Master English with these few simple tips.

1. 'Master the Code' Seminar
In partnership with

2. 'Master the Code' Seminar
The 5W1H of English Mastery

3. Overview
1) Who and what are the experts saying? (I)
2) When is language acquired and practiced? (I)
3) Where are the key areas of English Mastery? (II)
4) How do we apply? (II)
5) Why English Mastery? (II)

4. Who and what are the experts
saying?

5. 3 unique perspectives
1 common voice

A renowned writer.

A thought leader.

A nation builder.
They all say the same thing.

6. JK Rowling
Author of Harry Potter Series.
Love for language started when she was young.
Loved listening in to her grandfather's tales.
Wrote fairy tales for her baby sister.
Read vivaciously.

7. Malcolm Gladwell



Thought leader
Book, 'Outliers' on successful people in business,
science, sports such as Bill Gates, J R
Oppenheimer (Manhattan Proj.)
Brought up in a nurturing
environment where parents
are heavily invovlved in their
children's lives.

8. Lee Kuan Yew




“My Lifelong Challenge: Singapore's Bilingual
Journey.”
Talks about the development of Singapore's
language education system.
Start early to develop language affinity.
All 3 children entered Nanyang
Primary School for Chinese.

9. In other words...
Use it with feedback often or lose it.
How much, how well and how long
you use it matters.

10. When is language acquired and
practiced?

11. Natural Affinity
'They learn perfectly the language of the country
where they are born and even in less time than it
takes men who are already grown.'
Geraud de Cordemoy, A Philosophical Discourse
Concerning Speech.

12. Neuroscience
Most of the brain's cells are formed before birth,
but most of the connections among cells are
made during infancy and early childhood.
Talking to young children establishes
foundations for learning language during early
critical periods when learning is easiest for a
child.

13. Unique Trait?
Innate ability to recognise and learn speech
unique?
We look to the animal kingdom.

15. Birds


Ability to recognise its parents' signature songs
from amongst other birds.
Surprise!
Stages mimic that of a human Learn since young.
Pefect it with their parents.
Crystallise it after time.

16. Areas for Language
Motor-sensory areas for language learning.
Sight – Mirror Neurons
Sound – Broca's Lobe - Grammar
Wernicke's Area - Memory and Vocabulary

17. Mirror Neurons
Use of sight to learn vocalisation.
Involves mirror neurons. Located around in the
prefrontal cortex.

18. Broca's and Wernicke's Area

19. Amazing achievement

What may seem simple to us is actually a great
achievement in language acquisition.
H i , th e w ea th er i s n i ce t o d ay, i s n ' t i
t?

Shows vocabulary knowledge.

Shows understanding of grammar rules.

Produces 27 sounds guided by rules.

20. Adult Speech
Why do some adults still struggle with language
competence?
Remember the bottomline:
Use it with feedback often or lose it.
How much, how well and how long you use it
matters.
What's
for you?

21. Missing Feedback Loop

22. Feedback creates success
We don't always get it
wright
write
rite
right the first time

23. Missing Feedback Loop
Singaporeans speaking English.

24. Poor Sound Production
Lack of sensitivity to how sounds form.
Results in low speed and accuracy in pronunciation.
Errors:
1) Fried rice – Fly rice
2) Have – Haf
3) Fruit – Flu
4) Juice – Joos
5) Coke - Cock

25. Poor Vocabulary & Grammar
Gaps in Knowledge of Vocabulary and Grammar
without feedback loop.
Errors:
We have the fruit juice – We have fruit juice
What you want? – What do you want?
You order enough I give you like that –
Free drink upsize for orders above ...

26. Use it with feedback often
Training AND teaching are needed.
1) Training – Phonemes, Phonetics, Prosody
2) Teaching – Vocabulary and Grammar
Result?
Accuracy and Speed in speech

27. Phonemic Awareness
A kind of phonological awareness which listeners
are able to discriminate phonemes, the smallest
units of sound that can differentiate meaning.
In English, there are 44 Phonemes.
20 Vowel Phonemes & 24 Consonant Phonemes.
Arranged in the following order:
1) In order of alphabetical code
2) In order of highest to lowest frequency of
apperance.

28. Auditory Training
Training to increase speed and accuracy of
pronunciation.
1) Auditory Basic – bad (as it is)
2) Auditory Blend - /b/ /a/ /d/ bad
3) Auditory Segment - bad /b/ /a/ /d/
4) Auditory Analysis - /ba/
5) Auditory Replace – bid bed bad bud bod
/i/ /e/ /a/ /u/ /o/

29. Where are the key areas of
English Mastery?

30. Secrets of English Mastery
The 3 key areas of English mastery

Of Sounds – Phonemes (5), Phonetics (4) and
Prosody (4).

Of Structure – Grammar (4)

Of Meaning – Vocabulary (4)
In total, 21 tips will be shared.

31. Phonemic Awareness
A kind of phonological awareness which listeners
are able to discriminate phonemes, the smallest
units of sound that can differentiate meaning.
(Source: Wikipedia)
1) Auditory Basic
2) Auditory Blend
3) Auditory Segment
4) Auditory Analysis
5) Auditory Replace

32. Phonetics
The system of speech sounds of a language
(Source: Merriam-Webster)
4 important principles:
1) Silent Letter 'e' - kite, cake, coke, nuke
2) R-controlled sounds – sir, fur, teacher, liar,
doctor
3) Blends – block, clog, globe, slope
4) Digraphs – clock, lamb, phone

33. Prosody
Prosody - the rhythmic and intonational aspect of
language (Source: Merriam-Webster)
4 key principles in PSLE:
1) Pace – speed
2) Stress – emphasis
3) Loudness – volume
4) Elevation – pitch

34. Reading with Prosody
Listen to the differences in reading – with and
without prosody.
Audio #1 by Student A
Audio #2 by Student B

35. Differences in reading
The key to the difference in good and bad reading
- PSLE applied or not.
Result of good reading is expressiveness!
Requirements in new 1278 Secondary English
Syllabus.

