This is a teacher's guide written by a teacher, for teachers, coaches, tutors, and advanced students of English pronunciation. Everything is this guide, all the strategies, teaching tips, and practice exercises, come from decades of experience teaching Arabic speaking students of English. They are a result of years of trial and error, collegial conversation and debate, and extensive research.
This guide outlines the interference points between Arabic and English. Some of them are vowel and consonant sounds, and others affect syllable stress, word stress, and intonation. There is a big difference in the function of vowels in English and Arabic, and the role they play in defining words, stress patterns, rhythm and tone. Once you understand how the American English and Arabic sound systems compare, you'll know where the two converge, and diverge. It's the areas of divergence that need attention, and that is what is covered in this guide.
TOPICS include: Comparing Arabic and English vowel and consonant systems, Strategies for teaching, Comparing the structure of Arabic and English words, Soundprints!, How to teach the internal rhythm of English words, Comparing stress and rhythm in Arabic and English, Teaching to the Brain, Teaching to the Body, and Arabic and English Intonation Patterns.
If you’ve been searching but not finding ways to help your Arabic students change their sound in English, then try a new perspective and new strategies. Considering becoming an accent coach? You should definitely read this guide and learn these techniques.
