Word Stess

[DMatch]

I am a graduate student currently tutoring a Russian learner of English who raises pitch too much on the stressed syllable of a word. Sometimes stress is also placed on the wrong syllable. This gives her speech a lilting singsong quality.



Any suggestions for activities that will help correct her intonation?

Thank you

[Syl]

This probably happens because she is using her mother tongue intonation.

One of the activities I use is to say sentences, moving my hand according to the intonation, up and down, and having the pupil repeat the sentence after me; I do it many times until the result is acceptable. Only then I proceed to the next sentence.

For example, the beginning of a sentence:

"I was wondering..." - I start saying it with my hand in front of my stomach, raising it at the syllable "won" and lowering it at "dering". (I hope you understand what I mean )

Syl