Improving Oral Intelligibility with the Stress Stretch

© Marsha Chan

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Level: Any level

Purposes:
To gain awareness of stressed syllables
To associate stress with vowel length, clarity and pitch; to internalize the same into body memory
To activate and link kinesthetic, tactile, visual and auditory learning modalities
To pronounce polysyllabic words with proper stress and intonation

Introduction:
Some learners have difficulty perceiving the difference between stressed and unstressed syllables in English. If their perception is weak, they also have difficulty producing the rhythm of words and phrases with correct stress and intonation . The stress stretch integrates kinesthetic, tactile, visual and auditory perception to aid in the production of proper stress.

Classtime Required:
This teaching technique can be integrated into any lesson. An introductory lesson may require 15 minutes.

Preparation Time:
None when integrated into a lesson. Planning an introductory lesson may require 15 minutes.

Resources Needed:
None when integrated into a lesson. Chairs or benches are useful but not required. For an introductory lesson, a chalkboard or other writing surface is helpful but not essential.

Procedure:
Introductory lesson:

During subsequent lessons, when students encounter difficulty pronouncing polysyllabic words with proper stress, have them do a stress stretch as they pronounce the target words.

Caveats and Options:
As students do the stress stretch, have them observe each other. Remind them to synchronize their upward and downward motions with their vocalized stress pattern of each word. For example, they should avoid stretching their bodies but not their vowels in stressed syllables.

Have more advanced speakers perform the stress stretch with phrases and sentences in paragraphs.

As an option, have students open their eyes wide on each stressed syllable.

If students don't have chairs, have them rise from a crouching position.

I developed the stress stretch to complement and amplify other techniques for indicating stressed syllables to learners of English. While used with learners of all language proficiencies, I have found it particularly beneficial for the fluent speaker whose stress and rhythm patterns are ingrown and in need of a dramatic force for change.
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Publications and Videotapes on pronunciation by Marsha Chan:
1. Phrase by Phrase: Pronunciation in American English, 1987, Marsha Chan. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents, Inc. Textbook and set of four 90-minute audiotapes.
2. Phrase by Phrase Pronunciation Videotapes, 1996, Marsha Chan. Sunnyvale, CA: Sunburst Media. To accompany the aforementioned textbook.
3. Stress Stretch, in New Ways in Teaching Speaking, 1994, Kathleen Bailey, Editor. Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL)
4. Using Your Hands to Teach Pronunciation , 1987, a videotape production for teacher training which has been demonstrated to teachers at several TESOL conventions, at state conferences, and at teacher training workshops, demonstrates other pronunciation teaching techniques and is available from the author.



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This paper was first written in 1993. The webpage was most recently updated on December 3, 1997.
Send questions and comments about this site to: marsha_chan@wvmccd.cc.ca.us