2. Focus on a specific point of ESL pronunciation<\/h2>\n
The key to a pronunciation lesson being effective at all levels is to have a focus on a specific point of pronunciation. <\/b><\/p>\n
For some levels, you could focus on \u201c-ed\u201d for words in the past tense and words with \u201c-s\u201d or \u201c-es\u201d endings. For lower levels, you may choose to focus on soft and hard “g” sounds, or other commonly confused sounds.<\/p>\n
Highlight whichever aspect of pronunciation you are choosing to focus on to your students before reading the text, so they know what to look out for.<\/p>\n
3. Read to the students<\/h2>\n
Tell the students to follow along as you read the selected sentence or paragraph to them. Read the text slowly and clearly so the students can hear each syllable. Emphasize the sounds you want to focus on for the lesson.<\/p>\n
4. Read the text again<\/h2>\n
It sounds redundant, but it helps. Read the text a second time, but this time read it a little faster with a more natural tone. The speed with which you read to the class is determined by the level; advanced ESL students should hear it the way a native speaker would typically speak<\/a>, while beginners should still hear it read slowly.<\/p>\n Ask the students if they believe they can pronounce every word in the text. If they have a difficult time with any words, they should ask you to repeat specific words. If you already know that some words will cause problems, repeat them individually and have the class repeat the words in unison.<\/p>\n This is the most time-consuming part of the lesson. Go around the class and have each student read the text. Sometimes it\u2019s best to choose a volunteer to begin this exercise and move about the room at random. If you choose to have students read in order, there is a greater chance that students at the end of the line will doze off rather than pay attention and review the text as their classmates read aloud.<\/p>\n Stop the students as they read. If a student mispronounces a word, have the student stop and try again. Do not move on until the student has read the text clearly. Some students may get upset or frustrated, but the attempts at perfecting the reading will reinforce the correct pronunciation.<\/p>\n With younger ESL students, you may want to move on to another student rather than have a single student repeat the text until he or she gets it right. Don\u2019t ignore those students who aren\u2019t quite getting it; go back to them after you\u2019ve given the rest of the class a try.<\/p>\n If a lot of students are struggling with the pronunciation, begin the process again. Give the students a break and have them listen and read along to reinforce the pronunciation that they should learn.<\/p>\n After all the students have read the short selected text, finish reading the full story you selected for class. Go around the room and have students each read a portion until it\u2019s finished. Be sure to correct the target pronunciation as the students read the rest of the story. As with all reading exercises, it should be combined with vocabulary lessons<\/a> and questions for discussion to ensure students understand the text.<\/p>\n A variation of this can be used either in class or as a homework assignment. There are many online resources for stories with audio; you must be careful, however, as just as many aren\u2019t useful for learning English.<\/p>\n The best 100% free resource to give students to practice on their own is, unfortunately, intended for students at the intermediate level or higher. The Voice of America (VOA)<\/strong> has a website full of news with audio intended for ESL students<\/a> using what the organization calls \u201cspecial English.\u201d<\/p>\n The special English on the VOA is spoken clearly and slowly; the speech is metered so students can understand it better. It also uses vocabulary that isn\u2019t too advanced for most intermediate ESL students, making it a useful resource.<\/p>\n Another great resource with many videos is FluentU.<\/a><\/p>\n FluentU has authentic videos (TV shows, music videos, news, speeches, etc.) leveled across six levels, and every word is carefully annotated so that learners have plenty of support. Every word comes with an in-context definition, image and multiple example sentences.<\/p>\n You can even click on a word to see how it\u2019s used in other videos across the site. Say goodbye to spending hours searching for good videos on YouTube and hello to focusing on actually teaching your students.<\/p>\n Another online resource for ESL students to practice pronunciation is the Merriam-Webster Learner\u2019s Dictionary<\/a><\/strong>. While this is mainly intended to be used for simplified definitions to aid ESL students, the website also provides an audio link for each word. It doesn\u2019t provide as much pronunciation practice as the VOA website or the in-class exercise, but it is useful for students of all levels.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When used at appropriate times during an ESL course, this lesson will improve students’ pronunciation, which will also increase their confidence when speaking<\/a>.<\/p>\n With tons of pronunciation practice and immersion, your students could even be able to recite bits of “The Chaos,” but it’s only fair that you master that beast of a poem first!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \r\nIf you\u2019re like me and prefer learning English on your own time, from the comfort of your smart device, I\u2019ve got something you\u2019ll love.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nWith FluentU<\/a>\u2019s Chrome Extension, you can turn any YouTube or Netflix video with subtitles into an interactive language lesson. That means you can learn from real-world content<\/strong>, just as native English speakers actually speak. \r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nYou can even import your favorite YouTube videos into your FluentU account. If you\u2019re not sure where to start, check out our curated library of videos<\/strong> that are handpicked for beginners and intermediate learners, as you can see here:\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n \r\nFluentU brings native English videos within reach. With interactive captions<\/strong>, you can hover over any word to see an image, definition, and pronunciation.\r\n<\/p> \r\nJust click on the word to see other example sentences and videos where the word is used in different contexts. Plus, you can add it to your flashcards<\/strong>! For example, if I tap on the word \"viral,\" this is what pops up:\r\n<\/p> \r\n \r\nWant to make sure you really remember what you've learned? We\u2019ve got you covered. Practice and reinforce the vocab from each video<\/strong> with learn mode. Swipe to see more examples of the word you\u2019re learning, and play mini-games with our dynamic flashcards.\r\n<\/p> \r\nThe best part? FluentU tracks everything you\u2019re learning and uses that to create a personalized experience just for you<\/strong>. You\u2019ll get extra practice with tricky words and even be reminded when it\u2019s time to review\u2014so nothing slips through the cracks.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\tStart using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download our from the App Store<\/a> or Google Play<\/a>.<\/p>5. Review difficult words<\/h2>\n
6. Give every student a chance to read<\/h2>\n
7. Correct the reading<\/h2>\n
8. Finish the reading<\/h2>\n
ESL Pronunciation Resources<\/h2>\n
Voice of America (VOA)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
FluentU<\/h3>\n
![\"FluentU](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/iTunesArtwork@1x.png\")
<\/a><\/div>\nMerriam-Webster Learner\u2019s Dictionary<\/h3>\n
And One More Thing\u2026<\/h2>\r\n
![\"learn-English-with-FluentU-on-YouTube\"](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/FluentU-English-music-video-on-youtube-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\r\n![\"learn-english-with-videos\"](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/4\/English-5.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\r\n![\"FluentU-english-video-with-interactive-subtitles\"](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/FluentU-English-video-on-app.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\r\n![\"FluentU-English-vocab\"](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/FluentU-English-vocab-viral-on-app.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\r\n![\"FluentU-English-vocab-quiz\"](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/FluentU-English-vocab-quiz-web.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\r\n