Graduate Students from Abroad in the ESL
/ ELL Program, University of California at Berkeley Endorsements
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"I think the method with
the key words about pronunciation in English is a wonderful
way to learn a great pronunciation, because we have the rules
in every key word and we can remember it when we have new words."
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Oscar Roberto Alvarez
7/31/97 |
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"Thank you for teaching us
pronunciation. In my point of view, speaking English is the
most difficult study of the four English communication skills
– speaking, listening, reading and writing, but in your
systematical teaching, I am aware that how to use key words
to memory the pronunciation about some letters. Generally, how
to pronounce long sounds or short sounds is a little difficult
for Asian students. All in all, I appreciate you use your leisure
time to teach us how to pronounce correct words."
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Arthur Lim
Uncertain of country of origin
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have you here at Berkeley and to learn something from you. To
let you know that your method for English pronunciation is certainly
very useful for ESL student and us until now I still use it.
As I told you before that this is the first time for me to learn
English pronunciation rules. Although as you said the method
that you have developed is not specifically targeted to be used
for ESL student, but after you briefly show and teach me, I
certainly sure that it can help the ESL student to pronounce
the English words and vocabulary even better. The strong element
in your method, I think, is the picture that you use to help
student to remember what the right pronunciation associate with
a specific word or group of words. I feel it help me a lot to
remember the sound if I have to find the right pronunciation
for some words or vocabulary or if I am not so sure how to pronounce
it right."
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"Phyllis has taught the comprehensive
rules of English pronunciation to two of us, who are both ESL
students at UC Berkeley over this summer, about an hour a day
for four days. She showed us her hand-made charts, which have
the boxes for all the vowels and consonants, and major combinations
of them. Her theory is that each letter and combination of letters
have only one or two patterns of pronunciations. In her charts,
each box has a key word for a particular letter(s) from the
key word. It was really helpful for me to learn all the possible
patterns of pronunciation. I knew how to read the English phonetic
symbols in dictionary, and I knew several rules in pronunciation,
which I can apply to many strange English words. However, I
had not thought that there is such a comprehensive rule of pronunciation,
which covers almost all sounds in English. After having studied
the comprehensive rules, I can now feel confident in my pronouncing
strange words. Furthermore, I can even correct my pronunciation
by myself by using Phyllis's general rules. For instance, from
her lesson, I have studied that "AU" has only one
possible way to pronounce. Yet, since I had studied pronunciation
word by word, I hadhappened to be pronouncing "cAUght"
correctly while pronouncing "AUgust" wrong. As an
international student from Japan, I think these pronunciation
rules, which tell comprehensive connections between spelling
and pronunciation, will work for international students very
well because most of them tend to be good at spelling while
they are bad at pronunciation. I hope more international students
will have an opportunity to study these pronunciation rules.
Finally, I really appreciate her teaching because it was very
beneficial for me. Also, I feel that I am very lucky because
I could study such a beneficial thing from her voluntary lessons
after we bumped into each other at an ESL trip to a theater."
Hajime Ueda
Japan
July 29, 1997
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"I had a great time for a
few weeks. Your pronunciation teaching method with the pictures
and the key words was very impressive for me. Your method is
very easy to learn and very interest. I believe all students
will never forget your pronunciation instruction. You jumped
Pat’s instruction into at the best time. Having been thought
meaning or origin of words or sentences, your short mention
helped our understanding and made our class vividly. I really
appreciate for your teaching. If you come to Korea, don’t
forget me and please call me."
Ock Hyung Lee
Seoul Korea
July 30, 1997
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an extra course and helping me to improve my pronunciation.
In Taiwan, we use quite a different way to learn English. NO
one teaches us these relationships of the words and the sounds
specifically. The correct pronunciation and the understanding
of word structures help me a lot to review my vocabulary as
well as to learn new words. This teaching skill is very helpful
not only for your students but also for our ESL students. I
appreciate your kindness and four-day effort very much."
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