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Post by raindrop on Mar 19, 2008 13:39:52 GMT 8
I'm really stressed out... no, not because of junkdna's riddle, but because of this one student I have, she has got this terrible pronunciation. Although she's been studying English for all these years, her pronunciation sucks... she puts all the vowels at the end of all the words... yeah, just like reading katakana. She is 19, and I just get the feeling that she does it on purpose to make it sound cute or something... which is very wrong. I've tried to fix it, by having her repeat after the CDs, having her do shadowing practice and all but she just doesn't get it. Maybe she is spoiled because I am Japanese and I do understand what she's trying to say? Even my senior students can repeat what I say without sounding Katakana... I just don't get it.
Any suggestions?
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Post by Otaku on Mar 19, 2008 13:49:13 GMT 8
Without sound too much of a dork, the solution is Phonics. I don't know if you've checked out the Phonics section of Englipedia but if you have time: jhsenglipediaproject.com/jhs_nontextbook_phonics.aspxI'm finishing up this year with my 1st year students receiving a dose of Phonics in pretty much every ALT class. Their pronunciation is far better than the 2nd year students. And, they can read words they have never seen before, based upon the skills the Phonics' rules have taught them.
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Post by raindrop on Mar 21, 2008 6:56:29 GMT 8
Ohh, great. Thank you very much, Otaku. I'll try that and see how it goes. I could use that with some of the other students... Looks awesome! Domo!
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yopparaisaru
Englipedia Fana
I drink copious amounts of fire and piss excellence
Posts: 312
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Post by yopparaisaru on Mar 21, 2008 7:47:29 GMT 8
If that doesn't work you could always try physical violence. I heard pulling out fingernails for every misuteiku works rather well...
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Post by hellndie on Mar 21, 2008 9:30:52 GMT 8
apparently the drunken monkey has been drinking again
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Post by junkdna on Mar 21, 2008 9:48:35 GMT 8
If that doesn't work you could always try physical violence. I heard pulling out fingernails for every misuteiku works rather well... this is what i was going to suggest, but i was beat to the punch. HAHAHAHAHAAHHA!
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Post by raindrop on Mar 21, 2008 14:27:11 GMT 8
well, I've already tried that, drunken monkey & junkdna. thanks anyways
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yopparaisaru
Englipedia Fana
I drink copious amounts of fire and piss excellence
Posts: 312
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Post by yopparaisaru on Mar 22, 2008 19:05:32 GMT 8
hmm, no more fingernails and she doesn't speak correctlier...well then there's only one explanation, it seems you haven't been trying hard enough... May I suggest waterboarding, i've only heard good things about it...
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Post by raindrop on Mar 24, 2008 10:33:06 GMT 8
Waterboarding? What the heck is that? And I have to get that? hmm are you sure?
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yopparaisaru
Englipedia Fana
I drink copious amounts of fire and piss excellence
Posts: 312
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Post by yopparaisaru on Mar 24, 2008 10:42:56 GMT 8
Waterboarding is when you hold you victi...err student down on their back with their head hanging down, like over the edge of a table and then pour water over their face. The water causes an involuntary spasm of the gag reflex and it pretty much simulates drowning. A rather unpleasant experience. And sure to produce results... And perfect for a country with relatively no practice of frivilous lawsuits...perfect... lol
On a serious note waterboarding is major issue in american politics right now, as to whether or not its classified as torture in its use against captured insurgents in our war with Afghanistan and Iraq. And not exactly appropriate to make jokes about, if you a normal rational person. Too bad I'm an extremely cynical drunken monkey...
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Post by Otaku on Mar 24, 2008 11:54:19 GMT 8
May I remind everyone that a couple of non-teaching comments in the 'Teaching' section is okay but a string of them will result in all non-relavent posts being deleted.
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Post by junkdna on Mar 24, 2008 12:20:20 GMT 8
May I remind everyone that a couple of non-teaching comments in the 'Teaching' section is okay but a string of them will result in all non-relavent posts being deleted. Yeah, but seriously, that's like asking us to curb our naturally good senses of humor. I could see if you wanted to delete totally irrelavent threads: cooking recipes in teaching, et al, but what's a board without a little fun. People realize that boards are naturally a place where many people exspouse a plethora of fertilizer. It's digging through that to get to the gems that makes it all the worthwhile. I know that more than 80% of the comments I make are unnecessary, but they are just tension breakers or wind breakers or whatever. Don't get me wrong, I like your style of handling the boards Otaku (and it's YOUR SHOW), but... c'mon, don't get too heavy-handed on us big guy. We love you just the way you are.
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Post by Otaku on Mar 24, 2008 13:00:20 GMT 8
A 'hitler or censorer' is the last thing the moderators want to do, hence not banning bad words on the Englipedia forums.
However, other forums like Big Daikon, have gone to utter hell because they have not been monitored at all. As much as I'm for freedom of speech and expression, posters must also keep in mind the original topic and not let their ADHD posts stray too far from the original thread. I will respect posters and their posts BUT ONLY if they in return have the same level of respect for the thread, especially considering the location of where that thread is located, 'teaching forum'. In this particular thread, 12 replies have been posted but only 1 post had to do with the original topic. I'm not saying all smart alec comments must cease and desist, but when there are more sarcastic posts than real posts in a teaching forum's thread, I regard that as taking away from the quality of that particular forum and will step in to take appropriate actions.
Fair enuf?
Please don't make the moderators moderate...
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Post by junkdna on Mar 24, 2008 13:32:33 GMT 8
Fair enough man. Fair enough. And I think you have been pretty fair as it is. Wasn't trying to imply you hadn't been.
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Post by junkdna on Mar 24, 2008 13:44:46 GMT 8
I'm really stressed out... no, not because of junkdna's riddle, but because of this one student I have, she has got this terrible pronunciation. Although she's been studying English for all these years, her pronunciation sucks... she puts all the vowels at the end of all the words... yeah, just like reading katakana. She is 19, and I just get the feeling that she does it on purpose to make it sound cute or something... which is very wrong. I've tried to fix it, by having her repeat after the CDs, having her do shadowing practice and all but she just doesn't get it. Maybe she is spoiled because I am Japanese and I do understand what she's trying to say? Even my senior students can repeat what I say without sounding Katakana... I just don't get it. Any suggestions? You know raindrop, you could always just 'let it go'. Might I suggest your student feels overly self-conscious about learning English, thinking that others around her might ostracise her for her abilities and thus she purposely dumbs it down by using pronunciation she knows to be incorrect. Maybe you need to help her build her confidence in speaking English (but not be overly obvious about it), and see if her pronunciation doesn't better itself over time. I know a young (not yet 30) English teacher whom I think is like this. She can speak English, but she (purposely?) uses a light katakana pronunciation. She's not stupid, but I have noticed she doesn't seem to be a very confident person and tends to panic a lot. This is just who she is, and there is nothing anyone can do about it, so I let it go.
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Post by raindrop on Mar 26, 2008 12:07:27 GMT 8
Thanks a lot, junkdna. You have a very good point right there. I think that is very true that she doesn't feel confident enough. I'll try to see if I can build up her confidence from now on. Great advice! A smite for you!
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Post by junkdna on Mar 26, 2008 12:19:40 GMT 8
YAY! A smite! Woo!
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