Embedded Files
Introduction
Introduction
"Everything to do with becoming more like the Savior is difficult... It takes effort, a lot of hard work, a lot of study, and there’s never an end. That’s good! That’s good, because we’re always progressing." — Russell M. Nelson
For this module, you will dedicate a specific amount of time each day to both listening and practicing English Communication on your own. The content sections below provide listening and practice ideas for you to use.
Listening (Input)
Listening (Input)
Listening is the first step to speaking well and being understood by native English-speakers. Exposure to natural speech helps you recognize sounds, stress, and intonation patterns, making it easier to reproduce them accurately. Without significant input, it is difficult to hear and correct mistakes in your own pronunciation. Before you speak English clearly and naturally, you need to know what correct pronunciation sounds like. You can't say it correctly if you've never heard it correctly. That is why listening is the first and most essential step in mastering pronunciation!
Here are 5 listening activities that you can do daily to train your ears to English pronunciation:
1. Transcript Listening
Listen to a podcast, audiobook, or video with a transcript (the text of the content).
First, listen without reading, then follow along with the text.
Why? Helps recognize pronunciation, reductions, and linking.
2. Minimal Pairs Training
Listen to similar-sounding words (ship/sheep, bit/beat).
Identify the word before checking the answer.
Why? Sharpens your ability to hear tricky sounds.
3. Slow to Fast Listening
Listen to the same clip at slow, normal, and fast speeds.
Notice how words blend at full speed.
Why? Trains your ear for natural speech.
4. Intonation & Stress Focus
Listen to short clips, paying attention to pitch and stress.
Mimic intonation using humming or nonsense syllables.
Why? Internalizes English rhythm and melody.
5. Passive Listening (Immersion)
Play English audio in the background while doing other tasks.
Absorb pronunciation patterns effortlessly.
Why? Builds familiarity with natural speech.
Resources for Listening (Input) Activities
Resources for Listening (Input) Activities
English Podcasts
Use the General Conference Library to listen to your favorite talks and follow along with the transcript (text).
Watch YouTube videos with the transcript (text) by clicking the CC button at the bottom of a video.
Check out Adams English Lessons channel on YouTube. Watch the videos and practice along with Adam.
Speaking Practice
Speaking Practice
While listening helps you recognize correct pronunciation, speaking is the key to producing it accurately. Here’s why practicing speaking is so important:
Builds Muscle Memory: Repeated speaking helps your mouth and vocal cords move correctly for accurate pronunciation.
Corrects Mistakes: Speaking allows you to immediately identify and correct pronunciation errors.
Refines Sound Production: Actively speaking helps you master the articulation of sounds, stress, and intonation.
Boosts Confidence: The more you speak, the more comfortable and confident you become in pronouncing words.
Engages Active Learning: Speaking involves listening, thinking, and producing, which reinforces pronunciation skills.
Here are 5 Speaking Practice Activities that you can do on your own or with a partner:
1. Shadowing
1. Shadowing
Choose a short video or podcast.
Repeat what the speaker says, trying to match their tone, pace, and pronunciation exactly.
Why? Helps with fluency, rhythm, and pronunciation.
2. Self-Recording & Playback
2. Self-Recording & Playback
Record yourself speaking about a topic for 1-2 minutes.
Listen to the recording and compare it to native speakers to spot areas for improvement.
Why? Builds awareness of pronunciation and speaking habits.
3. Picture Description
3. Picture Description
Look at a random picture or scene and describe it out loud.
Focus on using varied vocabulary and full sentences.
Why? Encourages spontaneous speaking and use of descriptive language.
4. Monologue Practice
4. Monologue Practice
Choose a short TED Talk or news clip.
After listening, summarize the content in your own words, speaking for 1-2 minutes.
Why? Improves speaking fluency and helps practice summarization.
5. Storytelling from Prompts
5. Storytelling from Prompts
Use a random story prompt (e.g., "Describe your dream vacation" or "Talk about a memorable childhood experience").
Speak for 2-3 minutes without pausing, trying to develop a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Why? Builds fluency and helps organize thoughts in real-time.
Resources for Speaking Activities
Resources for Speaking Activities
Week 1
Week 1
Word Stress and Syllables
Understanding word stress and syllables is essential for ESL learners, especially in American English, because it directly affects clarity and naturalness in speech.
Improves Pronunciation and Fluency: Correct stress patterns help make your speech smoother and more understandable. Misplacing stress can lead to confusion or miscommunication.
Enhances Listening and Comprehension: Recognizing which syllables are typically stressed makes it easier to follow fast or connected speech.
Supports Vocabulary and Spelling: Understanding syllables and stress aids in learning, remembering, and accurately pronouncing new words.
Essential for Speaking Exams and Public Speaking: Clear and accurate stress patterns are crucial for performing well in language assessments and being easily understood in formal situations.
The following video tutorials will help guide your practice this week:
Polite Greetings and Small talk
In American English, polite greetings and small talk play a key role in everyday communication. They help you create a positive first impression, build rapport, and start conversations naturally. Here’s why they’re important:
They show friendliness and respect
Saying things like “Hi, how are you?” or “Nice to meet you” is a way to be polite and approachable. Americans often value casual friendliness, even in brief interactions.They help start and maintain conversations
Small talk is a social tool. It helps fill silence, build trust, and lead to deeper topics. Talking about the weather, hobbies, or weekend plans is common and expected.They are part of cultural norms
In the U.S., conversations usually begin with light, polite topics. Jumping straight into serious or personal matters can seem rude or too direct.They improve your confidence and fluency
Practicing greetings and small talk regularly builds your comfort in social settings, both formal and informal.
Read the following article and watch the suggested video tutorial to learn more about the art of Small Talk:
Turn Taking in a Conversation: Interrupting vs Waiting
The following video tutorial shows this key conversational skill of knowing when and how to interact during a conversation to keep it going. After watching the video have a look at the useful phrases below. Make Sure you use them in your English Chat sessions this week.
Useful Phrases:
Expressions & Phrases to Manage Turns
Interrupting politely
Interrupting politely
“Could I just say something here?”
“Sorry to interrupt, but…”
“If I may interrupt for a moment…”
Keeping the focus / reclaiming the floor
Keeping the focus / reclaiming the floor
“Just let me finish this point.”
“If I can just finish… before you move on.”
“As I was saying…”
Inviting response / passing the turn
Inviting response / passing the turn
“What are your thoughts?”
“Shall we continue?”
“May I continue?”
Showing listening while someone else speaks
Showing listening while someone else speaks
“Uh‑huh,” “Mm‑hm,” “Right,” “I see,” accompanied by nodding
"Really?!", "Wow...I see", "That's interesting"
"I get it", "That makes sense", "sounds great/bad/difficult/cool"
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse