markfullmer.com/skills-enhancement

Eastern Visayas State University

July 14, 2012

Skills EnhancementSeminar

What did you learn last time?

The English Language is buang-buang.

Results from Pre/Post-Tests

64%80%

Pre-Test Post-Test

Pronounce these words:

LEISUREGENREENTHUSIASTIC

CEREMONYINVENTORYADVOCACYCHOCOLATEDIAMONDDIAPER

How to speak with an American accent

Remember: there is no “right” way to pronounce English, simply different accents.

“I am going to go to the internet for some information on breakfast.”

Let’s try a sample sentence:

PRONUNCIATION: What the scholars say…

“...Traditionally, Filipino English is described as syllable timed with each syllable coming with even beats, rather than following the stress timing of American and British English where the stress is on nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.”

--Roger Thompson, “Filipino English and Taglish” (2003)

Makadto ako ha internet café kay namimiling ako para hit impormasyon hiunung pamahaw.

Count how many syllables:

Sentence Stress and Rhythm

CATS CHASE MICE. TheCATShaveCHASED MICE. TheCATSwill CHASEthe MICE. TheCATShavebeenCHASingthe MICE. TheCATScouldhavebeenCHASing theMICE.

PRONUNCIATION: Word Stress

“I am going to go to the internet

for some information on breakfast.”

Filipino: even rhythm

American: uneven rhythm

A common Filipino mistake is to accent the second syllable of a multisyllabic word. This comes from the Spanish practice of accenting the second syllable when nothing is marked. Most Germanic languages, like English, stress the first syllable of a word.

ceREmonyinVENtoryadVOcacychoCOlatediAmonddiAper

PRONUNCIATION: The “Schwa”Americans tend to omit medial posttonic

syllables. 

Examples: Sep(a)rate “Seprate” Choc(o)late “Choclate” Cam(e)ra “Camra” Elab(o)rate “Elabrate”

“Instead of pronouncing unstressed vowels as a schwa, Filipinos pronounce each syllable with the full value indicated by the spelling.”

-- Gonzales (1983)

PRONUNCIATION

PRONUNCIATION: The “Schwa”

“I am going to go to the internet

for some information on breakfast.”

Filipino: ter

Filipino: fastAmerican: fust

American: tur

Say “Uhh”!In other words, Filipino speakers have more precise pronunciation than American speakers.

PRONUNCIATION: The “Schwa”In American pronunciation, the schwa, or

“uhh” sound, is the most common vowel sound. Examples:

'a' in about [əˈbaʊt] 'e' in taken [ˈteɪkən] 'i' in pencil [ˈpɛnsəl] 'o' in eloquent [ˈɛləkwənt] 'u' in supply [səˈplaɪ]

TRY TALKING LIKE AN AMERICAN1. Speed: slow down for verbs, nouns,

adjectives, go fast for articles & prepositions

2. Don’t emphasize the second syllable (inventory, ceremony)

3. Omit the medial posttonic syllable (separate, chocolate)

4. Use the schwa for non stressed vowels (internet, breakfast)

TRY TALKING LIKE AN AMERICAN

I am going to go to the internet for some information on breakfast.

tuh

tuh

tur

fur

fur

fust

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

It’s simple. It’s all about…

“Do I use the

singular or pluralform of the verb?”

1. Everyone ____ arrived at the restaurant. (a) have (b) has2. Some flowers ____ spilled on the floor. (a) is (b) are3. Some rice _____ spilled on the floor. (a) is (b) are4. All the food ____ eaten at the dinner. (a)was (b) were5. All the people _____ satisfied after the meal. (a) was (b) were

6. Each of the guests ____ on time to the party.(a) was (b) were7. ____ each of you finished your meal? (a) Has (b) Have8. The prince as well as the princess ____ born in February. (a)was (b) were9. The dog, along with the cat, ____ sleeping in the yard. (a) is (a) are10. Sir Ruel, together with his friends, were travelling to Ormoc.(a) was (b) were

A: Some of the water are gone.B: Some of the water is gone.

A: Everyone has done their homework

B: Everyone have done their homework

Example 1: Singular or Plural?

A: Everyone has done their homework

B: Everyone have done their homework A: Some of the water are gone.

