Pronunciation Practice Through Dialog Scripts
Role-Play Scripts are an Excellent Challenge for ESL Students
Sep 28, 2009
Pronunciation practice is essential for English as a Second Language (ESL) students. Language workshops that concentrate on separate, discrete sounds are important. However, once the student has managed to produce clear English sounds, texts which embrace those complicated new utterances – and not a sequence of disconnected words on a pronunciation list – need to be practiced for fluency and improvement.
Dialog Practice Develops Meaningful Word Fluency and Communication
Dialog pair work is indispensable as a method of improving fluency, turn-taking, voice inflection and useful, meaningful language. Any kind of script will serve the same cause, but working specifically with dialogs gives students the opportunity to work with a partner and not a larger group in which some learners may be intimidated.
Texts can be found on the Internet, produced by the teacher, or written by the students themselves as a classroom exercise. Different kinds of dialogs can be undertaken, such as grammar role-plays (those with a specific grammar focus), or abstract dialogs (those with unwritten action between the lines). The example below is specifically developed for a pronunciation lesson and is constructed solely as a means to include sounds, or groups of sounds, that the teacher wants the students to focus on, and repeat.
Dialog Script Sample for Pronunciation
This role-play dialog scenario includes the sounds “f” and “v” in many of the words. Many language learners experience problems with these sounds. Asian language students, Spanish speaking learners and Arabic first language speakers, all have problems correctly producing and pronouncing this voiced and voiceless sound pair “v” and “f” respectively.
Dialog Script Using “F” and “V” sounds:
- Valerie: Hey Fred. I’m very hungry. Will you do me a favor?
- Fred: Sure Valerie. For you…anything.
- Valerie: The vending machine is broken. The factory will only fix it next week. Will you buy me some fries, fish and vegetables at the fast-food place on Valley Street?
- Fred: Sure. It will probably be more than five dollars. Do you have money to give me?
- Valerie: Here is five dollars. Today the sodas are free. Thanks very much Fred.
- Fred : You’re welcome. By the way, are you free on Friday night? We are all going to the Food Fair on Van’s farm?
- Valerie: Actually, I really don’t like fairs, but you know, for you, I am free on Friday night.
- Fred: Great. I have your cell-phone number…so I’ll call you soon.
- Valerie: Fine.
Dialogs such as this, formed to suit the learners in the class, are not difficult to write. Teachers can direct the practice, through the role-play script, to sounds that are difficult specifically for the students in the class. Working on dialogs will facilitate practice and sharpening of clear sounds in the context of real conversation in the new language. In general, acting out dialogs either in front of the whole class, or in small groups, gives all the students the platform to participate, practice, listen to others, and improve in their pronunciation skills.
Related Articles:
- Pronunciation Through Creative Drama Exercises: Tasks that enhance pronunciation practice
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