Academic Catalogs

ELL C025N: Pronunciation Skills - Beginning

Course Outline of Record
Item Value
Eff Term Fall 2026
Curriculum Committee Approval Date 04/26/2024
Top Code 493086 - English as a Second Language - Speaking/Listening
Units 0 Total Units (Lecture Units 0)
Hours 36 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 36)
Total Outside of Class Hours 0
Total Student Learning Hours 36
Course Credit Status Noncredit (N)
Material Fee No
Basic Skills Basic Skills (B)
Repeatable Yes; Repeat Limit 99
Open Entry/Open Exit Yes
Grading Policy P/NP/SP Non-Credit (D)

Course Description

This is a pronunciation and communication course for non-native speakers of English at the beginning-level of proficiency. Emphasis is placed on accurate pronunciation of American English and oral/aural communication skills necessary for employment, social, and academic situations. (NOT DEGREE APPLICABLE). ADVISORY: New students are advised to complete the ESL placement process to determine their initial placement. Not Transferable.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

  1. Demonstrate correct pronunciation of targeted English phonemes.
  2. Demonstrate basic proficiency in using correct English language stress, pitch, and intonation patterns.

Course Objectives

  • 1. Pronounce targeted English vowels and consonants correctly in common words.
  • 2. Pronounce final consonants, especially plural -s or -es, third person singular -s or -es, possessives, and tense markers correctly
  • 3. Orally produce sentences and questions with appropriate stress, pitch, and intonation.

Lecture Content

  1. Letters and Sounds
    1. The English Alphabet
    2. Introduction to the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
    3. Vowel and Consonant Sounds
      1. Short Vowels
      2. Long Vowels
      3. Voiced Consonants
      4. Voiceless Consonants
  2. Speech Organs
    1. Names of Speech Organs
    2. Points of Articulation
  3. Basic Syllable
    1. Stress Stressed and Unstressed Syllables
    2. Primary Stress in one, two, and three-syllable words
    3. Primary Stress in Numbers and Compound Nouns
  4. Basic Intonation Patterns
    1. Statements
    2. Questions
      1. Yes/no questions
      2. Wh-information questions
      3. Tag questions
      4. Choice questions with or
  5. Linking
    1. Consonants
    2. Vowels
  6. Grammatical Endings
    1. Present Tense -s and -es
    2. Plurals
    3. Possessives
    4. Past Tense

Method(s) of Instruction

  • Enhanced NC Lect (NC1)
  • Live Online Enhanced NC Lect (NC9)
  • Online Enhanced NC Lect (NC5)

Instructional Techniques

Class sessions may include lectures, discussions, interactive role-playing, and individual, pair, small group, and whole-class listening and speaking exercises.

Reading Assignments

Reading assignments may include reading aloud and recording sounds, words, sentences, and short paragraphs.

Writing Assignments

Writing assignments may include sound discrimination, dictation, and listening comprehension exercises.

Out-of-class Assignments

Out-of-class assignments may include listening, speaking, and other technology-based exercises.

Methods of Student Evaluation

  • Short Quizzes
  • Written Assignments
  • Problem Solving Exercises
  • Oral Presentations
  • Skills Demonstration

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Problem solving, error analysis, contrastive analysis, role-playing, and self-evaluation of productive and receptive skills.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Applied performance (e.g. dictation, recordings, and individual, pair and group collaborations), informal conversations, and quizzes.

Resources Subscreen

  • Textbook: Grant, Linda. Well Said Intro: Pronunciation for Clear Communication, 2nd ed. . Boston, MA: Cengage (2017).

Eligible Discipline(s)

  • English as a Second Language (ESL): Master’s degree in TESL, TESOL, applied linguistics with a TESL emphasis, linguistics with a TESL emphasis, English with a TESL emphasis, or education with a TESL emphasis OR bachelor’s degree in TESL, TESOL, English with a TESL certificate, linguistics with a TESL certificate, applied linguistics with a TESL certificate, or any foreign language with a TESL certificate AND master’s degree in linguistics, applied linguistics, English, composition, bilingual/bicultural studies, reading, speech, or any foreign language OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.