The Course of English for University Students (Step 4)

29Detailed assessment is helpful for improving university students' pronunciation. Here's what can be done: First, have them record themselves reading something. Then, listen to each recording and write down any mispronounced words or problems with their intonation. Next, put all notes together and look for patterns in the mistakes and try to figure out why they're happening. Finally, write out your comments and suggestions.First impression can be wrong. Sometimes, what seems like a * bad recording is only caused by one or two small things, like not pronouncing the ends of words correctly or not stressing the right words. At other times, a good first impression can hide problems.Students who are embarrassed about their speaking skills can * feel better when they realize they only need to fix a few specific habits instead of feeling like they have to fix everything.Students are willing to work hard and practice when they * get specific feedback. Instead of saying things like “Your pronunciation needs work”, give them specific suggestions for how to improve. With the tutor’s help, students can see and hear what they're doing well and what they need to work on.Different from general grading, detailed assessment focuses on specific parts of a student's work. It requires looking at the details and figuring out what's going on. The teacher needs to be able to recognize what students are doing well, as well as find the reasons for any problems.(Adapted from Mu Fengying, Motivating the students by modifying evaluation methods)NOTES ON DESCRIBING A PLACE (A BUILDING)A composition describing a place/building should consist of:a) an introduction giving brief information about the name and location of the place/ building and stating the reason for choosing to write about it (e.g. What it is famous for, what makes It so special, etc.)b) a main body givin...