Wednesday 16 April 2025, 4.00pm (UK time)
Summary
Reading and speaking are viewed by many as separate skills; however, this contradicts researchers' and neurological findings that the two directly linked—effective reading depends on having a reliable phonological repertoire. (Dehaene, 2009., Walter, 2008)
The perceived detachment of pronunciation from reading means that students’ phonological awareness is not fostered alongside their reading skills. When students encounter new words, they are forced to either guess the pronunciation and/or draw upon their L1 as a guide. With each repeat encounter, their pronunciation is reinforced, perhaps with L1 influence.
In this talk, we will explore these links and consider how we can better support our students to develop greater pronunciation awareness.
About the presenter
Mike Budden grew up in Australia and lives in Berlin, Germany, where he teaches English and German to adults. He holds a DELTA, Bachelor of Music and Master of Teaching and is a qualified high school music teacher. His musical background led him to develop a keen ear for the sound of language and strong interests in the areas pronunciation and listening skills, and to begin asking himself the question "How can we move students away from text and get them to open their ears?"
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