Pronunciation & Speaking

Community English Program

Teachers College, Columbia University
Instructor: Melissa Smith
E-mail:
mrs2264@tc.columbia.edu
Day and Time: Tues 3:00-6:00 pm
Google Voice: (347) 8155013
Class Location: Thorndike 157
Class Website: http://www.PronunciationandSpeaking.weebly.com

Course Description
Welcome to Speaking and Pronunciation! This course is designed to give an
overview of North-American English (NAE) pronunciation and speaking skills.
We will explore linguistic and cultural issues surrounding pronunciation and
speaking, and practice appropriate pronunciation and speaking devices.
Course Materials
We will use Pronunciation Pairs, 2nd edition by Ann Baker and Sharon
Goldstein for our textbook. Other required materials include a notebook, a
folder for class handouts, and a writing utensil. A dictionary (either paper or
electronic) that includes pronunciation symbols is recommended, but not
required.
Course Objectives
Upon completing this course, students will be able to:
Identify and use the phonemic symbols of North American English (NAE)
Recognize, distinguish, approximate and self-monitor production of NAE
consonant sounds
Recognize, distinguish, approximate and self-monitor production of NAE
vowel sounds
Recognize and begin producing specific features of connected speech in
NAE
Recognize and elicit correct syllabification and word stress in NAE
Recognize and elicit meaning changes in contrastive stress of words and
sentences in NAE
Recognize and begin producing intonation and rhythm in NAE
Practice incorporating the above in conversations on a variety of topics
Grading
Final grades will be given as follows:
final grade:
97-100
25%
94-96

A+
A

The

breakdown

of

the

Attendance and Participation:

Homework:

30%

90-93
87-89
below)
84-86
80-83
15%
77-79
Presentation - 20%
74-76
70-73
69 and below

AB+

Midterm:
10%
Final:

B
B-

Final Part 1:

C+

Final

35%

(see

Paper-based test Part

2:

C
CFail/Repeat

Pre- or Co-requisite
Intermediate 4
Homework
Homework is generally assigned weekly and should usually be electronically
submitted by midnight the following Sunday evening unless otherwise
indicated. Exact due dates will be on the individual assignments given out in
class and posted online. Late assignments are accepted, but will be given a
grade reduction.
Audio Homework Assignments
For certain homework assignments, you will be asked to submit a recorded
speaking sample. The easiest way to do this is to call a Google Voice
number:
1. Call this Google voice number: (347) 815-5013
2. Wait for the tone
3. Say your name
4. Record your response
**Please only leave one recording.
Absences
Regular attendance and active class participation is expected, and more than
three absences could result in a grade reduction. Five or more absences
will result in a failing grade. Sickness, family emergencies, and other life
events, however, sometimes prevent busy adults from attending class. In
the event of an absence, you are still responsible for getting notes and
assignments from a classmate or the teacher and submitting all homework
on time. Please talk to your instructor if you have a special situation
regarding absences.
About the CEP

The Community English Program is a unique and integral part of the TESOL
and Applied Linguistics Programs at Teachers College, Columbia University. It
provides English as a second language to adult learners of diverse
nationalities and backgrounds. In addition, the CEP 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 CEP 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 might take place. Thus, we
encourage observation and classroom research and want people to use it as
a tool for learning.

Course Schedule * SUBJECT TO CHANGE!!!

Week
1. Feb 10

Focus
Introduction to Course
Your Pronunciation Profile
International Phonemic Alphabet (IPA)
VOWELS
Unit 1 /i/ (In book:/iy/); Stressed
Syllables

Assignments
Due: 2/15 (7PM)
HW 1: Pronunciation Profile
For next class: (2/17)
Personal Goals

2. Feb 17

VOWELS
Unit 2 /I/; Stress in Numbers, Moving
Stress
Unit 3 //; Falling and Rising Intonation
CONSONANTS
Unit 25 /d/; -ed Endings
Unit 26 /k/; Stress in Noun Phrases
Unit 27 /g/
Unit 29 /s/; Linking an final cluster
Unit 30 /z/; -s Endings
TOPIC
Syllables and Word Endings

For next class: (2/24)

Homework 2

3. Feb 24

VOWELS
Unit 4 /e/ (In book: /ey/); Stress in
Sentences
Unit 5 //; The most important word
CONSONANTS

Due: 3/1 (7PM)

Homework 3

Unit 29 /s/; Linking an final cluster

For next class: (3/3)

Unit 6 Review

 Unit 30 /z/; -s Endings

Unit 31 //; Linking words with //
Unit 32 //; Stress in words with ion
TOPIC
Stress in Words
4. Mar 3

5. Mar 10

VOWELS
Unit 7 //; Strong and weak
Unit 8 //; Unstressed Syllables
Unit 9 /r/; Intonation in Choice
questions with or
CONSONANTS
Unit 21 /r/; Tag Questions with
Falling Intonations
Unit 33 /t/; Silent Syllables
Unit 34 /d/
Unit 36 /y/;
TOPIC
Stress in Longer Words

Due: 3/1 (7PM)

No Homework to Call in

Midterm (45 minutes)

(See below)

For next class: (3/10)

Study for Midterm
Unit 28 Review
Unit 35 Review

VOWELS
Unit 10 //; Phrase groups
Unit 11 //; Stress and Intonation to
show a contrast
CONSONANTS
Unit 37 /f/; Intonation in sentences
Unit 38 /v/; Weak and Strong have
Unit 39 /w/; Wh-? Rising intonation
TOPIC
Rhythm in Phrases and Sentences
Mar 17
SPRING
BREAK
NO CLASS

NO CLASS

Due: 3/22 (7PM)

Homework 4

6. Mar 24

VOWELS
Unit 12 /o/ (/ow/); Linking vowel
sounds
Unit 13 /u/ (/uw/); Stress and
Pronouns
CONSONANTS
Unit 40 /h/; Dropped /h/;
Exclamations
Unit 41 //; Using Stress and
Intonation to show
surprise
Unit 42 //; the and than
TOPIC
Thought Groups and Focus Words

Due: 3/29 (7PM)

Homework 5
For next class: (3/31)
Review Unit 43

7. Mar 31

Final Presentations: Whats it about?

VOWELS
Unit 14 //; Negative Contractions
Unit 16 /ai/ (/ay/); Stress in
compound nouns
CONSONANTS
Unit 44 /m/; Intonation to change
meaning
Unit 45 /n/; Syllabic /n/
Unit 46 //; be
TOPIC
Intonation: Falling and Rising Tones

Due: 4/5 (7PM)

Homework 6

Final Review
VOWELS
Unit 17 /i/ (/y/); Sentence
Rhythm and Timing
Unit 18 /ou/ (ow); Stress and Linking
in Phrasal Verbs
CONSONANTS
Unit 47 /l/; will
Unit 48 /r/; Stress in Long Words
Unit 49 /r/ after vowels; Intonation in
Polite Questions
TOPIC
Linking and Connected Speech

For next class: (4/14)

9. April 14

Take listening final (paper based)

Give final presentations

For next class: (4/21)

Bring a dish to discuss and share at
the party

10. April 21

Review of Final
End of Course Lets Mingle Party :)

Receive Grades

8. April 7

For next class: (4/7)

Questions for Final

Study for Final

Final Part 1
Final Presentations