After systematically examining the recent development of research on teaching pronunciation in China, this paper has addressed several issues to be reconsidered in the context of pronunciation teaching and learning, s...After systematically examining the recent development of research on teaching pronunciation in China, this paper has addressed several issues to be reconsidered in the context of pronunciation teaching and learning, such as the value, teaching objectives, ways of teaching, teaching emphasis and learners＇ affective needs. Based on these different aspects of teaching pronunciation, relevant suggestions are also provided.展开更多
English is widely taught as an FL （foreign language） in most middle schools in China. Chinese students have improved their English reading and writing these years, but they are relatively poor in listening and speak...English is widely taught as an FL （foreign language） in most middle schools in China. Chinese students have improved their English reading and writing these years, but they are relatively poor in listening and speaking. The author, based on the empirical study, made an investigation on Senior Three students in Leshan city. The statistics from the questionnaire indicate the problem of ＂Mute-crux＂ in English teaching and learning. This paper explores the reasons that cause the problem： teachers＇ use of the traditional ways, just emphasizing the transmission of English knowledge, but ignoring the meaningful communication with students; exercise-based and exam-oriented teaching, which cause students＇ rote-learning. The author proposes that Chinese English teachers ought to change the traditional notions and adopt effective ways to encourage students to speak bravely in order to improve their speaking abilities展开更多
This paper reports an empirical study on the intelligibility of English spoken by Chinese University students, aiming to identify the factors that hamper intelligibility and suggest the pedagogical priorities in pronu...This paper reports an empirical study on the intelligibility of English spoken by Chinese University students, aiming to identify the factors that hamper intelligibility and suggest the pedagogical priorities in pronunciation teaching. The participants were 45 university sophomores, whose recorded data were transcribed and evaluated correspondingly by 45 educated listeners from 22 different countries. The results reveal that although the speakers＇ English may have strong accents, it is intelligible to international listeners to a great extent. Phonological problems that hamper intelligibility are vowel length and quality, simplification of diphthongs, voiced and voiceless plosives, dental fricative, word ending nasals, consonant clusters as well as stress, rhythm and intonation.展开更多
文摘After systematically examining the recent development of research on teaching pronunciation in China, this paper has addressed several issues to be reconsidered in the context of pronunciation teaching and learning, such as the value, teaching objectives, ways of teaching, teaching emphasis and learners＇ affective needs. Based on these different aspects of teaching pronunciation, relevant suggestions are also provided.
文摘English is widely taught as an FL （foreign language） in most middle schools in China. Chinese students have improved their English reading and writing these years, but they are relatively poor in listening and speaking. The author, based on the empirical study, made an investigation on Senior Three students in Leshan city. The statistics from the questionnaire indicate the problem of ＂Mute-crux＂ in English teaching and learning. This paper explores the reasons that cause the problem： teachers＇ use of the traditional ways, just emphasizing the transmission of English knowledge, but ignoring the meaningful communication with students; exercise-based and exam-oriented teaching, which cause students＇ rote-learning. The author proposes that Chinese English teachers ought to change the traditional notions and adopt effective ways to encourage students to speak bravely in order to improve their speaking abilities
基金supported by the Human and Social Sciences Foundation of Ministry of Education entitled "The International Intelligibility of English Spoken by Chinese University Students"(Grant No.11YJC740142)the Fundamental Research Funds for National UniversityChina University of Geosciences(Grant No.CUG130105)
文摘This paper reports an empirical study on the intelligibility of English spoken by Chinese University students, aiming to identify the factors that hamper intelligibility and suggest the pedagogical priorities in pronunciation teaching. The participants were 45 university sophomores, whose recorded data were transcribed and evaluated correspondingly by 45 educated listeners from 22 different countries. The results reveal that although the speakers＇ English may have strong accents, it is intelligible to international listeners to a great extent. Phonological problems that hamper intelligibility are vowel length and quality, simplification of diphthongs, voiced and voiceless plosives, dental fricative, word ending nasals, consonant clusters as well as stress, rhythm and intonation.
