As an ESL teacher, have you looked at the phonetics textbooks on the market and decided that they don't directly address your needs? Unlike pronunciation books aimed at students of linguistics or at learners of English, Teaching American English Pronunciation has been written specifically for ESL teachers. It doesn't only give academic descriptions, but also helps you to improve your students' pronunciation effectively.
Peter Avery currently teaches linguistics at the University of Toronto. He is involved in teacher training throughout the TESL Certificate programme at George Brown College, Toronto, Canada. His research interests include theoretical phonology and second language acquisition.
I read this book as part prep work for tutoring a Cantonese college student in pronunciation. I think it is not only practical but fascinating. It's amazing to take an in depth look at how the language you speak every day really works.
As a teacher's tool, this book does a great job of breaking down all the major parts of American pronunciation. If I recall correctly, it even contrasts the American pronunciation to the British pronunciation. Once I get the money, I intend to purchase this book to keep in my teacher's library.
Read this book as part of my ESL endorsement course. Brilliant! It was interesting to learn exactly how the mouth works to produce individual sounds and I liked the breakdown in chapters 7-8 of how to help with specific pronunciation difficulties.
I just begin taking a TESOL Course at Florida Atlantic University. My professor recommended this book as a supplemental reading. I thought that this book was very interesting and enjoyable. I read this book in order to assist me with an assignment on the pronunciation of an English Language Learner and I feel that this assignment was very beneficial.
I read this book because it was a supplemental reading for my TESOL Course. This book helped me to better understand the many different aspects associated with English Language Pronunciation. This book has very in-depth descriptions and details about the different muscles and parts of the mouth that are used to pronounce various sounds. This book contains many relevant examples of English Language Learners. This book truly allows for teachers and pre-service teachers to learn a great deal about how and why certain words are pronounced in a certain manner.
This book also helps to describe the different pronunciation differences between other languages and English. This book helps to give a better understanding of why English Language Learners pronounce words like they do.
I haven't read other pronunciation books so it's hard to make a comparison, but I found it quite clear and helpful, particularly chapters 1-8. It would have been nice if it were consistent with IPA - there's the potential for confusion with different symbols. I got it from the library but would like to purchase it in the future. I could see myself referencing it often for sure.
first book read for my esl certification / learned the wonders of IPA & where the tongue is placed in the mouth to produce certain sounds / didn't use all standard IPA - which is annoying...
This covers important theory and practice in very specific linguistic instruction but it does not address authentic application to my satisfaction. Too little and too late.