{"id":179960,"date":"2021-07-27T13:42:17","date_gmt":"2021-07-27T17:42:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/how-to-teach-the-r-sound\/"},"modified":"2024-09-27T04:23:26","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T08:23:26","slug":"how-to-teach-the-r-sound","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/english\/how-to-teach-the-r-sound\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Teach the R Sound in English Using the ESA Method"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you found it difficult to teach the R sound to your English students? Or perhaps you\u2019ve had students who avoid working on their pronunciation?<\/span><\/p>\n

The R sound in English is a particularly hard one to teach and something that many students (and teachers!) seem to avoid for fear of overwhelm or discouragement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many students will find the R sound complicated at first, with its three types\u2014initial, middle, and final\u2014and six vocalic variations\u2014\/ar\/, \/air\/, \/ear\/, \/ire\/, \/or\/, and \/er\/\u2014but with <\/span>a good lesson structure and effective drilling, they\u2019ll get the hang of it in no time.<\/b><\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ll explore how you can use the effective ESA method to make teaching the R sound a breeze. <\/span>And don\u2019t worry if you don\u2019t use the ESA method,<\/b> there\u2019s still a load of useful information you and your students can benefit from!<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Teach the R Sound in North American English<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The ESA method\u2014engage, study, activate\u2014 is just one of many and by no means the best method out there. It\u2019s simply one that\u2019s worked well for me and my students. Be sure to tailor your method and material to your student\u2019s needs and goals.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Engage: open with a warmer activity to engage your students<\/span><\/h3>\n

Some English topics just aren\u2019t that fun to learn compared to others, and that\u2019s fine. But, any good English teacher knows that warming up your students with something engaging first has a huge impact on the rest of the class.<\/span><\/p>\n

The focus of this stage is about getting students eager to learn so don\u2019t worry too much about how effective the material is. As long as it primes their minds with the R sound, it\u2019s doing its job.<\/b><\/p>\n

The American \/R\/ sound is difficult to make and a source of stress for many students. Especially those whose native language doesn\u2019t have a similar sound at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

Try showing a couple of silly or funny phrases that contain the different R sounds. Even better if they\u2019re tongue twisters! The idea isn\u2019t that the student understands and pronounces the phrase perfectly straight away, rather, that it just gets them thinking about the R sounds and saying them out loud.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You could also show some words and say them out loud in both British and American accents and get the students to identify which is American. It\u2019s a simple but effective way to exercise the part of the brain responsible for language learning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some other warmers you can try:<\/span><\/p>\n

Minimal pairs bingo<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Particularly good for the R sound as the minimal pairs R+L and R+W pose a problem for some students.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stop<\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Everyone\u2019s favorite vocabulary game! I honestly haven\u2019t met a student that doesn\u2019t like <\/span>stop<\/span><\/i>. It\u2019s challenging and deep down we\u2019re all competitive.<\/span><\/p>\n

Odd one out<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Put similar words into groups of three or more, with one sound being different but similar.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ask the students individually to read through the word groups and pick which words have different sounds. Alternatively, ask them to discuss the groups of words with a partner and decide which one is odd.<\/span><\/p>\n

For more warmer ideas, <\/span>check out this FluentU article<\/span><\/a> on <\/span>10 ESL activities to teach perfect pronunciation and get mouths moving.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Study: explain the three types of R and its eight sounds<\/span><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s beneficial to get the students thinking about the three types of R and its eight sound variants from the start, starting with Initial R.<\/span><\/p>\n

Be careful not to over-explain with images and diagrams here. You don\u2019t want to give your student the chance to overthink and become confused.<\/span><\/p>\n

The focus here is on comprehension of the target language.<\/b><\/p>\n

Initial R<\/b><\/p>\n

The main points to cover here are:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • A vowel always follows initial R.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • It\u2019s almost certainly not pronounced as it is in their native language.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Highest energy and difficulty, so it\u2019s normal if they have trouble with it.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • It\u2019s all about the air moving around the tongue.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Here are a couple of sample phrases you can repeat a few times, then get the students to try:<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Ralph listens to rock-n-roll while he paints a raccoon holding a rose.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
    • You should recycle that tennis racket or repair it.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
    • I really wanted to rent that apartment but they refused my application.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Middle R\/blend R<\/b><\/p>\n

