4 ways to improve your students' intelligibility

A woman and a man talking together

Intelligibility is the art of being understood by others. Many students think they need to speak a language flawlessly and with a native-like accent to make themselves clear, but this is not quite true.

While there is a correlation between proficiency and intelligibility, even students of lower general proficiency are capable of expressing what they mean, in a way that the listener understands, if they are using good intelligibility practices.

Being understandable in a second language is often extremely important in work environments, especially as the world becomes more connected and job markets more competitive.

Intelligibility is a vital aspect of communication but it is not exactly a skill in itself. Instead, it is a combination of fluency, pronunciation, and managing your speed of speech. To reflect how important this is for language learners when studying, traveling or at work, we use an Intelligibility Index as part of our Versant English Test scoring.

This index is based on factors affecting how understandable speech is to fluent English speakers. These include things like speed, clarity, pronunciation and fluency. Ranging from 1 (low) to 5 (high), the Intelligibility Index shows how intelligible someone’s speech in English is likely to be in a real-world situation.

Let’s go into some activities and exercises you can try in class to help your students improve their intelligibility with their English and speaking skills.

Ways to improve your students' Intelligability
Play
Privacy and cookies

By watching, you agree app can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

How can we help our students improve their intelligibility?

There are a number of factors that influence a student’s spoken English. Here are some ways to start building it into your classes.

1. Record their speech

Making a recording can be a good way of getting a clear picture of someone’s current manner of speaking and understanding in what ways their clarity might be improved. You can do this using a smartphone or laptop computer in class or outside of it.

There are plenty of ways to encourage students to speak. Have them answer an open question; for example, ask them to talk for a minute about a topic they are passionate about or tell each other what they did at the weekend.

Listen to the recordings and help them analyze their speech. Identify parts with low levels of intelligibility. This may be related to their pronunciation, how fast they speak, the amount of hesitation, repetition, etc.

You could even take this further by asking another fluent English speaker to listen to the recording and give honest feedback about which parts they found difficult to understand.

Afterward, it’s important to explain why it was difficult to understand and what can be done to improve their intelligibility. The activity below may help.

2. Listening and shadowing

Listening is a vital part of intelligibility. After all, students have to be able to hear a word before they can say it. Listening also takes focus away from how words are written on the page.

This is key because speakers fluent in English tend to blend words together, so pronouncing each word perfectly in isolation is not a good goal. This kind of practice reinforces poor English pronunciation.

That’s where shadowing comes in.

Shadowing is a useful listen-and-repeat activity that students can use for speaking practice almost anywhere.

  • First, select some audio for your students. It should be under five minutes in length and only be based on the speech of a single proficient English speaker. For more advanced students,is a great starting point, have the student choose a topic they find interesting and are already familiar with.
  • Have students listen to the audio once quickly just to get used to how the speaker sounds. They should pay attention to the speaker’s rhythm, accent, and speaking pace. Students should be able to understand most of what is being said.

Shadowing involves trying to say the same words as the speaker at about the same time (or as fast as possible), for about 30 seconds at a time. Students can pause, try again, and even record and listen back to their own versions. Just like when you sing the words of a song you already know well, you are trying to match the speaker’s pronunciation and pace as best you can.

This will help your students focus on how fluent English speakers modulate speed, use intonation, and blend words together. By repeating what they hear, students can improve their intonation, connected speech and overall fluency.

3. Target the problem sound

This simple but fun activity will help your students focus on their individual problem sounds. It will also get them to listen to each other carefully.

Throughout the lesson, as you listen to your students speak, identify a number of words that reflect the pronunciation challenges your students face. Write the words on the board and group the words by phoneme, for example:

/i:/ Heat, Sheep
/ɪ/ Hit, Trip

Above, we can see an issue with the /i:/ and /ɪ/ sounds (the long and short “i”). Once you have enough words to work on, write a list of numbers on the board. Explain that each number has a corresponding word.

