SKKN The methods help the 10th graders at Trieu Son 3 high school distinguish the pronunciation of some English vowels, consonants and do phonetic exercises quickly, effectively

1. INTRODUCTION 
1.1. The reason of selecting the topic 
As far as we know English is widely used all over the world not only in communication but also in many other aspects such as culture, politics, economy, commerce, tourism and so forth. Apart from mother tongue, a lot of people in the world use English to communicate with one another. English is used as the first or the second language in over two hundred countries in the world. It is English that helps people closer, more friendly and understandable. Therefore, this language is going to become the common language of human.
	English is the international language, therefore we have to learn how to pronounce the English words accurately, speak English fluently. However, it is not easy for the most people learning English because a lot of vowels and consonants of English are pronounced in two, three even four ways, which makes the English learners confused when pronouncing, reading, speaking, and doing phonetic exercises. Actually, accurate pronouncing is important not only in communicating but also in doing exercises, tests or examinations. 
During the process of teaching at Trieu Son 3 high school, I have discovered the methods that can help the students distinguish how to pronounce the English vowels and consonants having multiple pronunciations correctly as well as do the phonetic exercises with them quickly, effectively. And I am writing into my initiative. “The methods help the 10th graders at Trieu Son 3 high school distinguish the pronunciation of some English vowels, consonants and do phonetic exercises quickly, effectively”. This is considered to be a reference document, thus I would like the colleagues to give comments and ideas to my initiative so that I can make it perfect and practically used in teaching.
1.2. Objectives, tasks, methodology and scope of research
1.2.1. Objectives of research 
1.2.1.1. For the students
- Determine the objectives, the requirements and the importance of English.
- Understand the methods of distinguishing the pronunciations of some English vowels and consonants quickly, accurately when pronouncing, doing exercises, tests and examinations.
- Know how to apply “The methods of distinguishing the pronunciation of a sorts of English vowels and consonants” to speak and do exercises, tests or examinations about phonetic effectively.
- Speak English fluently with accurate pronunciation.
1.2.1.2. For the teacher
- Guides, examines and remarks the students to study the methods of distinguishing the pronunciations of English vowels and consonants quickly, accurately.
- Follows close to the process of teaching English especially when teaching students to do exercises, tests, attend to advanced students and the state general high school examination.
- Supplies useful knowledge and good experiences for myself in order to improve the quality of teaching.
1.2.2. Research tasks 
- Understand the students’ state of skill of doing phonetic exercises and pronunciation.
- Study the skill of doing phonetic exercises.
- Apply the topic to teach English in Trieu Son 3 high school.
- Compare, collate the result of implementing the topic.
- Remark, have conclusion about the result and effect of the topic.
1.2.3. Research methodology 
I write this topic based on:
+ The method of studying theory.
+ The method of investigating.
+ Applying the topic to real teaching English at Trieu Son 3 high school. 
+ Comparison, collation and summary of the result, effect of the topic.
1.2.4. Scope of research 
I mainly focus on:
- It is about effective methods to pronounce and do phonetic exercises.
2. PROBLEM SOLVING
2.1. Rationale and reality
2.1.1. Rationale 
 According to Williams (Williams, E. (1984), Pronunciation in a Language Classroom. London: Macmillan): “The role of Pronunciation in learning a foreign language: learners can practice the language they meet through listening and speaking. That is to say, to have good pronunciation is very important”. For students, it is more important because having a good pronunciation is one of the core elements to help them achieve high marks in the examinations.
2.1.2. Reality
During learning process, the students, especially the 10th graders at Trieu Son 3 high school have complained it is pronunciation that causes them a lot of difficulties in English learning, speaking and doing exercises, tests, examinations. They are often confused about some English vowels and consonants which have two or more ways of pronouncing such as vowels and consonants “o”, “e”, “oo”, “c”, “g”, “s”, “t”They do not understand why consonant “g” is pronounced /g/ in the words “game”, “got”, whereas it is pronounced /dʒ/ in “generation”, “ginger”, “gymnast” or “oo” is pronounced /u/ in the words “book”, “good” but “oo” is pronounced /u:/ in the words “pool”,”soon” ....
I always wonder how to find out the solutions to this problem. At the beginning of the first term - school year 2017 - 2018, I conducted a small survey with 84 students in 2 classes - 10E2 and 10E4 - to identify the ways they pronounced, did the test and why a lot of them got bad result, and I got the result:
The reasons
Percentage
1. I don’t know how to distinguish the pronunciation of the vowels and consonants which have two or more different ways of pronouncing at all. 