      The main points to emphasize here are:<\/span>
      \n<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      • Middle R always has a consonant before it.<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Its pronunciation is influenced slightly by whatever consonant that is.<\/span><\/li>\n
      • It\u2019s considerably \u201csofter\u201d than initial R– and softer means harder to hear and analyze.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Some phrases to drill the middle R sound:<\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        • My brother cries when he sees green broccoli.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
        • The train driver tried to slow down but the brakes were broken.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
        • I\u2019ll probably travel to Croatia next year.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Final R<\/b><\/p>\n

          The main points to cover here are:<\/span><\/p>\n

            \n
          • Also known as the vocalic R.<\/span><\/li>\n
          • It always has a vowel before it.<\/span><\/li>\n
          • Final R takes the schwa sound– sounds like \u2018uh.\u2019<\/span><\/li>\n
          • It\u2019s more important to get the vowel sound correct than the schwa.<\/span><\/li>\n
          • The six vocalic R sounds– ER, OR, AIR, EAR, AR, and IRE.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Here are some phrases to emphasize the vocalic R:<\/span><\/p>\n

              \n
            • \/AR\/ – When you live on a farm, you get up when it\u2019s still dark. The alarm goes off at 4 a.m.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
            • \/AIR\/ – It\u2019s not fair that we never have pears. My parents don\u2019t like them.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
            • \/EAR\/ – We need to steer clear of that town because it\u2019s weird.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
            • \/ER\/ – I love learning new experiments with my favorite teacher.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
            • \/OR\/ – She was bored with the story so she went to buy popcorn during a storm.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
            • \/IRE\/ – When we went to Ireland, we sang around a campfire with a choir.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Emphasize correct mouth and tongue positioning<\/span><\/h3>\n

              The mouth and tongue positioning is typically what\u2019s most difficult for students to grasp, especially if they\u2019re native speakers of French, Spanish, or an Asian language, where the R\u2019s are rolled or the sound doesn\u2019t exist at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

              After explaining the types of R to students, you can now emphasize the mouth movement using complementary visuals.<\/span><\/p>\n

              Use a sample phrase to explain the following with exaggeration:<\/span><\/p>\n

                \n
              • Raise the back of the tongue so it lightly touches the back teeth.<\/span><\/li>\n
              • The tip of the tongue should be floating.<\/span><\/li>\n
              • Keep tongue tense and lips rounded in O shape.<\/span><\/li>\n
              • Now exaggerate the \u201cerrr\u201d sound then roll into R word, like \u201cerrrrREADY!\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Teaching Students to Distinguish Between R and L and W<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                Many students will have issues differentiating R, L, and W sounds. This is particularly evident in children but it\u2019s also present with adults that haven\u2019t had adequate explanation of the correct mouth movement.<\/span><\/p>\n

                It helps to drill with a phrase or minimal pairs that contain \/W\/ and \/L\/ sounds so the students can get used to the differences.<\/span><\/p>\n

                R vs. W<\/b><\/p>\n

                The R can be so soft at times that it sounds like \/W\/.<\/span><\/p>\n

                Points to emphasize:<\/span><\/p>\n

                  \n
                • \/W\/ is pronounced with your lips rounded, like the \/U\/ sound in <\/span>Blue<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/li>\n
                • \/R\/ is pronounced with lips in O shape.<\/span><\/li>\n
                • \/W\/ should sound like \u2018wuh\u2019 with the schwa sound.<\/span><\/li>\n
                • The tongue is relaxed with W, not with R.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Some minimal pairs to practice the differences:<\/span><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • I wonder which Rolls Royse belongs to that rich lady.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
                  • It\u2019s a real pleasure to practice the pottery wheel for the first time.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
                  • We were in the rear section earlier and now we\u2019re backstage, which is rare.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    R <\/b><\/span>vs. L<\/b><\/p>\n

                    Again, confusing \/R\/ and \/L\/ sounds is mainly present with children and speakers from Asian countries, as some Asian languages have a somewhat combined \/L\/ and \/R\/ sound, or no \/R\/ at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

                    Points to emphasize here:<\/span><\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • \/L\/ is pronounced with a flap of the tongue, almost like a flick.<\/span><\/li>\n
                    • You can exaggerate it by saying \u201cel-uh\u201d and flicking the tongue, then dropping the \u2018uh\u2019.<\/span><\/li>\n
                    • The beginning of the \/L\/s sound is with the mouth open and relaxed<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      Some minimal pair phrases to practice the differences:<\/span><\/p>\n

