English Phonetics & Phonology + 2 Audio CDs (Roach)

English Phonetics & Phonology + 2 Audio CDs (Roach) is a recommended TEFL/TESOL title from the Global English reading list, available to buy on Amazon.

What it is. Peter Roach's course text on English phonetics and phonology, published by Cambridge University Press. Where Gimson is a reference work, this is a taught course with exercises.

How it is built. The chapters run from the production of speech sounds and the idea of the phoneme, through the English vowel and consonant systems, the syllable, strong and weak syllables, word stress, weak forms and the processes of connected speech, to the form and the functions of intonation, closing on varieties of English pronunciation. Chapters end in written and recorded exercises with answers supplied, so you can check whether you actually heard a distinction instead of assuming you did. The audio comes on the accompanying CDs.

Who it suits. The right first phonetics book for a trainee. It assumes no background, it teaches transcription rather than presupposing it, and the recorded practice is what turns transcription from a puzzle into a skill. Work through it in order - unlike a reference book, its chapters depend on each other.

What it does not do. Its model is British English, described in detail, with other varieties treated comparatively at the end; if you need American English described from the inside, you will want a second source. It also stops short of classroom application. Knowing the system is a prerequisite for teaching pronunciation, not the same thing as being able to teach it.

Recommended for these courses:

• Level 5 250 Hour TEFL/TESOL Professional Course
• 30 hour Introduction to Phonetics
• 30 hour Introduction to Linguistics