English Teaching Network - Language matters - How to sound like a native speaker (if you really want to!)

Our English Teaching Network courses are for English teachers whose first language is not English based anywhere in the world!  We cover a range of topics that will help you enrich your vocabulary in English, improve your pronunciation/intonation, learn about different aspects of UK culture – and you’ll make new friends in your profession!

“How to sound like a native speaker!”.  If you want to speak like a native speaker (and we are not saying that you necessarily do!) we can’t pretend it’ll be easy and quick, but we can give you some useful pointers.  We’ll cover things such as the model you wish to emulate (“BBC English/the Queen’s English no longer really exist, so we can forget them!).  Common Standard English is what is widely spoken in the South of England, and this is a model many teachers prefer, but there is nothing wrong with Scottish English or you may want to sound American.  We’ll talk about how correct use of the reduced phonemes “schwa”  and /i/ can make your English sound more natural and we’ll look at chunks of connected speech.  We’ll listen to some famous native speakers and make observations on their particular sound and use of words.  We’ll hear what you have to say about “sounding English” and the difficulties that people trying to learn your L1 may encounter.  It’s going to be interesting and fun!