Re: Chinese learning English

--- In TEFLChina-hHKSG33TihhbjbujkaE4pw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Ria Smit" 
<tryria@...> wrote:
>
> Dick Tibbetts wrote:
> This could open a can of worms. I say /bizness/. I'm British but I
> think some Americans are like me too.
> ------------
> 
> 
> OK Dick, you say that, you teach that.
> 
> We can only teach what we say.  If they learn it well then they will
> easily understand minor variations in pronunciation.
> 
> Ria.

I don't just teach what I say. I tailor my teaching to what large
groups of people say. I teach UK English but I explain when US English
is different enough to warrant it, eg. the Can/Can't distinction,
which in southern UK English depends on the contrast between the schwa
in can and the long a (as in father). In US Englis it's rather different.

I'm fortunate in that my accent is near to that seen as typical UK but
many UK teachers have regional accents and thus speak in one accent
but teach towards another. I think it may be unwise to teach your own
dialect or ideodialect.

Dick Tibbetts









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