1. Getting Optimal Pronunciation from
English Learner Dictionaries
and Beyond
Bill Acton, Michelle Goertzen, Alaina Brodie
Trinity Western University
Michael Burri - British Columbia Institute of Technology
Brian Teaman - Osaka Jogakuin University
2012 TESOL Conference
Philadelphia
March 31, 2012
Acton©2012

2. Introduction
• Why “dictionary?”
Pronunciation (vowels, stress, consonants),
Part of speech, Meaning(s) and Usage
• Dramatic talking (out loud) to yourself—
and really meaning it
• The haptic (movement + touch) connection
• Beyond: Basic classroom techniques:
Essential Haptic-integrated English
Pronunciation (EHIEP)
Acton©2012

3. Warm Up
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•
•
•
•
•
•
[i, u, e, o] [i,u, e, o] [ai, au]
Chorus: [u,a,o] 2x
[hi, hu, he, ho] [wi, wu, we, wo] [ai, au]
Chorus: [u,a,o] 4x
[I, U, ɛ, >, ae, ə, a, a]
[yi, yu, ye, yo] [ya, ya]
Chorus: [u,a,o] 4x
Acton©2012

4. A little “Ling Go”
• Vowel system of English
• Stress (primary and secondary)
• Rhythm and rhythm groups
• Intonation
Acton©2012

5. Syllables, Stress and Punch
• Anchor number of syllables using
Finger Tapplets:
Hoa-gie
• Anchor stressed syllable out loud using Crab:
/ˈ
hoʷ-gi/
• Anchor the word out loud using
jump-UP-down:
Hoagie!
Acton©2012

6. Part of speech
• Anchor the part of speech out loud using
jump-UP-down:
It’s a noun!
• Anchor the word out loud using
jump-UP-down:
Hoagie!
Acton©2012

7. Meaning!
• Anchor the meaning out loud using one or more
monotonic Slides:
Hoagie – a gorgeous gastronomic sandwichsation /
of sensuous succulents, /saucy sauces/ and
sumptuous sundries./
• Anchor the word out loud using jump-UP-down:
Hoagie!
Acton©2012

8. Usage
• Anchor the usage using Crab if it is a statement,
or upupup if it is a yes/no question. (Also, possible
Slide if too long.)
Hoagie – “Let’s go get a hoagie for lunch.” (Crab)
“… a hoagie for lunch?” (upupup)
• Anchor the word out loud using jump-UP-down:
Hoagie!
Acton©2012

9. Philly Hoagie
• Anchor the word out loud using Philadelphia
dialect and Rocky-lite:
/ˈ ʊ-gi/
hɜ
• Do these two condiments with Rocky-lite:
dill pickle
mozarella
Acton©2012

10. Philly Dialect Rocky-lite
/ˈ
fɑr-mən/
/ˈ ər-i/
lɑiˈb
/ˈ
ɪn-əˈpn-ənt/
ɛ
Acton©2012

11. Fireman
• fire-man /ˈfɑɪər-mən/ noun
• the one to summon / in the event of
expressive combustion / or finicky fricatives /
up carmel frappuccinoes
• “Did you hear / what that Philly fireman did?”
Acton©2012

12. Library
• Li-bra-ry /ˈ
lɑiˈbreri/ verb
• to hang out with books and buddies / to
study, / sink or somnabulate
• “All she did / before the test / was library’d?”
Acton©2012

13. Independent
• In-de-pen-dent /ˈ
ɪn-dəˈpn-dənt/ adjective
ɛ
• a person, place or thing / that don’t need
nobody / or at least thinks not
• “For a 2-year old / computer programmer,/
she is very independent.”
Acton©2012