Community English Program: Pronunciation and Speaking

Teachers College, Columbia University

Summer B 2014 July 14 August 13
Instructor:
Allie Hope King, ahk2151@tc.columbia.edu

Class website: www.allihopekingps.weebly.com

Class time:
Mondays, Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Room: Grace Dodge Hall, 452

CEP Information:
Office Hours (7/14 through 8/14):
Mondays through Thursdays: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Fridays: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Email: clp@tc.columbia.edu Phone: (212) 687-3097

About the CLP:












Course Description:
Welcome to Pronunciation and Speaking! This course is designed to give you an overview of North American
English (NAE) pronunciation and speaking skills. We will explore linguistic and cultural issues surrounding
pronunciation and speaking and utilize a range of materials to strengthen our listening and speaking abilities.

Course Objectives:
Upon completing the course, students will be able to:
Identify phonemic symbols of NAE
Recognize, distinguish, and produce consonant sounds of NAE
Recognize, distinguish, and produce vowel sounds of NAE
Recognize and elicit meaning changes in contrastive stress of words and sentences in NAE
Recognize and produce intonation and rhythm in NAE
Practice typical speaking conversations on a variety of topics

Course Materials:
Our textbook (required) will be Well Said (2010), 3
rd
Edition, by Linda Grant. Be sure to get the book that has a
blue cover. The book can be purchased at the Columbia University bookstore, located at 2922 Broadway (near
116
th
). Please always come to class prepared, bringing a notebook, a folder with all class materials organized,
and writing utensils. You may also want to bring a small mirror to use to look at your mouth during exercises.

Course Pre- or Co-requisites:
Intermediate 4


The Community Language Program (CLP) is a unique and integral part of the TESOL and
Applied Linguistics Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. It provides English
as a second language to adult learners of diverse nationalities and backgrounds. In
addition, the CLP serves as an on-site language education lab in which TESOL and Applied
Linguistics faculty and students enrolled in the programs teach the courses and use the
CLP as a setting for empirical inquiry. Here at Teachers College we believe that
observation and classroom research are the best way to learn about how we teach and
gain insights into how teaching and learning might be most effective. Thus, we encourage
observation and classroom research and want people to use it as a tool for learning.
Grading:

Final grades will be given as follows: The breakdown of the final grade is as follows:
97-100 A+ Participation: 30%
94-96 A Homework: 30%
90-93 A- Quiz: 20%
87-89 B+ Final Presentation: 20%
84-86 B
80-83 B-
77-79 C+
74-76 C
70-73 C-
69 and below Fail/Repeat


Homework:
Homework will typically be assigned on Wednesdays and will be due no later than 10am on Saturdays.
Exact due dates will be stated when homework is assigned. Late assignments will be accepted, but will have an
automatic grade reduction.

Audio Homework Assignments:
All audio assignments can be submitted via Google Voice. To submit an assignment, you will call
(646) 484-8654 and you will record your audio homework there. The audio file will come to me in my email,
which I will be able to forward back to you to keep for your records and study purposes.
STEPS
1. Call this number: (646) 484-8654
2. Listen to the outgoing message and wait for the tone
3. **SAY YOUR NAME** and record your homework response
**If you do not have a phone that can make calls in the U.S., please see me after class**

Alternatively, if you wish to create an audio file (.mp3) on your phone or computer, you can do so and send it to
me as an attachment. This is allowable unless otherwise specified. Please email any audio attachments to
ahk2151@tc.columbia.edu.























Tentative Course Schedule

Week Topic Specific Focus Assignments
1: July 14 & 16 Introductions

Phonemes Part I
Goals and perspectives
Spelling in English
The Phonemic Alphabet
Voicing
The Consonant Inventory
Consonant Clusters

*Assignment 1
(Diagnostic Assessment)
Leaving a message on Google
Voice Reading 1, page 1 in
textbook.
DUE TUESDAY, 7/15 by NOON
*Assignment 2
DUE Saturday, July 19, by 10
am.
2: July 21 & 23 Phonemes Part II

Syllables & Word
Endings
The Vowel Inventory
Tense vs. Lax vowels
Tricky vowel contrasts
Syllables
Word Endings
Phonemic changes
Stops
*Assignment 3
DUE Saturday, July 26, by 10
am.
3: July 28 & 30 Stress, Rhythm &
Intonation

Reduced Speech

Stress
Syllable stress
Word stress
Stress and meaning
Corrective stress
Contrastive stress
Reduction
The schwa //
Content vs. function
words
Intonation
Rising and falling tones
Intonation and meaning

*QUIZ 1, Monday July 28

*Assignment 3
DUE Saturday, August 2, by 10
am.
4: August 4 & 6 Thought Groups &
Pausing

Special Questions

Putting it all together
Thought Groups
Stress
Focus Words
Pausing
Special Questions
Tag questions
Rhetorical Questions
Process Presentation
*Assignment 4 Prepare
final presentation
DUE in class, Monday August 11
5: August 11 & 13 Final Presentation

Reflections & Strategic
Planning
Public Speaking
Independent Improvement
Strategies
Resources
Practice
FINAL EXAM (Presentation)

POTLUCK PARTY!!