Pronunciation and AI: Will the AI revolution remove the need for pronunciation teachers?

Pronunciation and AI: Will the AI revolution remove the need for pronunciation teachers?

At the PRONSIG conference, I had the chance to explore what the AI revolution could mean for pronunciation instruction. From automated feedback to speech recognition, we discussed how AI is reshaping learning environments. While AI tools offer exciting potential, they are far from replacing the sound pedogical approach of an expert English pronunciation and communication coach. The talks were all cutting-edge and research led. An eye-opener for me!

Read More

How to Pronounce Reliable and Reliability

How to Pronounce Reliable and Reliability

In this episode of Word of the Week, I will show you how to pronounce reliable and its noun form, reliability. If something is reliable, then it is describing a subject as trustworthy, consistently good and of high quality. Reliability is the quality of being trustworthy, consistently good and of high quality.

Read More

Pronunciation Teaching for teachers in Gaza

Pronunciation Teaching for teachers in Gaza

From October 4th - 13th, 2020, a group of volunteer teachers came together to provide support on Zoom to upskill 40+ teachers so their children's education could continue from their homes. The training covered how to use Zoom, as well as English speaking, writing, storytelling, reading, vocabulary, and so on.

I was delighted to run a session on Pronunciation, a new but key competency for many. In my training session, I covered the importance of intelligibility (being understood) in our global world.

Read More

Are you intelligible? Did you mean ‘cheap’ or ‘sheep’, ‘live’ or ‘leave’, ‘draft’ or ‘drought,’ ‘heart’ or ‘art’?

Are you intelligible? Did you mean ‘cheap’ or ‘sheep’, ‘live’ or ‘leave’, ‘draft’ or ‘drought,’ ‘heart’ or ‘art’?

How often have you listened to non-native speakers of your own language and wondered what they said, not because they used the wrong words but because the way they spoke was unintelligible? Now picture today’s business world, full of non-native speakers of English all trying to understand each other.

Read More