1 – Hit 4 – Hat 7 – Head

2 – Heat 5 – Heart 8 – Hood

3 – Hot 6 – Hurt 9 – Hid

As you can see in the above example, the words only differ by one phoneme (heat/hit, hot/hat, heart/hurt, etc.). This will make the exercise more challenging and useful for the students.

Next, identify the vowel sound in each word and write their phonemic symbols on the board.

Drill the sounds and the words until you are confident your students can repeat them successfully. There are a number of phonemic charts online, that can help you identify the phonemes and model the sounds for your students.

Then test the class by calling out a number and having them shout out the corresponding word. Then call out a word and get them to tell you the number. Deal with any problems that arise.

Put students into pairs. Have them read out their phone number only using the words in the list (note they can use a real number or invent one).

Their partner should listen and write down the number which corresponds with each word they hear. They should then swap roles and do the same again.

Finally, get students to check and see whether the number their partner wrote down is correct. Monitor and go back and drill any of the sounds with which students had the most problems.

4. Transcribe and drill new vocabulary

While problems with individual sounds may occasionally impede understanding, we should also focus on other aspects of pronunciation such as word stress, sentence stress and intonation.

Keep a note of any new vocabulary that comes up during your class. At the end of the lesson, take five minutes to review it with the students. Write each new word on the board and record the word stress using the oO method:

Use ‘o’ to highlight unstressed syllables and ‘O’ to highlight stressed syllables. For example, the stress is on the second syllable of the word “behavior”:

Be-hav-ior = oOo.

The stress is on the first syllable of the word “Saturday”:

Sat-ur-day = Ooo

This has the advantage of recording unstressed as well as stressed syllables. Next, drill this new vocabulary until your students get the hang of it.

To make drilling more interesting, you can also add an element of drama! Have students say the words while expressing different emotions. Ask them to secretly choose an emotion (angry/happy/sad/excited), then say the word and have the other students guess it.

You can also drill whole phrases or even sentences. Backchain drilling is an excellent way to do this and build confidence in lower-level English learners. It involves breaking phrases into sections and having students repeat them after you, from the end of the phrase to the beginning, in this way:

“the test”
“pass the test”
“I’m going to pass the test"

As well as individual sounds and word stress, back chaining also allows you to help students with their intonation and you can also use it to introduce strong and weak forms. Working on multiword expressions and longer phrases with your students will also be helpful.

How is intelligibility scored in the Versant English Test?

Employers, schools and organizations use theVersant English Testto assess an individual’s level of English. It covers the two skills of listening and speaking and also includes an Intelligibility Index rating alongside the GSE, Versant and CEFR scores.

This allows students, teachers and employers to see how easily others can understand the candidate.

The following list shows how the index is scored:

  • Intelligability Rating 5 - Excellent-The candidate can be understood effortlessly by most listeners.
  • Intelligability Rating 4 - Good-Listeners may require a little effort at times to understand some of the candidate's speech.
  • Intelligability Rating 3 - Moderate- Listeners may require some effort to understand the candidate's speech, and some may not be fully intelligible.
  • Intelligability Rating 2 - Low- Listeners may require considerable effort to try to understand the candidate's speech. Despite the effort, it may still be mostly unintelligible.
  • Intelligability Rating 1 - Very Low-Listeners may find it difficult to understand most of the candidate's speech.

This scoring rubric offers a way to assess your students’ intelligibility based on the method used in the Versant English Test.

By giving them lots of support and pronunciation practice and nurturing their confidence to speak without worrying too much about making mistakes, you can help them to improve their clarity over time, allowing them to communicate in clear, understandable spoken English.

Learn more about Versant

More blogs from app

  • Work colleagues talking together in the office

    Maximising workforce potential: The top benefits of language training

    By app Languages
    Reading time: 9 minutes

    In today's globally connected business landscape, language training is not merely an added advantage but a critical component for companies seeking to maximize their team's potential. Being proficient in multiple languages enables effective communication, promotes cross-cultural understanding, and enhances networking capabilities.

    As businesses expand their operations globally, the proficiency to communicate in the native languages of clients and partners becomes crucial. This essential skill, proficiency in spoken languages, fosters trust and paves the way for more successful negotiations. Linguistic adaptability is becoming a pivotal requisite for organizations that aim to thrive in international commerce's dynamic and diverse environment.

