Task 4 Diana Gutierrez Luque

Universidad de Guadalajara
Description of Contemporary English

Diana Gutirrez Luque
2014
Task 4: Analysis of Textbooks

English learners usually have problems when they listen to native speakers.
One of the reasons for this to happen is the absence of enough exposure to
different accents and pronunciation. At the end, misunderstanding and lack of
communication is derived from these difficulties. Suprasegmental features are a
natural characteristic of all languages in the world. (Sawaengmongkon, p3) and
understanding them will help learners in their language learning process. But all
those features must be integrated a textbook in order to be holistic. In this short
essay, three text books are analyzed in order to know how much importance it
is given to this topic.
In general, [] when [learners] listen to a single English word, they do not have
problems to identify each segment in that word. (Sawaengmongkon, p2) but
when they have to deal with sentences, long phrases or speeches, there comes
a big challenge for them. This problem would be solved if they were taught
Suprasegmental features and how to deal with them.
They are features of spoken language such as pitch, rhythm, and tempo which
are not easily identified, but can make a real difference between words or
change meaning in sentences. However, they cannot occur by themselves.
These units are divided into the following:
-
Stress, which works from individual vowels and consonants to whole

syllables and words. When they are pronounced stronger or slightly
higher than the rest. In general, at least one syllable is stressed in a
word. (Sawaengmongkon, p5)
Rhythm stresses syllables at relatively regular intervals (Roach, p 120);

that is the time from each stressed syllable to the next tends to be equal.
(Sawaengmongkon, p4)
2014
Assimilation comes in sequences. This means one segment becomes

more like another. The sound is assimilated because it is influenced by
the place of the sound neighboring. (Sawaengmongkon, p4)
Elision. Roach indicates that a number of phonemes or segments are not

pronounced when native speakers of English use the language and that
it occurs in less formal speech. (Roach, p121). Both consonant and
vowel elision are common in spoken language.
Linking happens when the last sound of a word can be easily

pronounced in relation to the beginning of the next word, and it is more
common than it is thought.
Intonation changing tune affects the range of meaning, intention or

feeling through intonation patterns.
Pitch depends on the vibration of the vocal cords. The faster they vibrate,
the higher the pitch. The pitch is altered appropriately from the lowest
note to the highest not depending on each kind of situation
(Sawaengmongkon, p 5)
The concept of suprasegmentals can help foreign learners of English to listen

and understand English in an effective way, but designing lessons to teach
them is challenging because they have to deal with real language. Therefore,
textbooks have to be composed of exercises which provide practice on this. The
following three elementary textbooks are analyzed to see how much they deal
with suprasegmental features and their role at the receptive and productive
level. The three books are for elementary level and the grammar point taken
into account for this analysis is can / cant.
In Company Elementary is a practical course specialized in how to do business
in English [ ], each units provides a substantial amount of guided skills work
to give students the challenge to assimilate the target language and make it
their own (p V)
2014
Although in this textbook the suprasegmental features are not displayed,

learners get them through a different variety of listening activities full of diverse
accents. It is up to the teacher to make them imitate these accents in order to
produce these features. What is given in this textbook that is not clear in the
others are the distinctive functions of the grammar point can / cant: permission,
possibility and ability.
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2014
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Real Time provides activities to suit a variety of classroom situations and

learning styles encouraging learner independence. Unit five is the one
containing this grammar point. Each unit is divided into four lessons, however
only Lesson A deals with can /cant. Inside this there are also five parts. The
beginning of the lesson is an introduction to vocabulary and grammar, in which
suprasegmental features are not practiced; only the structure in positive and
negative is given.
Though the second part of the lesson, listening skill is used; but only as a tool to
obtain information. It is only until the third part where pronunciation is dealt with.
Learners listen and notice the three different pronunciations found in can/ cant.
Intonation through imitation is also practice in this part of the lesson.
Speaking part works at this moment because they are supposed to practice
both grammar and pronunciation previously learnt. However, as questions
where highlighted, learners tend to pay more attention to intonation and
pronunciation when asking questions than when answering them.
At the end, students stop thinking about suprasegmental features in order
obtain information from their partners and produce writing.
Even though this unit gives little practice to this grammar point, some good
points on it are that they teach learners differences in pronunciation of native
speakers; as well as changes of intonation when there is a positive, negative
sentences or a question.
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2014
New Headway is an authoritative integrated syllabus, motivating topics with a

real understanding of what works in the classroom. It all makes for effective
teaching and effective learning.
Suprasegmental features are given great importance form the very beginning of
the lesson, through listening and pronunciation charts. The former works as a
tool to imitate native pronunciation of different accents. The latter emphasize
pronunciation, intonation and stress words in sentences. They show this in an
easy and dynamic way for students through the whole lesson by using circles
and highlighting words.
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2014
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A great number of studies have shown the importance of learning

suprasegmental level of language in an effective communicative process. As a
conclusion, it can be said that suprasegmental features are learnt through the
contact with real language; but textbooks must give much more importance to
these features as they are essential in a language.
Bibliography
ROACH, Peter (1991) English Phonetics and Phonology: A Practical Course.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
SAWAENGMONGKON , Chapanit (2013) Teaching Suprasegmental Features
of Spoken English through Films to Develop Listening Achievement of
Learners. Thailand: Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep.
http://litu.tu.ac.th/FLLT2013/www.fllt2013.org/private_folder/Proceeding/570.pdf
Textbook
AXBEY, Susan (1996) Real Time Elementary. Spain: Richmond Publishing.

GOOM, Helena (2008) In Company Elementary. USA: Macmillan Publishers
SOARS, John and Liz (2006) New Headway. Third Edition. UK: Oxford
University Press.
2014
Anexo
Analysis of each textbooks content.
Students
Book
Previous
knowledge
New Headway
Real Time
In Company
Verb to be
Verb to be
Verb to be
Possessive adjectives
Subject pronouns
and possessive
adjectives
Subject and
possessive
pronouns
Prepositions of
place
Present simple
Negatives and short

answers
Present Simple
Questions and
negatives
There is / are
Many / some / any
There is / are
Present simple
questions
Countable nouns,
some any
Adverbs of
frequency
Demonstrative
pronouns
How often?
There is / are
Prepositions of place
Has / have got
Demonstrative
pronouns
Have got
Present simple
Object pronouns
Enough
Unit
Grammar
Points
Can / cant
Can / cant
Was / were
Present simple
Could
Like noun /
gerund
Was born
Adverbs of
frequency
Do/ would you
Can / cant
2014
Topics
Unit
Talented teenagers
like ?
Music
At the airport
Applying for a job
Sport
Job interview
Holidays
Word
partnerships
7 Sell yourself
6 Can you speak

English?
5 SunFest

Task 4 Diana Gutierrez Luque

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Universidad de Guadalajara

Description of Contemporary English

Task 4: Analysis of Textbooks

Stress, which works from individual vowels and consonants to whole

Rhythm stresses syllables at relatively regular intervals (Roach, p 120);

Assimilation comes in sequences. This means one segment becomes

Elision. Roach indicates that a number of phonemes or segments are not

Linking happens when the last sound of a word can be easily

Intonation changing tune affects the range of meaning, intention or

The concept of suprasegmentals can help foreign learners of English to listen

Although in this textbook the suprasegmental features are not displayed,

Real Time provides activities to suit a variety of classroom situations and

New Headway is an authoritative integrated syllabus, motivating topics with a

A great number of studies have shown the importance of learning

AXBEY, Susan (1996) Real Time Elementary. Spain: Richmond Publishing.

Negatives and short

Applying for a job

6 Can you speak

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