70%
2. I only learn to pronounce these vowels and consonants after the teachers or listen to the tape even follow my habit.
69%
3. I don’t know how to find out the rules of pronouncing of these kinds of vowels and consonants.
63%
4. I spend time guessing without any certainty.
75%
5. Phonetic exercises, tests of these vowels and consonants causes me confused and I often get bad result at them.
73%
6. I try my best to identify the regulations for them
5%
From the above table, we see that the majority of the students do not have good phonetic skill. Most of them feel anxious, overwhelmed when pronouncing, reading words, speaking as well as facing multiple-choice phonetic exercises containing many of the vowels or consonants which have different pronunciations. Therefore, these exercises are not only difficult for good students but also far more difficult for average and poor students who only take State’s high school graduation examinations.
Furthermore, when doing this kind of exercises, a large number of students often guess the pronunciation of words or underlined vowels, consonants without focusing on understanding and identifying the ways of pronouncing them accurately. The students do not know the pronunciation rules of the vowels and consonants which have two or more ways of pronunciations. Also, few of the students themselves can discover the regulations of pronunciation. Thus, they have not enough knowledge and skill about pronunciation as well as doing phonetic exercises. This results in pronouncing incorrectly along with getting bad marks when doing phonetic multiple choice task. 
More important, students find it unfamiliar when doing phonetic multiple choice exercises because in the textbooks as Tieng Anh 10 and Tieng Anh 11 phonetic symbols and pronunciation of English vowels and consonants are only introduced through some words as examples. There is no any demonstration or explanation to help students have the rules to distinguish the ways of pronouncing vowels and consonants with multiple pronunciation. In addition to this, no phonetic exercise similar to the ones appearing in the tests, examinations is introduced in the textbooks. Consequently, most of them guess and choose the keys in random. They always have many difficulties in pronouncing and choosing best option as doing phonetic multiple-choice tasks.
2.2. Measure implementation
2.2.1. The adaptation of the textbook.
During my teaching process, I have adapted some pronunciations in textbook – especially the textbook Tieng Anh 10 – Basic – to help the students know how to distinguish the pronunciation of some English vowels and consonants as well as make them similar to the ones appearing in phonetic exercises, tests and the State’s high school graduation examination. 
Take the pronunciation in Unit 1, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 11, Unit 12, Unit 14, Unit 16 - Tieng Anh 10 – Basic as examples:
2.2.1. The pronunciation of some English vowels and consonants depends on their positions in the words or combination with other vowels and consonants.
2.2.1.1. 	Unit 1: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF
PART E: LANGUAGE FOCUS: Pronunciation: /i/ - /i :/
2.2.1.1.1. Vowel “i” is often pronounced /i/ when it stands between two consonants.
Eg: click /klik/, miss /mis/
2.2.1.1.2. Vowels “ea” and “ee” are pronounced /i:/ in most of the words containing them.
Eg: heat /hi:/, meat /mi:t/, employee /implƆi'i:/, refuree /refju'ri:/
Except for: bread /bred/, threat /θred/, breath /breθ/, weather /'wedʒə/, great, break, health, wealth, volunteer /vƆl Λ n'tiə/, engineer...
Example exercise: Circle the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the other words.
1. A. breathe 	B. teeth C. interest 	D. bean
2. A. little 	B. kick C. sit 	D. beat
3. A. threat 	B. bread C. weather 	D. repeat
4. A. cheese 	B. volunteer C. tease 	D. team 
Questions
Key
 Explanations
1
C
 - /i/ and /i:/ 
+ According to 2.2.1.1.1. option C - “i” is pronounced /i/
+ According to 2.2.1.1.2. option A, B, D – “ea” and “ee” are pronounced /i:/
2
D
- /i/ and /i:/ 
+ According to 2.2.1.1.2. option D - “ea” is pronounced /i:/
+ According to 2.2.1.1.1. A, B, C – “i” is pronounced /i/
3
D
- /i/ and /i:/ 
+ According to 2.2.1.1.2. option D - “ea” is pronounced /i:/
+ According to Except for option A, B, C – “ea” is pronounced /e/
4
B
- /i/ and /i:/ 
+ According to “Except for” option B - “eer” is pronounced /iə/
+ According to 2.2.1.1.2. A, C, D – “ea” and “ee” are pronounced /i:/
2.2.1.2. 	Unit 5: TECHNOLOGY AND YOU
PART E: LANGUAGE FOCUS: Pronunciation: /u/ - /u :/
Double vowels “OO” is pronounced /u/, /u :/ or /Λ/ 
2.2.1.2.1. “OO” is pronounced /u/ when it combines with “k”or with “d” in the unstressed consonants.
