Minor English: Pronunciation and Presentation

Course Objective

Regarding pronunciation:

1) You will be able to describe the most common difficulties in English pronunciation, as well as four major aspects of speech fluency in English.
2) You will also be able to explain the effects of particular pronunciation features on the intelligibility and credibility of spoken English.
3) You will be able to analyse and develop aspects of pronunciation and speech fluency in your own spoken English, as well as in that of your peers whom you will support.
4) You are are able to present a well-informed view of the nature of of different English pronunciations showing appreciation of diversity in English.

Regarding presentation:

1) You will be able to strategically apply structural elements, prosodic features and conversational patterns in such a way that they will help you convey a clear message.
2) You will also be able to help and support others in presentation work.

By the end of the course, you will be able to adapt pronunciation features in the English pronunciation that you wish to develop and you are able to confidently give an oral presentation.

Course Content

Pronunciation:

1) We will set goals for the English pronunciation that you wish to develop both at a professional and at a personal level.
2) We will analyse the most common difficulties in English pronunciation and the effects that these difficulties may (inadvertently) have on the intelligibility and credibility of spoken English. We will also take account of the role of pronunciation features in identity construction.
3) You will conduct exercises, practise ear-training and be given tools that help you analyse English pronunciation features, as well as speech fluency.
4) You will work with features in your own spoken English accordingly.

Presentation:

1) Students give presentations on academic topics. During these presentations they will show awareness and some mastery over the following elements:

• structure that conveys an academic idea and its relevance and adheres to a time limit
• prosodic features (intonation, voice, articulation, etc.)
• body language (posture, eye-contact, etc.)
• persuasive and conversational patterns (repetition, rhetorical questions, etc.)

2) Students engage in useful ways with their peers, offering feedback and working collaboratively
3) Students demonstrate awareness of their strengths and weakness with regards to the topics and skills addressed in the course.

Additional Information Teaching Methods

Pronunciation: weekly interactive lectures (1,5 hour) and seminars (1,5 hours).

Presentation: weekly seminars (3 hours).

Method of Assessment

For pronunciation: course work (marked in/complete) and a recording of your own English pronunciation (graded, 50% of your course grade).

You will obtain the pronunciation course objectives (1-4) by working with the course work. Course objective (3) is assessed in the recording.

For presentation (all graded for an average grade for presentation; 50% of your course grade):

• A series of group and individual presentations (65%)
• Peer review (25%)
• Self-reflection paper (10%)

The presentation course objectives (1-2) will be attained through these components.

In order to successfully complete the course students must score a grade of ≥5.5 for Pronunciation and Presentation each.

Course attendance and submission of the all of the course work by the set deadlines is conditional for being awarded a grade for the pronunciation recording and the presentation components. 1 absence from the Pronunciation and Presentation seminars each is allowed.

Literature

Literature and other materials will be made available in Canvas.
The pronunciation module is accompanied by online audio and video material (https://english-pronunciation.weebly.com).

Additional Information Target Audience

Students across the university who wish to work on their English pronunciation and presentation skills.