B: Some of the water is gone.

singular?

plural?

plural

plural

singular

plural

Plural?Singular?

Method 1: Visual ReinforcementUse a spatial visual aid, like a chart or table, to help students memorize rulesAlways

SingularSingular or Plural

Always Plural

Anyone Some All of us

Everyone All Many

Someone None

No one

Nobody

Always singular

Anyone is eligible for the scholarship.

Everyone has done their homework

Nobody is an expert on everything.

his or her

Always Singular

Singular or Plural

Always Plural

Anyone Some All of us

Everyone All Many

Someone None

No one

Nobody

All of the textbook is incorrect.All of the answers in the textbook are incorrect.All of the textbook is incorrect.All of the answers in the textbook are incorrect.

Some of the water is goneSome of the beads are gone.Some of the water is gone.Some of the beads are gone.

Singular or Pluralnot countable

countable

not countable

countable Always Singular

Singular or Plural

Always Plural

Anyone Some All of us

Everyone All Many

Someone None

No one

Nobody

Always Plural

All of us are going to the beach.Many were at the seminar.

Always Singular

Singular or Plural

Always Plural

Anyone Some All of us

Everyone All Many

Someone None

No one

Nobody

Example 2: Singular or Plural?

A: Each of the students is responsible.

B: Each of the students are responsible.

plural subject

Method 2: Natural/Communicative Language Teaching TheoryInstead of telling the answer, the teacher models correct

grammar:

Teacher: “Is each of the students responsible for their homework?”

Student: “Yes, each of the students is responsible for their homework.”

Rule: each, everyone, and everybody are

always singular!

Right: Each of the students is responsible

Wrong: Each of the students are responsible

even though the noun is plural

“each” alwaysacts as singular

Naka gets?

T: “Is the skills enhancement seminar fun?”S: “Yes, the skills enhancement seminar is fun.”

T: “Are the topics interesting?”

S: “Yes, the topics are interesting.”

T: “Is all of you awake?”

S: “All of us are awake!”S: “Everyone is awake!”

Naka gets?

T: “Has each of you eaten breakfast?”

S: “Yes, each of us has eaten breakfast.”

T: “Is everyone following the instructions?”

S: “Yes, everyone is following the instructions.”

T: “Does everyone like ampalaya?”

S: “No, everyone does not like ampalaya!”

Example 3: Singular or Plural?

A: Diane as well as her friend is going to the store.

B: Diane as well as her friend are going to the store.

Method 3: Total Physical Response

Students physically act out grammar rules:

DIANE

ISGOING TO THE STORE

ARE

ALONG WITH

HER FRIEND

Rule 1: inserted phrases do not change the subject from singular to plural

Yes: Diane along with her friend is going to the store.

No: Diane along with her friend are going to the store.

Rule 1: inserted phrases do not change the subject from singular to plural

Yes: Diane along with her friend is going to the store.

No: Diane along with her friend are going to the store.

Inserted phrases

Rule 2: the conjunction “and” does change the subject from singular to plural

No: Diane and her friend is going to the store.

Yes: Diane and her friend are going to the store.

Naka Gets? Singular or Plural?

DIANEHER FRIEND

GOING TO THE STORE

AND

ARE

IS

MA’AM ARLENE

SIR RUEL

COMING WITH ME

ALONG WITH

1. Everyone ____ arrived at the restaurant. (a) have (b) has2. Some flowers ____ spilled on the floor. (a) is (b) are3. Some rice _____ spilled on the floor. (a) is (b) are4. All the food ____ eaten at the dinner. (a)was (b) were5. All the people _____ satisfied after the meal. (a) was (b) were

6. Each of the guests ____ on time to the party.(a) was (b) were7. ____ each of you finished your meal? (a) Has (b) Have8. The prince as well as the princess ____ born in February. (a)was (b) were9. The dog, along with the cat, ____ sleeping in the yard. (a) is (a) are10. Sir Ruel, together with his friends, were travelling to Ormoc.(a) was (b) were

Tapos Na!

Questions? Comments? Violent Reactions?

Say “Uhh”!

“I am going to go to the internet for some information on breakfast.”