34

WORD USAGE AND PRONUNCIATION (1)

In a role with Charles Darwin University, I was working with many International Students. Most were undertaking one-year Graduate Diplomas in Education. Part of my role was to observe them in classroom teaching situations, advising them on teaching methodologies and voice usage. Some of my points with group members over time are included below. They tend to be points of pronunciation and speech application that need a little attention. I am including these points as they build up over time to become a statement of things to watch that I could share.

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34A

WORD USAGE AND PRONUNCIATION (2)

Some things to watch:

* Your pronunciation and use of ‘sh’ – you tend to go to ‘s’ with words.

* The need to be aware that some words (i.e. ‘sugar’ are said as ‘shugar’ although they are spelled without that sound (sh) being emphasised.

* Similarly with ‘cl,’ i.e. ‘in the next class’, not ‘in the next cass’`.

* Similarly with ‘th’ i.e.’ thirty centimetres’ not ‘tirty centimetres’.

* Sometimes you miss plurals, i.e. ‘use your coloured pencils’, not ‘use your coloured pencil’.

* “How many we need?” should be “How many do we need?”

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34B

WORD USAGE AND PRONUNCIATION (3)

More things to watch:

* ” One group, two group” should be “one group, two groups”.

* “How many groups are need?” should be “How many groups do we need”

* “You can do it” (statement) should be “Can you do it?” (question) when asking children if they are up to a particular challenge.

* “Do amount” should be “Do the amount” …. of work.

* “I am looking for people who is working.” Should be “I am looking for people who are working.”

* “Finish?”. Should be “Have you finished” or “I have finished”.