    Understanding the concept of language training

    Acquiring a second language through language learning involves a systematic approach. It focuses on studying one language with the aim of enhancing communication skills in professional, educational and personal settings. This form of education transcends mere memorization and language study of vocabulary and grammar in a single language. It strives to foster a profound understanding of linguistic subtleties and cultural aspects across multiple languages.

    Language learning mastery accelerates critical thinking and adaptation to communication challenges, resulting in stronger, more meaningful connections in a multilingual, interconnected world. Mastering more than one language in today's diverse business world is not simply about translation; it's about gaining a competitive edge by understanding the nuances and cultural contexts that can inform and enhance global relationships.

    Consequently, language learning not only equips individuals with the tools required for effective dialogue but also sharpens cognitive abilities, paves the way for greater empathy towards other languages and cultures, and opens a doorway to a wealth of new personal and professional opportunities.

    The direct benefits of corporate language training for employees

    Enhanced communication skills

    Through language training, employees develop better listening abilities, pronunciation and vocabulary that collectively improve their overall communication proficiency. They gain a deeper understanding of the subtleties of language, allowing them to convey messages more clearly and comprehend others with increased accuracy.

    Language learning is crucial in fostering more profound connections with colleagues and clients.Learning languages goes beyond mere verbal exchange; it immerses individuals in the subtleties of different cultures, fostering a global mindset and sensitivity that are invaluable assets in today's international market. Individuals can cultivate more meaningful relationships by showcasing empathy and a genuine interest in cultural engagement with other cultures and other languages.

    Boosted confidence

    The fluency attained through dedicated language training significantly elevates an employee's self-assurance in their professional capabilities. Confident employees are more likely to engage in discussions, present ideas articulately, and assert their viewpoints in negotiations—key catalysts in driving innovation and business growth. Achieving fluency in learning a second language or foreign mother tongue is a commendable milestone that fosters employees' sense of accomplishment and self-worth.

    Furthermore, through additional language learning, employees not only enhance their communication abilities but also increase their propensity to establish rapport with international clients and partners. This, in turn, fosters more fruitful and harmonious professional relationships. In essence, language proficiency in more than just one other language, empowers individuals to operate beyond their comfort zones, thereby driving both personal and professional growth.

    Career advancement opportunities

    Language skills are not just tools for effective communication—they can be a catalyst for career advancement.

    Acquiring proficiency in a first or second language, a foreign tongue or an additional second language can also open the door to new roles within the company, such as international liaison or translator, which may have been unattainable otherwise. Mastering more than one language not only signifies an individual's ability to engage in varied linguistic exchanges but also demonstrates a commitment to personal development and an understanding of the evolving demands of the global marketplace.

    Employees with multilingual capabilities are often perceived as valuable assets who can seamlessly interact with diverse markets, making them prime candidates for promotions and leadership positions.

    Furthermore, as companies increasingly value global collaboration, being able to negotiate and network in a different culture and other languages can lead to being entrusted with more strategic projects and overseas postings. These opportunities broaden an individual's experience of the global economy and exposure to learning a second or third language, preparing them for a variety of influential roles within the ever-expanding global business arena.

    Cognitive benefits of language learning

    The process of acquiring and learning a new language thus does much more than merely expand an individual’s ability to communicate in only one language; it also provides significant cognitive enhancements.

    As individuals learn and use a second language, they engage in mental exercises that strengthen their brain and the new language's neural pathways, leading to better memory retention and recall of the new language.

    This cognitive exercise extends beyond language acquisition, enhancing the brain's ability to handle complex situations and solve problems more efficiently. Bilingual or multilingual individuals often demonstrate enhanced proficiency in recognizing essential components of complex problem-solving challenges and crafting innovative solutions. This ability stems from their adeptness and other skills acquired through language diversity.