Eg: - oo+k: book /buk/, look /luk/, 
 - oo+d: childhood /'tʃaildhud/, neighbourhood /'neibəhud/
2.2.1.2.2. “OO” is pronounced /u:/ when it combines with almost every consonants in English such as: b,c, (d), h, g, l, m, n, p, q ...
Eg: tooth /tu:θ/, cool /ku:l/, moon /mu:n/
But: foot /fut/, wool /wul/
2.2.1.2.3. “OO” is pronounced /Λ/ in only some word: 
Eg: flood /flΛd/, blood /blΛd/
Example exercise: Circle the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the other words.
1. A. boot B. school C. cook D. tooth
2. A. wool B. pool C. soon D. food
3. A. good B. took C. foot D. blood
4. A. cool B. motherhood C. book D. look
Questions
Key
 Explanations
1
C
- /u/ and /u:/ 
+ According to 2.2.1.2.1. option C - “oo+k” is pronounced /u/
+ According to 2.2.1.2.2. option A, B, D – “oo+t”, “oo+l”, “oo+th” are pronounced /u:/
2
A
- /u/ and /u:/ 
+ According to 2.2.1.2.2. option A - “wool” is pronounced /wul/
+ According to 2.2.1.2.2. option B, C, D – “oo+l”, “oo+n” and “oo+d” are pronounced /u:/
3
D
-/u/ and /u:/ 
+ According to 2.2.1.2.3. option D - “oo” in the word “blood” is pronounced /Λ/
+ According to 2.2.1.2.1. option A, B, C – “oo+d”, “oo+k” “oo+t” (foot) are pronounced /u/
4
A
- /u/ and /u:/ 
+ According to 2.2.1.2.2. option A - “oo+l” is pronounced /u: /
+ According to 2.2.1.2.1. option B, C, D – “oo+k”, “oo+d” are pronounced /u/
2.2.1.3. 	Unit 11: NATIONAL PARKS
PART E: LANGUAGE FOCUS: Pronunciation: / t / - /d /
2.2.1.3.1. Consonant “D” is pronounced as /d/, /dʒ/ 
 * “D” is pronounced /d/ in almost all words containing it.
Eg: date, dirty, down, damage, made, bird ... 
* “D” is pronounced /dʒ/ in some special cases”
Eg: soldier /'sɔudʒər/, education /edʒu'keiʃn/, graduate /'grædʒueit/, schedule /'skedʒu:l/, verdure... 
* “D” is silent in some following words: 
Handkerchief /'hænkətʃif/, handsome /'hænsəm/, Wednesday /'wenzdei/ 
2.2.1.3.2. Consonant “T” is pronounced /t/ or /tʃ/
* “T” is pronounced /t/ in most of the words as:
 take /teik/, teacher /'ti: tʃə/, tell /tel/, computer, until, amateur ... 
* “T” is pronounced /tʃ/ when it stands in a word and before “ua”, “ue”, “ure”, “ury”
Eg: - t+ua: actual /'ækʧuəl/, punctual /'pʌŋkʧuəl/
 - t+ue: statue /'stæʧu/
 - t+ure: picture /'pikʧə/, mixture /'mixʧə/
 - t+ury: century /'senʧuri/
* “T” is pronounced /ʃ/ when it stands in a word and before -ia, -io:
- t+ia: militia /'miliʃə/, initial, initiate, potential, residential, differentiate
But: Christian /'krisʧən/ 
- t+io: patio, ratio, infectious, cautious, conscientious, notion, option, nation, intention, information... 
 	But: question /'kwesʧən/, suggestion /sə'esʧən/, digestion /di'dʒsʧən/ , righteous /'raiʧəs/, combustion /kəm'bʌsʧən/, Christian /'krisʧən/, congestion 
* “T” is silent when: 
+ It forms STEN at the end of a word. 
Eg: fasten /'fa:sn/, hasten/'heisn/, listen /'lisn/ 
+ It forms STLE at the end of a word. 
