Essential Phonetics for English Language Teachers

Essential Phonetics for English Language Teachers is for teachers who lack confidence in using articulatory phonetics in their teaching, or who have regarded phonetics as unnecessary theory.

This booklet fulfills its title, dispensing with academic detail and lengthy practice sessions. The focus is on the ability to recognize and correct errors, particularly those that can’t be corrected by ‘listen and repeat’ instruction alone.

Notable innovations include vowel charts for both British and American accents (plus references to Irish English and other varieties), custom-designed vocal tract diagrams and examples of simple, effective boardwork. Common learner difficulties and tips on teaching activities feature regularly.

For the busy teacher this booklet provides the perfect opportunity to enhance their continuous professional development. For the trainee it provides an overview of what pronunciation teaching involves while building skills rapidly in this area.

Penston uses his typical no-nonsense style of presenting information in a concise yet easily comprehensible way (see A Concise Grammar for English Language Teachers). The result is a unique, incredibly compact and valuable work.