Schwa-tegration: vowel reduction at the heart of pronunciation teaching

Abstract

Insufficient vowel reduction can largely contribute to a lack of prominence contrasts that can make one's communication in English difficult to follow. In our workshop we are going to share a series of research-based activities and practical tips that reveal the secret powers of the reduced vowel schwa, especially when it interacts with other elements of the English sound system.

Keywords

• schwa
• vowel reduction
• prominence contrast
• integration
• pronunciation teaching