Paul -- 2 yrs. ago I taught in a small county-funded program in SC.  All but 2 of the students were Latinas.  We had 2 levels:  Beginners & Intermediates.  We had access to a small computer lab.  Since several of the women had to wait an hour after class for the community bus to take them home, the other teacher & I arranged for them to use the computers.  We encouraged them, esp. the Beginners,  to use the Pumarosa site for practice.  They seemed to enjoy it.

I left that program a year ago; I've no idea what they're doing now.

For the past 16 mos., I've worked w/refugees.  Sometimes I have only 1 student in a class (attendance vs. job is major issue!). Occasionally, if the office computer is available, we work 1:1 w/various websites.  I've used Pumarosa w/an Iranian woman who has very low English skills.  She tries to read/say the words before we click on the pronunciation.  She then giggles at the Spanish, but tries to say a few of those words too.  Remembering/saying the number words has been a huge problem for her; Pumarosa is a pronunciation resource she can use at home -- when her kids let her on the computer!

This is my experience w/your site.  

I do agree w/you about the bilingual dictionaries.  Our agency gives all our clients a bilingual (when available) picture dictionary.  I keep hoping that Oxford will do an English/Somali and a Farsi version.  After 21+  yrs. in this field, I've used every language version that Oxford produces except Navaho.

Hope this answers your questions.

Dottie Shattuck
HIAS-NC
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Paul Rogers 
  To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List 
  Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 11:26 AM
  Subject: [EnglishLanguage 1003] Re: a method of teaching pronunciation


  second time sending this message
  Dottie,
  Although Pumarosa is designed for Spanish speakers, I have used it to teach adults from India who spoke Hindi. They also wanted to learn Spanish. Their problem area was a confusion of W with V, along with TH. Some of them knew a little English and spoke with a British accent! But it was curious to see a German influence.
  If the Spanish intereferes, I can only suggest either making an English Only CD or audio tape, or video tape for those students.
  I also recommend that all students own a bilingual dictionary. 
  Someday I would like to see Pumarosa used as a model to teach students who speak languages other than Spanish.
  If you get a chance, please tell me a little about your program off list.
  I sent a message to you personally, but it may have ended in your SPAM box.
  Paul Rogers

  Dottie <dottie at shattuck.net> wrote:
    Paul -- I've used Pumarosa w/Spanish-speakers.  Have you used it w/other language speakers?  I have no Spanish-speakers.
    One of my Farsi-speakers tried your website, but was rather distracted by the Spanish.

    Dottie Shattuck
    HIAS-NC
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Paul Rogers 
      To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List 
      Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 12:08 PM
      Subject: [EnglishLanguage 964] a method of teaching pronunciation


           My method of teaching ESL focuses on pronunciation from the first class. I have observed that when a student feels comfortable pronouncing English, then she or he is able to advance with confidence. Also, if a student cannot pronounce words with relative ease, that student cannot understand spoken English very well either.
         And my method is step-by-step as in building a house. Each lesson leads to or reinforces the next.Pronunciation is the foundation.     
          For example, Beginning students:
                                  First Lesson
      1. The alphabet
      2. Demonstration of the pronunciation of g, j, and v using a lot of humor.
      3. Repetition of the alphabet out loud by the class.
      4. Spelling out loud. Each student must spell her or his name out loud in English, and, depending, the names of family members.
                                  Second Lesson
      1. The numbers up to one million.
      2. Pronunciation of short u ("numbers"), th (three, thirteen), short i (six), silent e at end of word (five, nine), etc.
      3.  Simple practice. How much is ...1 and 1, 2 and 1, telling time, etc.
      4. All students take turns reading a dialogue out loud.
                                  Other Lessons
      Greetings 
      Pronunciation of h (Hello), use of "you" etc.
      Note: I use "reminders" constantly in my classes, especially with g, j, short I, and th. 
      Class participation reading dialogues out loud.
          
           I have also designed a series of exercises to help students learn the differentiation between short i and ee, j and y, th and t, and v and b. These exercises are done in a contest format.
          Within a month, most of my students get a good grasp of pronunciation and a working vocabulary.
          All of my students receive a textbook I  have written plus an audio cd that accompanies the text. Usually I work in a computer lab setting so that half the class can use PUMAROSA.
           Below is a lesson I use to teach the pronunciation of the past tense which is contained in my grammar workbook.
                          LA PRONUNCIACION DEL PASADO 
      El tiempo pasado de los verbos tienen la terminaciòn de "D" o "ED", y hay tres pronunciaciones. 
      1. Con el sonido de "T" A los verbos que terminan en su forma bàsica con las letras "k," "p," "ss," "..ace," "sh" y "ff" (y las palabras que tienen el sonido de "ff," como "laugh" - reirse, y "cough" - toser), - la pronunciaciòn de la "-ed" en su forma pasado es "T." 
      Ejemplos: 
      "helped" se pronuncia "helpt" 
      "talked" se pronuncia "takt" 
      Las más comunes: 
      ached = aekt 
      asked = aeskt 
      cooked = kukt 
      jumped = jampt 
      looked = lukt 
      stopped = stapt 
      walked = iualkt 
      washed = iuasht 
      watched. = iatcht 
      worked = iuirkt 
      2. "ED" 
      A los verbos que terminan con los sonidos "d" o "t" en su forma bàsica, su forma pasada se pronuncia "ED." 
      Ejemplos: 
      "sounded" se pronuncia "saund-ed" 
      "constructed" se pronuncia "construct - ed" 
      otros: acted demanded demonstrated divided exploded voted NOTA: Este grupo de palabras tambien contiene muchos cognados, o palabras que estàn parecidas o iguales en inglès y español. 
      3. "D" 
      Con los demas verbos, su terminaciòn en el pasado se pronuncia "D," asi: "lived" se pronuncia "livd" "learned" se pronuncia "lernd" 
      Otras: Copied Defined Described Employed Explained Played Remembered 
      *Usa el diccionario para traducirlos; solamente quita la "d" o "ed." 

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