Pronunciation Journey

This is a fun activity for practicing pronunciation minimal pairs, but it can also be used for any quiz-type activity that has 2 possible answers.  The game is from the book Pronunciation Games by Mark Hancock (Cambridge University Press, 1995).  Game materials and instructions are here.

Make one copy of the "journey map" (page 9 of the document) for each learner, or have the learners work in pairs together.  Here's what the journey map looks like:

For each 'journey' you need 4 pairs of words (or other answers).  Write them on the board as shown in Word List #1 on the left below.  Without showing students, decide which answers will be correct (e.g. which of two minimal pair words you will say) and which destination those answers will lead to (based on turning left or right according to the column that the word is in).  See the Trip #1 list on the right below as an example.

For example, using Word List #1 below:

• When you say men, the students will start at the circled 1 on the map and move to the left to get to the circled 2 on the left (between and below New York and Mexico City).  

• When you then say choose, they will start from the circled 2 and move to the right to get to the circled 3 that's second from the left (between and below Caracas and Buenos Aires).

• When you then say fifty, they will start at the circled 3 and move to the right to get to the circled 4 that's between Buenos Aires and Bogotá.  

• When you then say ship, they will start from the circled 4 and move to the left to get to Buenos Aires.

The game document has word lists for 15 different journeys, but there are unlimited possibilities of answer choices.  The teacher (or a learner who is taking a turn as the reader) has a trip card, but doesn't show it to the players.   

After the teacher has led one or two journeys, ask the learners for volunteers to be the reader.  This game provides listening practice for the players, and pronunciation practice for the readers.