                        \n
                      • I felt so alive after I arrived at the concert.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
                      • You must collect the mushrooms in the correct manner or they\u2019ll damage.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n
                      • She uses a brush to apply her blush.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        Give a verbal exercise or a worksheet to drill all of this information<\/span><\/h3>\n

                        All of this can be a lot of information for the student to take in, depending on how you approach the class. So, it\u2019s essential to drill the information, so it sticks.<\/span><\/p>\n

                        And no \u2018study\u2019 portion of an ESA class is complete without, well, studying the information!<\/span><\/p>\n

                        Consider giving the students a verbal quiz or worksheet that challenges them to correctly identify the \/R\/ sound\u2019s rules and mouth movements.<\/span><\/p>\n

                        You can also get students to work in pairs or groups with word games or word search worksheets that require them to identify and vocalize different R sounds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                        Activate: Putting the R Sound to Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                        Remember to dedicate enough time to this portion of the class! Around 20-25 minutes is perfect. This part of the class helps solidify concepts so students can take what they\u2019ve learned to the real world, sooner.<\/span><\/p>\n

                        The focus of this stage is on communication and fluency.<\/b><\/p>\n

                        Verbal exercises like reading out a text out loud or tongue twisters can help to solidify the theory that you\u2019ve taught your students. The quicker they grasp the idea of the correct mouth movements for pronunciation, the better.<\/span><\/p>\n

                        Try integrating these common activities with emphasis on the R sound:<\/span><\/p>\n

                          \n
                        • Role-playing<\/span><\/li>\n
                        • Debating<\/span><\/li>\n
                        • Storytelling<\/span><\/li>\n
                        • Email exchanges (that they read out loud)<\/span><\/li>\n
                        • Designing an advert<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                          Important Takeaways for Students<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                          Sometimes it\u2019s important to leave the students with some important \u201ctakeaway\u201d ideas that don\u2019t necessarily need too much class time, or it\u2019s simply better left until the end to avoid confusing the student.<\/span><\/p>\n

                          Clarify RR and WR spellings<\/span><\/h3>\n

                          This doesn’t require too much explanation or practice. Show some words that feature RR and WR and explain that they\u2019re simply the same pronunciation.<\/span><\/p>\n

                          Some example words:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
                          Wrapping<\/span><\/td>\nSorry<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                          Wrong<\/span><\/td>\nMerry<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                          Writing<\/span><\/td>\nBerry<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                          Wrestle<\/span><\/td>\nInterrupt<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                          Wrinkle<\/span><\/td>\nArrogant<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                          Wrecking<\/span><\/td>\nPorridge<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

                          Reiterate what to listen for with British vs. American pronunciation<\/span><\/h3>\n

                          In British (UK, Australian, Caribbean, etc.) English, the R is only pronounced at the start of a word or when followed by a vowel, like in <\/span>courage<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

                          The final R just sounds like an extension of the vowel sound before it.<\/span><\/p>\n

                            \n
                          • Car sounds like \u201ccah\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n
                          • Beer sounds like \u201cbeeh\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n
                          • Teacher sounds like \u201ctee-chah\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n
                          • Stir sounds like \u201csterh\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n
                          • Stairs sounds like \u201cstehs\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                            Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                            In a nutshell, the success of your lesson teaching R pronunciation lies in your students being able to grasp the right mouth movements early on. But don\u2019t stress if they don\u2019t. After all, e<\/strong><\/span>ach student is different and how quickly they pick up new pronunciations is not an indication of how well they\u2019ll speak English overall<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

                            Be sure to drill correct pronunciation as much as possible, while being reasonable, during the class and make sure your students leave with at least a solid understanding of the correct mouth movement and sound. <\/span>The correct pronunciation will eventually stick as they revisit the topic and practice.<\/b><\/p>\n

                            Consider leaving your students with activities or worksheets that they can revisit at home and help solidify the important takeaway points they learned during class.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

                            Revisiting after a short pause is always an effective way to make new information stick!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                            Have you found it difficult to teach the R sound to your English students? Or perhaps you\u2019ve had students who avoid working on their pronunciation? The R sound in English…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":739,"featured_media":179961,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"How to Teach the R Sound in English With The ESA Method","description":"Learn how to effectively teach the R sound in American English to students of all ages\u2014and a FREE pdf worksheet."},"footnotes":""},"categories":[685,704],"tags":[],"coauthors":[850],"class_list":["post-179960","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english","category-parrot"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179960","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/739"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=179960"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179960\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":221825,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179960\/revisions\/221825"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/179961"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=179960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=179960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=179960"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=179960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}