https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2025-2026/L_ETBAALG002Knowledge: You will be able to describe the most common difficulties in English pronunciation. You will also be able to describe four major aspects of speech fluency in English and how they can be practised or improved.Skills: You will be able to analyse different English pronunciations with respect to challenging English pronunciation features, including your own. You will also be able to analyse aspects of speech fluency in English and carry out exercises to improve your fluency.Attitude: You are able to present a well-informed view of the nature of different English pronunciations and you appreciate diversity in English.Communication: You are able to explain the potential impact of particular pronunciation features on the intelligibility and credibility of spoken English.Learning: You are able to adapt features in your own English pronunciation according to the English pronunciation that you wish to develop. You are also able to help and support others regarding their English pronunciation.We will set goals for the English pronunciation that you wish to develop both at a professional and at a personal level. We will analyse the most common difficulties in English pronunciation and the effects that these difficulties may (inadvertently) have on the intelligibility and credibility of spoken English. We will also take account of the role of pronunciation features in identity construction. You will conduct exercises, practise ear-training and be given tools that help you analyse English pronunciation features, as well as speech fluency. You will work with features in your own English pronunciation accordingly.Interactive lectures (1,5 hours per week) and seminars (1,5 hours per week).Course work (in/complete) and Ttwo recordings of your own pronunciation. The second recording will be graded (100%) according to the progress that you have made in relation to your first recording. To successfully complete the course, students should score a grade of ≥5,5. Course attendance and submission of all of the course work by the set deadlines is conditional for being awarded a grade for the second recording. For the seminars, 1 absence is allowed. Course objectives 1-4 will be attained through working with the course work. These objectives will lead to course objective 5 that is assessed in the second recording.Please note that the course does not use a text book; rather, the theoretical concepts will be explained in the lectures and be made available on PP-slides. It is assumed that you are familiar with these concepts before the seminars; they will not be repeated in the seminar. If absence of lectures leads to unfamiliarity with theoretical concepts, this may affect your grade. The Pronunciation seminars are supported by online audio and video materials (https://english-pronunciation.weebly.com).2nd year students English Literature & Society and exchange students (non-native speakers of English). If native speakers wish to develop and/or become familiar with an English pronunciation other than their own, they are very welcome.Literature & Society students who are native speakers of English AND/OR have completed their secondary education in an English-speaking country, OR have applied and been granted an exemption for the Pronunciation module may take the Presentation (L_ETBAALG009) module instead of Pronunciation. See also Additional information target audience.