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Teachers should understand the importance of suprasegmental features from "summary" of Teaching American English Pronunciation - Oxford Handbooks for Language Teachers by Susan Ehrlich,Peter Avery
Suprasegmental features play a crucial role in American English pronunciation, yet they are often overlooked in language teaching. These features, such as stress, intonation, and rhythm, are essential for conveying meaning and understanding spoken English. Teachers must recognize the importance of suprasegmental features in helping students improve their pronunciation and communication skills. Understanding stress patterns is essential for conveying meaning in spoken English. Stress can change the meaning of words and sentences, so it is crucial for students to learn how to correctly place stress on syllables. Intonation, or the rise and fall of pitch in speech, also plays a significant role in communication. It helps convey emotions, attitudes, and emphasis in speech. Teachers should help students understand how intonation patterns vary in different contexts and how they can affect the overall meaning of a sentence. Rhythm is another important suprasegmental feature that teachers should focus on in pronunciation instruction. English has a specific rhythm that is characterized by the alternating stress patterns of syllables. Teaching students how to recognize and produce this rhythm will improve their overall pronunciation and fluency. By incorporating rhythm exercises into their lessons, teachers can help students develop a more natural and authentic sounding speech.- Intonation, and rhythm, students will be better equipped to convey meaning effectively in spoken English. Teachers play a crucial role in helping students develop proficiency in these areas and should prioritize suprasegmental features in their pronunciation teaching.