Eg: castle /ka:sl/, apostle /'əpɔsl/, whistle /wisl/ 
Example exercise: Circle the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the other words.
1. A. schedule 	B. destruction 	C. countryside 	D. reduction
2. A. soldier 	B. education	C. Wednesday 	D. graduate
3. A. mutual 	B. situation 	C. container 	D. nature
4. A. initiative 	B. curtain 	C. disrupt 	D. temperature
Questions
Key
 Explanations
1
A
- /d/ and /dʒ/ 
+ According to 2.2.1.3.1. option A - “d” in the word schedule is pronounced /dʒ/
+ According to 2.2.1.3.1. option B, C, D – “d” is pronounced /d/ in most of the words.
2
C
- /d/ and /dʒ/ 
+ According to 2.2.1.3.1. option C - “d” in the word Wednesday is silent.
+ According to 2.2.1.3.1. option A, B, D – “d” in the word soldier, education, graduate is pronounced /dʒ/
3
C
- /t/ and /tʃ/
+ According to 2.2.1.3.2. option C - “t” in the word is pronounced /t/ in most of the words.
+ According to 2.2.1.3.2. option A, B, D – “t+ua”, “t+ure” are pronounced /tʃ/
4
A
- /t/, /tʃ/ and /ʃ/
+ According to 2.2.1.3.2. option A - “t+ia” is pronounced /ʃ/
+ According to 2.2.1.3.2. option B, C, D – “t” is pronounced /t/ in those words.
2.2.1.4. Unit 12: MUSIC
PART E: LANGUAGE FOCUS: Pronunciation: /s/ - /z/ 
 The consonants are pronounced /s/ and /z/ 
2.2.1.4.1. The consonants are pronounced /s/
* “S” is pronounced /s/ when: 
+ It stands at the beginning af a word.
Eg: see /si:/, sight, slow...
+ It stands between a vower and a consonant or between two consonants.
Eg: classical /'kla: sikl/, first, consist, understand,...
+ It stands at the end of a word, after the letters: k, t, f, p, ph, gh, th /θ/
Eg: books /buks/, expects, photographs, laughs, 	
* “C” is pronounced /s/ when it stands before “e”, “i” or “y” 
Eg: 
 - c+e: ceiling /'si:liŋ/, sentence, silence, 
 - c+i: cinema /sinəmə/, cigarette /sigəret/
 - c+y: cycle /saikl/, presidency /prezidənsi/
2.2.1.4.2. The consonants are pronounced /z/ when:
* “S” is pronounced /z/ 
+ It stands between two vowers.
Eg: because /bi'kɔz/, rose /rouz/, reason /ri:zən/,...
Except for: promise /'prɔmis/, cease /si:s/, increase in'kri:s/, decrease /di'kri:s/, loose /lu:s/...
+ It stands at the end of a word, after the letters: a,b, d, g /g/, e, h,i, l, m, n, o, n, m, q, r, u, v, y, w.
Eg: bees /bi:z/, reads /ri:dz/, brothers /’brʌdʒəz/
* “Z” is pronounced /z/ in all words containing it.
 Eg: zoo /zu:/, prize /praiz/
Example exercise: Circle the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the other words.
1. A. answer B. listen C. music D. solemn
2. A. zoo B. close C. feelings D. delights
3. A. ceiling B. congratulate C. circle D. cyclist
4. A. cinema B. dance C. cyclone D. custom
Questions
Key
 Explanations
1
C
- /s/ and /z/
+ According to 2.2.1.4.2. option C - “s” in the word music is pronounced /z/
+ According to 2.2.1.4.1. option A, B, D – “s” is pronounced /s/ in those words.
2
D
- /s/ and /z/
+ According to 2.2.1.4.1. option D - “s” after “t” is pronounced /s/
+ According to 2.2.1.4.2. option A, B, D – “s”, “z” in those words are pronounced /z/
3
B
- /s/ and /z/
+ According to 2.2.1.4.2. option B - “c+ other vowels and consonants” are pronounced /k/ 
+ According to 2.2.1.4.2. option A, C, D – “c+e”, “c+i” “c+y” are pronounced /s/
4
D
- /s/ and /z/
According to 2.2.1.4.2. option B - “c+ other vowels and consonants” are pronounced /k/ 
+ According to 2.2.1.4.2. option A, C, D – “c+e”, “c+i” “c+y” are pronounced /s/
2.2.1.5. 	Unit 14: THE WORLD CUP
PART E: LANGUAGE FOCUS: Pronunciation: / g / - / k /
2.2.1.5.1. Consonant “G” is pronounced: /g/, /dʒ /, /ʒ/. 
 * “G” is pronounced /g/ when it stands before “a”, “o”, “u” and all consonants.
