Dealing with Individual Sounds

1. What is the phonemic chart?


Each symbol represents an individual sound in English- a phoneme. There are twelve vowels, eight diphthongs and twenty-four consonants.



2. Why use them in class?


English spelling is not phonetic. Therefore a student needs a ‘key’ to help decipher how words sound.


It develops learner autonomy i.e. students can use dictionaries to ‘see’ the pronunciation at home or without the help of a teacher.


It gives a visual presentation of English.


There may not be corresponding sounds in L1 therefore students need to have this highlighted. Students need to be made aware of the differences between L1 and English.


Some sounds in English are very ‘near’ to one another and to the student’s ear, may be so indistinct that they need highlighting. E.g. /i:/ and /I/


As a teacher you can use it as a clear correction tool.



3. How can it be used?


Differentiation activities i.e. with sounds that students cannot discriminate between. You can show the two phonemes and then say words which contain either sound and students have to circle/point to etc. the one that they heard.


Ask students to use a dictionary to find the pronunciation of a word and so develop autonomy.


Phonemic bingo i.e. play bingo but where numbers usually are place phonemes. Say words and the students cross off the sounds that they hear.


Illustrate connected speech by transcribing parts of sentences to see what happens to create speech.


Play matching games i.e. match the sound and the word.


Play rhyming games etc.





4. When Do We Use Phonemes?


Use phonemes at all levels


When you introduce new language


During correction


During presentations


As warmers/coolers etc.



*** Useful Books


"The Sounds Foundation" Heinemann Adrian Underhill

"The Pronunciation Book" Heinemann T Bowen and J Marks

"The Homework Book" Oxford Lesley Painter

"The Headway Pronunciation" Series OUP

"English Aloud" Heinemann B Haycraft