Teaching Pronunciation in ESL – Practical Tips for Clearer English

🎯 Introduction

For many ESL students, pronunciation is the biggest barrier to communication. Even when grammar and vocabulary are strong, unclear sounds can cause confusion. Here’s how TEFL teachers can make pronunciation practice fun and effective.

✅ Common Pronunciation Challenges

• Difficult sounds (like /θ/ in “think” or /r/ vs /l/)

• Word stress and rhythm

• Intonation in questions vs. statements

  
  

🎮 Techniques That Work

• Minimal Pairs: Practice tricky sound pairs (e.g., “ship” vs. “sheep”)

• Clap the Stress: Students clap along with stressed syllables

• Echo Practice: Teacher models, students repeat immediately

• Tongue Twisters: Fun drills that challenge fluency

  
  

🧠 Making It Stick

• Record and play back student speech

• Use mirrors for mouth positioning

• Focus on communication, not perfection

  
  

💡 Pro Tip

Always connect pronunciation practice to real-life contexts (ordering food, job interviews, small talk).

📌 Next Step

GoTEFL gives you hands-on methods for teaching pronunciation, while TEIK places you in classrooms where speaking confidence matters most.