Eg: game /geim/, group /gru:p/	
* “G” is pronounced /dʒ/ when it stands before e, i, 
Eg: general /'dʒenərəl/, engerm, apology, ginger, ginseng, giant, gigantic (a) /'dʒaigæntik/, gyp /dʒip/, gymnastic, gill /dʒil/...
Except for: get, forget, give, forgive, finger, target, budget, hamburger, tiger, gift, gear, girl... (“g” is pronounced /g/ in these words).
+ “G” is pronounced /ʒ/ in some words originating from French
Eg: regime /rei'ʒi:m/, garage /'gæraʒ/, (to) rouge /ru:ʒ/: (tô) son phấn, massage, mirage
2.2.1.5.2. The consonants are pronounced /k/
 * “C” is pronounced /k/ when it stands before “a”, “o”, “u” and all consonants.
ca- : can /kæn/, car, cat 
co- : coat /kɔut/, come /kʌm/, computer /kə’pjutər/
cu- : cup /kʌp/, cut /kʌt/ 
 c + consonants: class /kla:s/, crude /krud/, crowd /kraud/, create ...
 * “K” is pronounced /k/ in all words containing it.
Eg: kick /kik/, week /wi:k/
 But “k” is silent when standing before “n”
Eg: know /nɔu/, knife /naif/
Example exercise: Circle the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from that of the other words.
1. A. government B. goal C. game D. teenage
2. A. ginger B. regard C. generation D. gymnastic
3. A. suspicious B. correct C. compound D. camel
4. A. king B. knock C. kitchen D. key
Questions
Key
 Explanations
1
D
- /g/, /dʒ / 
+ According to 2.2.1.5.1. option D - “g+e” “g+i” “g+y” are pronounced /dʒ/
+ According to 2.2.1.5.1. option A, B, C – “g” is pronounced /g/ when combining with the rest letters.
 2
B
- /g/, /dʒ / 
+ According to 2.2.1.5.1. option B – “g” is pronounced /g/ when combining with “a”.
+ According to 2.2.1.5.1. option A, C, D - “g+e” “g+i” “g+y” are pronounced /dʒ/
3
A
- /k/
+ According to 2.2.1.6.2. option A - “c+ io” is pronounced /ʃ/ 
+ According to 2.2.1.5.2. option B, C, D – “c+t”, “c+o” “c+a” are pronounced /k/
4
B
- /k/
According to 2.2.1.5.2. option B – “k” is silent in the word “knock”
+ According to 2.2.1.5.2. option A, C, D – “k” is pronounced /k/ in those words.
2.2.1.6. 	Unit 16: HISTORICAL PLACES
PART E: LANGUAGE FOCUS: Pronunciation: / ʒ / - / ʃ /
2.2.1.6.1. Consonant “S” is pronounced /ʒ/ when it stands between a vowel and suffixes: -ion, - ure, -ual.
Eg: decision /di’siʒn/, vision, conclusion, occasion, usual, pleasure, measure, leisure, Asia, explosion.... 
2.2.1.6.2. The consonants are pronounced: /ʃ/
 * “S” is pronounced /ʃ/ when it stands between a consonant and suffixes: -ure, -ual, -ia, -ion.
Eg: ensure /en’ʃuə/, , insure, pressure, admission...
 * “Sh” is pronounced /ʃ/ in all words containing it.
Eg: show /ʃɔu/, finish /’finiʃ/
* “C” is pronounced /ʃ/ when it stands before ia(-), ie, io, iu and ean 
Eg: - cia(-) musician /'mjuzikʃən, mathematician, official, artificial... 
- cie: efficient /i'fiʃənt/, 0conscience /'kɔnʃəns/...
- io(-) : specious,delicious, unconscionable, conscious, efficacious 
- cean : ocean/'ouʃən/, crustacean /krʌ'teiʃiən/...
- ciu: Confucius /kən'fju:ʃəs/...
Except for: science /'saiəns/
 * “Ch” is pronounced /ʃ/ in the following words: 
 - machine /mə'ʃi :n/
 - chef /ʃef/
 - parachute /'perəʃut/