36. Structure
Grammar - the characteristic system of inflections
and syntax of a language (Source: MerriamWebster).
In short, it is a study of how words change and
their patterns within a sentence.
4 main tips will be discussed.

37. Structures
Different structures create different meanings.
#1: Creating phrases.
The train is moving.
The big brown train is moving off.
The big brown train is moving off tonight.
The big brown train is moving off tonight at 7pm.

38. Structures
#2 Changing the positions of the words.
a1) I love you.
a2) You are loved.
b1) The man lost his wallet.
b2) The wallet was lost.
c1) Manhester United lost the game.
c2) The game was lost.

39. Structures
#3 Changing the aspects and tenses of actions.
He walks to school.
He walked to school.
He is walking to school.
He was walking to school.
He has walked to school.
He had walked to school.
He has been walking to school.
He had been walking to school.
5

40. Structures
#4 Changing the a word's function or its PS.
He was once a successful businessman.
He succeeded in many businesses.
He ran all of them successfully.
Until all the successes got into his head.
And that was the start of his downfall.

41. Meaning
Meaning is changed when vocabulary changes.
Different words create different meanings even in
the same structure.
3 tips will be discussed.

42. Meaning
#1 Use positive words.
Poor use words: You look sad today. (assumes
sadness)
You don't look happy today. (assumes happiness)
You look like you need some cheering up
(suggests solution)
You want to take a walk? (offers help)

43. The power of words
Watch the movie, 'Validation'.

44. Meaning
#2 Use modifiers to change meaning.
Try to do it. (make a small effort)
Do it quickly. (make haste)
Do it now. (immediate action needed)
Just do it. (action is louder than words)

45. Meaning
#3 Different words for different intensity.
The noise is loud.
The noise is jarrring.
The noise is deafening.
The noise is unbearable.
The noise is killing me.

46. Meaning
#4 Figures of Speech for brevity and clarity.
7 ways of being a Uniquely Singapore 1) Singapore is a little red dot.
2) We are a fine city.
3) An island where colour doesn't matter.
4) To my girlfriend, “Let's apply for a flat!”
5) Instant trees.
6) The crane is the national bird of Singapore.
7) The $600 million durian.

47. How to apply them

48. Effective Communication Skills
Four areas of language use Writing, reading, speaking and listening.
We will focus on speech and listening as it is used
most often.

49. Apply
Combine Sounds, Structure and Meaning with
skilful use of questions and answers.
2 main skill sets:
#1 Questioning Techniques
#2 Answering Techniques

50. Questioning Technique
Open questions - questions that require thought
on the part of the listener and they yield more
information and encourage continued
discussion.
“Mr Tan, who do you serve in your work?”
(subtle)
“Mr Tan, who do you work for?” (abrupt)
“Mr Tan, who is your employer?”
(abrupt)

51. Questioning Technique
Open questions - questions that require thought
on the part of the listener and they yield more
information and encourage continued
discussion.
“Alice, from what we have discussed so far, what
excites you the most?” (ongoing discussion)
“Alice, from our discussion, what are your
questions?” (finality of discussion)
“Alice, following our discussion, what
are the points you find interesting?
(finality of discussion)

52. Questioning Technique
Closed question - aimed at obtaining the right
answer – most often a single 'yes'.
“A reputation for professionalism is important,
isn't it?” (KISS – keep it short and sharp)
“Being professional is important for our
reputation, isn't it?” (lengthy)
“Our reputation is important sign of our
professionalism, isn't it?” (lengthy)

53. Questioning Technique
Closed question - aimed at obtaining the right
answer – most often a single 'yes'.
“Investing in a quality product makes a lot of
sense, don't you agree?” (KISS – keep it short
and sharp)
“Buying a high quality product will give you
better returns in the long run, don't
you agree?” (vague)

54. Questioning Technique
Alternate of choice– a question with two answers.
Either answer is a minor agreement leading
toward the major decision. Best used as a
leading question to the main question.
“I am available to visit you today at 3pm or
would tomorrow at 9 am be better?” (increases
probability of success)
“Can we meet at 3 pm today or 9 am
tomorrow?” (high chance of rejection)

55. Questioning Technique
Involvement Question – a question that leads the
listener closer to the final outcome.
“How often would you like us to touch base with
you regarding the service you are receiving?”
“Do you want us to call you?” (No!)
“We have a system of regular checks and
updates that you are entitled to as part
of the package so how often do you
want us to contact you?” (Huh?)

56. Answering Techniques
#1 Using questions as a reply.
A: We need to check for workers' satisfaction.
B: When do you think would be the best time to
survey our employees? (proactive)
B: .... (passive)
B: Yeah. I agree. (passive)

57. Answering Techniques
#1 Using questions as a reply.
A: I want my refund now! (an agitated customer)
B: Would you prefer that we send you a refund
check now, or credit your account for next
month? (provides immediate solution)
B: Sir, calm down. (passive)
B: I understand your concern, sir.
(No, you don't.)

58. In other words...
Use it with feedback often or lose it.

59. Finally...

60. Why SGEM
7 reasons to support Speak Good English Movement:
1) First language in Singapore.
2) A must-pass subject in national examinations.
3) Common language across cultures and races.
4) International language for trade and commerce.
5) One-fourth of the world speaks it.
6) 80% of the Internet is in English.
7) Most spoken foreign language in the world.

61. In partnership with
Thank you for your participation.