SKKN Improving grade 6 students’ combination vowel sounds of English pilot program

PART I. INTRODUCTION

1. REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE TOPIC.

  Education and training play an important role in the development process of the country. In the current period, the country is on the path of reform, opening-up policy relations with the countries of the world increased significantly. Extensive communication with the countries in the world in English , the international language , has become more more and common and attention.

In teaching English I have noticed that practicing English pronunciation is the misery of our students, especially students in grade 6 whether  they have been studying for 3 years at the elementary level, … and in the end they still do not get the standard English pronunciation. Is learning to pronounce so difficult that can not be learned? or inappropriate teaching methods? Is textbook structure  irrational? or Don’t they know how to learn? 

            According to the old textbook program, the students did not learn about pronunciation so their spelling good or bad depends on the teachers.They leant Enlish pronounciation without rules and methods. That is why after 7 or 10 years learning English, they still find difficulties in speaking and communicating even they can speak fluently, Others can’t understand what they are expressing beacause of the mistakes. Besides, the pilot program presents the vocabulary, the  grammar items tobe leaned and practised through the skills and activities of the unit, it also focuses on pronunciation. Two or three sounds,which frequently appear in the unit are targeted and practised in isolation and in context of “ A closer look 1”.

To help students participate in the English pilot program and overcome this obstacle, I choose content ” Improving grade 6 students’ combination vowel sounds of English pilot program at Tran Phu Secondary School”.

1. AIMS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE STUDY.
2. Aims.

      In order to help students in grade 6 of pilot program at Tran Phu Secondary School, Nong Cong District, Thanh Hoa Province understand the sound system in English, especially combination vowel sounds ( diphthongs) are enrolled at the second semester in the textbook 6. Thereby, the students have aware of the importance of phonetics in learning English in general and in particular to communicate in English so they can understand what other people say and what  they say that others can understand.

2. Requirements.

      To success in the study, the requirement for the topic is that the teacher has to help students know how to pronounce dipthongs /eә /; /iә /; / әu/; /ai/; /aʊ /; /ɔi/ and do exercises correctly. Teacher provides them with the best way to assist them how to pronounce these dipthongs correctly through the illusions and examples. Students have to attend regularly and obey their teacher’s requirements.

III. SCOPES AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY.

1. Scopes

      As far as we know, teaching how to pronounce and how to do phonetics exercises is a complicating and difficulf area specially 6 dipthongs /eә /; /iә /; / әu/; /ai/; /aʊ /; /ɔi/ with students in grade 6. There are a lot of things to mention but in this study I only focus on the following fields: 

– Giving definition and how to pronounce these dipthongs.

– Collect exercises containing these dipthongs to help students practise listening and speaking at home. 

– How to do exercises relating to these dipthongs.

2. Objectives.

       As I have said my study is aimed at improving my students’ pronounciation of dipthongs and help tgem to solve some difficulties in doing phonetics exercises so my objectives if the study are: 

– Students in class 6B : 27 Studensts, and 6C: 25  students. Total: 52 students

School: Tran Phu secondary school.

– The combination vowel sounds system in the lessons of the second semester textbook 6 of the pilot program, including sounds:

– Some exercises

1. METHODS OF THE STUDY.

In this study I have used the following  methods:

– Investigating the reality.

– Read documents that related to research.

– Using opinion surveys.

– Getting to know phonetic English.

– Introducing phonetic symbols in the units.

– Organizing to practice pronunciation with these audio visual media.

– Doing exercises to check Students’ understanding.

– Summarizing, comparing, drawing lessons.

PART II. CONTENTS

1. THEORETICAL BASES OF THE STUDY.

1.Bases :

– Basing an the international transcription.

– Basing on theory of vowels and consonants 

2. Background information: 

2.1. Vowels .

   What is vowels ? 

A vowel is a speech sound in which airstream from the lungs is not blocked in any way in the mouth or throat and which is usually pronounced with vibration of the vocal cords .

2.2. Dipthongs .

 2.2.1.  Whats are dipthongs?

 They are sounds consisting of a movement or gride from one vowel to another . In terms of length, dipthongs are like long vowels. 

2.2.2. How are dipthongs classed? 

– Centering dipthongs :