In the same way that American southerners speak with a drawl and Bostonians drop their “r” sounds, Asians’ ability to pronounce a certain sound is partially dependent on where they grew up. Some non-Chinese sounds are easier for Asians to make than others.
Teaching the L-Sound to ESL Students in China
There are many sounds in English that Chinese people have trouble making. First is the “L” sound. Many Chinese hear and express it as a combination between eh and oh, using the lips to form the sound. This is incorrect. The L-sound should be pronounced by raising the tip of the tongue from the bottom of the mouth to the roof. The following exercises – from easy to more difficult – help an ESL student learn to make the L-sound properly and improve pronunciation in general:
A good beginning exercise to improve spoken English is to say, “La La La La La” without moving the mouth. The only movement should be made by the tongue going up and down. Look in a mirror to be certain that nothing is moving except the tongue.
A second exercise is to say, “Hello” several times. Then drop the initial H-sound and practice saying the word a few times. Next, omit the ending O, saying just, “ell”. Again, check in the mirror to see that the lips are not moving.
Saying the word “canal” requires lip movement prior to the L-sound. Be sure that the tip of the tongue closes the word by moving up to the roof of the mouth. Be careful not to put an “A” on the end of the word, especially when there is a word following canal.
ESL Activities Like Tongue Twisters Help ESL Students Pronounce the L-sound
The use of tongue twisters provides a more natural mix of sounds like in a real sentence. It need not be said quickly but it is a good idea to check a mirror to verify that the L-sound is being done correctly. Working with a partner who is listening carefully for any enunciation errors is also helpful. The following sentence provides good L-sound practice:
"Lucky Lucy licked her licorice flavored lollipop."
One of the common errors made in saying this simple tongue twister is adding the A-sound after licked and/or flavored. For speakers who cannot stop doing this, have him or her speak very slowly, stopping all sounds at the end of each word. In addition, after saying problem words, the student should shut his or her mouth for a second before going on to the next word.
The key to speaking English properly is getting the students to hear themselves saying additional syllables at the end of words. Sometimes it helps to have them pull the ear slightly forward with a cupped hand, keeping the elbow near the mouth. This acts like a microphone and the sound travels up the arm to the ear more quickly, helping the speaker hear better. Once a student hears what he or she is doing wrong, it is more easily fixed. Unfortunately many bad habits are difficult to correct because they are repeated without thinking.
Learn the Difficult Letter Combination R-L-S and Improve Pronunciation
Most students will need to hear this tongue twister because there are several unusual words:
"Please repair the clasp on pretty Polly’s priceless pearls."
This seems like a straightforward mix of the letters P and L. However, the RLS combination in the word pearls is incredibly difficult for most Chinese. There are several ways to approach it. Perhaps the easiest way is to start with the word early which is much less troublesome. Practice saying it until it becomes easy and then drop the last syllable. Then add a P to the front and practice saying it. Finally add the terminal S and practice. Be sure the students use mirrors to check that their tongues and not their lips are making the L-sound.
ESL students struggle with some non-Chinese sounds. The L-sound is particularly difficult for many. Concentrated effort with exercises, repetition, tongue twisters and watching how the mouth should move are all helpful.
For more information about teaching English abroad, see What Does it Take to Teach in China? and What Else Does it Take to Teach in China?
Mistie Shaw - Writing for nearly half a century, Shaw's interests and education meander from music to the military, and from faith to fun.
Join the Conversation