2 of 10

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 2

someone who knows English read poems for students at the start of a pronunciation improvement quest. Students should listen closely to how an assistant pronounces each word. If necessary, students should take notes as to the assistant's explanations of word meanings so that the student will be able to utilize the notes when practicing the poems alone.

While reading poems alone, particularly poems that have not been studied with an assistant, students should try to hear and emphasize line accents or rhythms. Focusing on poetic rhythms helps students grasp full meanings of poems. Grasping a poems' full meaning can be helpful in understanding and pronouncing words. For instance; notice the pause reflex that occurs almost on its own when reading the following verse.

No pizza lay inside this box
Just saucy crumbs that looked like rocks
My cold fingers began to numb
I should've hurried to get some

In locating the rhythm of the above verse, students should discover the lines read as though they could be broken into two lines; which would make the verse eight lines instead of four. Placing emphasis on the middles as well as the beginnings and ends of each line challenges students to annunciate words correctly.

Although these techniques will go a long way assisting students in English word pronunciations, when working alone, students should have dictionaries handy to look up words they're unable to figure out.

Learn more about this author, R. Renee Bembry.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2

Add your voice

Know something about How to use poetry as an aid to pronunciation?
We want to hear your view. Write now!