance your listening skills as a second language learner.

Take advantage of “dead time” listening to English from these power tools.

Here are 2 things to consider before practicing listening:

Make sure that the topic you are going to listen is familiar for you.
The language of the content will be accessible for you to understand.

If you miss this, everything you do about the listening will be useless.

Take this as a warning.

#2: Be conscious as you practice:

One way to learn pronunciation of a new language item, is to learn first every single sound of that item.

How can you do this?

Here is how:

Slow down your usual pace of speaking.
Give yourself extra time to think about the sound of the word you are trying to learn
Drill the sounds one by one after you’ve internalized them

#3: Record yourself

Sounds awkward?

You are completely right. Some people feel aversion toward hearing their voice or watching themselves speak.

But they shouldn’t feel like that, because when you hear or watch yourself speak, 2 important things happen;

You can analyze your speech and make improvements.
It serves as a self-reflection because it can allow you see your body language, specially your facial expression. This, will help you build confidence in the real life conversation context with a partner.

So, don’t miss this technique. Prepare a few sentences and record yourself saying them then listen to the recording.

It’s simple. Just use your mobile phone or other device.

What Listening Resources Truly Help Learn English Pronunciation?

Still wondering on what listening resources to use to practice pronunciation and achieve fluency?

You Tube, Podcasts and English Language learning Apps can help you do this.

You can learn English pronunciation by watching videos from different English learning channels for example BBC Learning English. or Podcasts.

What other unquestionable listening resources you need to make use?

To become fluent in English you need also to use language learning Apps.

Like you tube and podcasts, you can use these apps to improve your listening skills. One English language learning App, you don’t want to miss, is “Duolingo”,

Duolingo is great English language learning tool for practicing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

#1: How to get the App to Learn English Pronunciation?

Here is what should do to use this free mobile app:

Go to “play store” to download and install it on your mobile phone.

By doing so, you can practice English pronunciation and other skills as you play.

Apart from Duolingo, there are many other English learning Apps playing the same role out there. An example of these is Babbel Language Learning app.

#2: Learn English pronunciation: what to do next?

What I love with Duolingo app is that you can set up it according to the level you need.

#3: Learn English pronunciation tricks: what to do next?

When you are done with the customization, the other thing you will do is set the purpose of learning English language:

After doing so, when you click “next” you are asked the time you intend to spend practicing the language daily.

Select the time and then click next.

Up to this, you are almost done. and the next tab displays what you are expected to achieve in 3 days.

Once you are done with this, the last stage is just to conform how much English you know.

This stage is crucial. The answer you give here will count for the English content you will be going for in your practices

#4: What language learning activities are you expecting with Duolingo to master English pronunciation?

Duolingo is an undoubtedly all-in-one language learning app; here you find the skills you need to learn English language.

The App enhance you practice language learning skills through learning activities. These include listening; learning sentence structure; practicing meanings; exercising speaking and reading skills.

How drilling Can Help you Learn English Pronunciation?

Repetition is equally a great learning technique that successful language learners use to master pronunciation.

The strategy is to practice how to pronounce the words you come across while reading or listening. This encourages your articulation system to produce the sounds.

What actual action you need to take?

Drill the sound of the word you are targeting.

The technique can be effective to some learners, but it might not work for others

Why does the technique work for some learners and doesn’t for others?

Want to know the answer?

Obviously it’s due to lack of consciousness to what is being repeated.

Let me put it this way:

Repetition, as a learning strategy, comprises two forms, namely:

Active repetition and

Non-active repetition.

What is the difference between them?

Let us start with the later.

What happens to English learners that attempt to master the language through non-active repetition method?

Generally they end up not achieving what they intend to lean.

Why does this happen?

Simple:

They are not actively thinking of what they are repeating.

In the active repetition learners are consciously thinking of the phonological aspects of what is being repeated. AS a result, they learn effectively the language items they are practicing.

Contrarily, the same doesn’t happen with non-active repetition.

This sort of technique even if the learner insists drilling they can’t succeed.

This is simply because they are not particularly thinking of the sounds of the language item.

How Acting like a “Crazy ” Can Help Learn English Pronunciation?

Everyone knows that to learn a language you need to do a lot of practice. What most people ignore is how speaking by yourself can help you achieve fluency in English language.

While practicing English alone sometimes you need to behave like a mad. i.e. you need to “think aloud” or Speak on your own in front of a mirror.

#1: How can that work?

Good question:

Pick a topic.

For example you could describe things or a situation that happened the day before. Things that are happening now or that are going to happen.

As you can see, this implies using past tense, present tense and future tense which is good.

Do this in front of a mirror to see the real movement your mouth make as you utter the words.

During the exercise try to be proactive. Imagine you are with your English conversational partner and start a dialogue with them;

Be realistic, as much as you can and carry out a conversation;
Ask yourself questions basing on the issues that have happened, happen and are going to happen and answer them aloud.
Do anything with the word, or language item you practicing the pronunciation. Play with it or even sing a song involving the language item.

#2: Why you should do this kind of exercise?

It allows you be familiar with the English sounds;
It encourages you practice sentence structures, as you are free to say whatever you feel like saying in your utterance.

In short, the aim of this exercise is to practice pronunciation.