My method of teaching ESL focuses on pronunciation from the first class. I have observed that when a student feels comfortable pronouncing English, then she or he is able to advance with confidence. Also, if a student cannot pronounce words with relative ease, that student cannot understand spoken English very well either.
   And my method is step-by-step as in building a house. Each lesson leads to or reinforces the next.Pronunciation is the foundation.     
    For example, Beginning students:
                            First Lesson
1. The alphabet
2. Demonstration of the pronunciation of g, j, and v using a lot of humor.
  3. Repetition of the alphabet out loud by the class.
4. Spelling out loud. Each student must spell her or his name out loud in English, and, depending, the names of family members.
                            Second Lesson
1. The numbers up to one million.
2. Pronunciation of short u ("numbers"), th (three, thirteen), short i (six), silent e at end of word (five, nine), etc.
3.  Simple practice. How much is ...1 and 1, 2 and 1, telling time, etc.
4. All students take turns reading a dialogue out loud.
                            Other Lessons
Greetings 
Pronunciation of h (Hello), use of "you" etc.
Note: I use “reminders” constantly in my classes, especially with g, j, short I, and th. 
Class participation reading dialogues out loud.
    
       I have also designed a series of exercises to help students learn the differentiation between short i and ee, j and y, th and t, and v and b. These exercises are done in a contest format.
    Within a month, most of my students get a good grasp of pronunciation and a working vocabulary.
    All of my students receive a textbook I  have written plus an audio cd that accompanies the text. Usually I work in a computer lab setting so that half the class can use PUMAROSA.
       Below is a lesson I use to teach the pronunciation of the past tense which is contained in my grammar workbook.
                      LA PRONUNCIACION DEL PASADO 
El tiempo pasado de los verbos tienen la terminaciòn de “D” o “ED”, y hay tres pronunciaciones. 
1. Con el sonido de “T” A los verbos que terminan en su forma bàsica con las letras “k,” “p,” “ss,” “..ace,” “sh” y “ff” (y las palabras que tienen el sonido de “ff,” como “laugh” - reirse, y “cough” - toser), - la pronunciaciòn de la “-ed” en su forma pasado es “T.” 
Ejemplos: 
“helped” se pronuncia “helpt” 
“talked” se pronuncia “takt” 
Las más comunes: 
ached = aekt 
asked = aeskt 
cooked = kukt 
jumped = jampt 
looked = lukt 
stopped = stapt 
walked = iualkt 
washed = iuasht 
watched. = iatcht 
worked = iuirkt 
2. “ED” 
A los verbos que terminan con los sonidos “d” o “t” en su forma bàsica, su forma pasada se pronuncia “ED.” 
Ejemplos: 
“sounded” se pronuncia “saund-ed” 
"constructed" se pronuncia "construct - ed" 
otros: acted demanded demonstrated divided exploded voted NOTA: Este grupo de palabras tambien contiene muchos cognados, o palabras que estàn parecidas o iguales en inglès y español. 
3. “D” 
Con los demas verbos, su terminaciòn en el pasado se pronuncia “D,” asi: “lived” se pronuncia “livd” “learned” se pronuncia “lernd” 
Otras: Copied Defined Described Employed Explained Played Remembered 
*Usa el diccionario para traducirlos; solamente quita la “d” o “ed.” 

 
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