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Accent Modification Training Materials and |
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Book Review
In their book Rules (Rules for Using Linguistic Elements of Speech), authors Marjorie Feinstein-Whittaker and Lynda Katz Wilner (2006) have prepared a "resource and interactive workbook" that offers a valuable resource to the classroom teacher who is preparing lessons on English pronunciation.
In keeping with modern research on the most effective ways of learning pronunciation, Feinstein-Whittaker and Katz Wilner take a suprasegmental approach toward teaching English speech patterns. For readers unfamiliar with the term, "suprasegmental" refers to elements of speech that function above the phonetic segments. The learning of individual vowel and consonant sounds would be a "segmental" approach, while this book emphasizes those elements of speech that connect the phonetic segments to give spoken English its "native" character. Accordingly, the book is organized into three sections, the first dealing with stress and intonation patterns of English, the second with assimilation and linking rules, and the third with rules for stressing (and using) English articles and pronouns.
A summary sheet at the end of the book compiles the rules presented and can serve as an outline for teachers preparing pronunciation curricula. Although titled "Rules" and presenting the rules discussed above, Feinstein-Whittaker and Katz Wilner's book offers many exercises that teachers can use in designing learning activities. These include setting a monthly schedule, making appointments, ordering from a menu, and a particularly authentic context, speaking on the telephone. Exercises include both sentential level and dialog level examples. In all, a treasure trove of valuable exercises is presented to the ESL teacher, who can either use these as-is, or design them into his or her classroom activities.
Charles Duquette
Adjunct Professor of TESOL
Northern Virginia Community College
