Day 3: Developing pronunciation, cultural nuance and creative expression

The third day of the course delved deeper into the complexities of pronunciation and how sound patterns can affect both intelligibility and confidence in communication. We started with a highly engaging phonetics workshop, where we analyzed key features of Irish English, such as rhythm, intonation and the musicality of the accent. 

Using fun and practical tools like tongue twisters, sound maps and peer feedback, we worked on the articulation of difficult consonant clusters and vowel sounds. The trainer encouraged us to become aware of our own pronunciation habits and offered clear strategies to improve them in a supportive, nonjudgmental environment.

One of the highlights of the day was a creative speaking activity inspired by Irish literature and storytelling. Working in pairs, we had to reconstruct parts of a famous Irish tale and present it with expressive intonation, gesture and rhythm. This task allowed us to blend language learning with creativity, and it brought lots of laughter and enthusiasm into the classroom. 

In the second part of the day, we discussed the importance of cultural nuance in communication — how meaning often depends on tone, body language, shared references or even humor. Through authentic video clips, newspaper excerpts and advertisements, we explored how Irish identity is reflected in media and public life. We also learned about common cultural references, holidays, symbols and social etiquette in Ireland, which helped us better understand the subtleties of local communication.

To close the day, we reflected individually in our learning journals and then gathered in small groups to complete a “Culture & Language Grid”, linking language items learned so far with elements of Irish culture. This helped consolidate knowledge and gave us ideas on how to adapt similar activities for our students.