After a couple of voicethreads, it is time to deal with phonetics. We will learn the phonetic symbols and their sound to help you improve your pronunciation in English.This is something we will also practise next Monday on our lesson in the computer room. By the way,
DON'T FORGET
YOUR HEADPHONES!!!!
Have you ever wondered what those strange symbols are that appear next to words in the dictionary?
They are a guide to pronounciation called Phonetics. Those symbols represent sounds, of which there are roughly 44 in the English language. Since there are only 26 letters in the alphabet, 44 characters are used to represent them all. Phonics should be a part of every student's tools for learning a language.
There is no end to our study of grammar and vocabulary but phonemic symbols are limited, visual and physical. They may seem challenging at first but it is like learning to swim or ride a bicycle. Once you can do it, it is easy and you never forget.
Watch the following videos from the site we will be using to practice phonetics, BBC Learning English, to know the hows and whys of what we are going to learn about.
Why should you learn the different English sounds? Why should you learn the symbols? Watch the next video to find out:
Let's become familiar with the sounds of English by clicking on the different symbols. Click on each symbol to go to the video with the explanations: Sounds of English
Start by clicking on the sound /i/ and doing the activities in Unit 1. Then write a comment about the different exercises you have done.
Hope you find it useful and interesting. As usual, if you have technical problems, talk to me on Monday.
My most sincere thanks to Ana Méndez for letting me use the materials she creates for her blog.
Javier
Hi, Javier!
ReplyDeleteHow´s your weekend going? well, I had heard the videos of pronunciation and with those, I had practised the diference between the /I/ and the /I.../ (the last one longer). It has been very usefull because in some words I didn´t know how to pronounce them before this short lesson. The activities weren´t difficult so I didn´t have any problems with them!
Ana Fernández Agudo.
Hi Javier! I´m Marta Torralbo. How are you?
ReplyDeleteI´ve heard the videos about the pronunciation, and I actually liked them. I´ve practised what you told us to see the diference between the /I/ and the long /I/. I´ve learned some things from this lesson and I hope to learn more in another ones. I also did the activities you said and they weren´t difficult so that´s good I think. Bye!
Hi Javier! I'm María San Juan. I have heard the videos and I really think they are very interesting. I think I have learn a lot with these exercises. I didn't have any problems with the activities. See you on Monday
ReplyDeleteHi Javier, I'm Marina García.
ReplyDeleteI just heard the videos of pronunciation, they have helped me to learn how to pronounce some words that to me were hard to pronounce. I've also done the exercises and after listening to the videos have been easy. Bye :)
Well done, the four of you. Pity it is Sunday night and only four people have already posted their comments.
ReplyDeleteHi Javier, I´am Sara Aguirre. How are you?
ReplyDeleteI did the exercises last Sunday but I dont know why i couldnt write the comment.
I had heard the videos about the pronunciation, and I think that they are funny and interesting
I´ve practiced with some differents sounds like /I/ and the long /I/; also I have listened the U (thats not exacly the symbol, but i dont know where is on the keyboard)
In addition, I made the activities in Unit 1
BYE
Hi Javier
ReplyDeleteI`m Alvaro Garcia,
The exercises of the web page were very nice. I have repeated several times the different sounds and already I identify them. The contrasts are very different. I have learned to differentiate the sounds of the vowels I (e) and i (i). Also I them have known identify with the words that it says
Bye.
Hi Javier, I´m Laura Rodríguez.
ReplyDeleteI think these videos are very interesting. I heard the pronunciation videos and thanks to them,I learned the difference between /I/ and long /I/, I also learned to say a few words that I never knew before and I've practiced a few words I knew.
Bye!
What's up, Javier!
ReplyDeleteI'm Ricardo. I listened yesterday 15 minutes of English songs and I saw 15 minutes of a documentary in English with Spanish subtitles too.
Sorry, I forgot post the comment.
Hi Javier, I'm Lara Purificacion.
ReplyDeleteDoing the exercises form the sounds /I/ and long /I/, I have learnt a lot.
The exercises were very useful, in principal, to help me to notice the difference between similar pronunciation words.
I hop we continue practising things like that.
Bye
Hi Javier, I'm Adriana Diego. When I saw the videos I understand everything and I learned a lot. But I have found that the excercise was a little bit difficult, and I have to repeat the excercise. But now I understand everything.
ReplyDeleteBye!
Hi Javier, i´m saskia Pregel. I have seen the videos and i think that they are interesting and i have learn something.And after this, i did the excersices and i haven't got any problems!
ReplyDeleteSee you tomorrow!
Hi Javier, I'm Laura Díaz. I have seen the videos about the pronunciation, and I think that are very useful, because now I can see the differences between the /I/ and the long /I/. See you later!
ReplyDeleteHi Javier, I´m Manuel Fernandez. I did de exercises and they are useful to difenrence the sound and very easy
ReplyDeletehello!
ReplyDeleteI'm coque and I've seen the videos and I think that is a litle bit hard to diference between all the sounds but the exercises that you put were easy. I think that the best way to learn pronunciacion is wachin english series
bye!
Unit 1: Key and Pin
ReplyDeleteYou have now finished this unit.
> Try this unit again.
> Start next unit.
hello javier, i listen the videos of pronuntation and do the exercices of the unit one, i failed two twices. it's more easy than the voice exercices. byyye
Helena ochoa.
What's up, Javier!
ReplyDeleteI'm Ricardo.
I did Unit 1.
I think this activity is great and very funny. I don't think I'll be extremely difficult but I know I have to study quite to learn to pronounce correctly. Little by little.
Hi Javier, I´m Marta Torralbo
ReplyDeleteI´ve practised a lot my english with this listenings exercises. Bye!