    The practice of switching between languages enhances multitasking abilities, making language learners more effective in navigating tasks that require an attention span juggling multiple priorities. These cognitive side benefits of learning can have profound implications, contributing to an individual's mental agility and resilience in both personal and professional contexts. You can read more in our post 'Being bilingual can help keep your brain in good condition'.

  • A group of children at a desk playing a baord game with a teacher smiling looking over them

    Preparing for the PEIC YL oral test

    By app Languages

    Younger learners may find speaking in English comes easily to them, more so than reading and writing. However, they need to be well-prepared and familiar with what they have to do in order to be successful in an exam. Let’s look at a few ways we can prepare our students for the International Certificate Young Learners (PEIC YL) oral test and have fun along the way!

    The test

    The PEIC YL oral test includes two speaking tasks that have an emphasis on real-life communication. Throughout the four levels, the format of the speaking tasks remains the same, with questions and topics suitable for each level and age group.

    Learners take the oral test in groups of five, with one examiner, who gives instructions and assesses the learners.

    • The first speaking task consists of a question and answer activity played as a board game. In their group of five, students take turns to throw a dice and move around the board/cards. When they land on a square, they read out a question which they should direct at another student, who then responds. Each question has a corresponding picture, which helps scaffold the task and give clues to what the question means.
    • In the second task, each student gives a short talk about a topic. Students take turns to pick a topic card and then talk about the topic for one minute. The other students in the group then ask questions related to the topic.

    For both parts of the test students are assessed on their vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

    Classroom activities

    There are lots of ways in which you can prepare your learners for the test in class. The game-like format of the speaking test makes practicing the tasks an ideal end-of-lesson activity. Here are a few ideas:

    Play board games

    Playing board games will allow learners to get used to the functional language they will need to play games, e.g. "It’s your turn" / "Where’s the dice?".

    It will also give them plenty of practice in counting the squares in English, which they are expected to do in the test. You can use traditional board games designed for English language learners or make your own.

    Include questions on familiar topics such as family, clothes, or vacations.

    Make collaborative board games

    Young learners love to make things so why not have them make their own board games and cards? Put students in groups to make a board game for the other groups to play. You can provide a board template, have them write questions, and draw pictures in the squares.

    Make sure you have students write a rough draft of their questions first so that you can check for any errors. It can be helpful to write example questions and prompts on the board as a guide, e.g. 'What (sports) do you play at school?' 'How often do you …?'. Depending on the level, students will need to include questions in a variety of present/past/future tenses.

    Use student pictures

    To prepare for the short talk, give students plenty of practice at speaking for one minute. One way of making this more engaging is by having the students choose their own topics by talking about pictures they have drawn or taken.

    If students have mobile phones, you can ask them to choose a photo from the gallery and discuss it with a partner. If mobile phones are not an option, have them bring in some photos from home. These could be pictures taken on vacation, birthday parties, or at other celebrations.

    You could also write a list of topics on the board, have each student choose one, and draw a picture to illustrate it.

    Tips

    • Make sure students are used to playing board games and know rules and functional language.
    • Practice turn taking and asking/answering questions regularly.
    • Encourage students to listen carefully to questions and to read them thoroughly, paying attention to the verb forms used. They should aim to use the same verb form in their answer.
    • Give learners practice speaking in one-minute turns.
    • Use your course book unit topic to include similar speaking tasks in lessons.
    • Make a set of laminated picture cards for students to practice both parts of the test.
    • Write questions and topics on popsicle sticks or cards for fast finishers.

    The key to good test preparation is to make it a part of your regular lessons, rather than something you do in just the weeks before the test. The more familiar your students are with the tasks, the more relaxed they will be on the day of the test.

  • A woman sat in front of a laptop, with a pen in hand and a paper on the desk. She is looking at the camera

    International Certificate home testing: Benefits, rules and requirements

    By app Languages

    Education has embraced remote and hybrid learning – and it looks like it’s here to stay as a more accessible option for students everywhere. For the same reasons, even higher-stakes English exams are proving it’s possible to throw off old-fashioned approaches and adapt to the changing needs and expectations of today’s test-takers. The app English International Certificate is available online (as well as in paper-based format) and can be taken in a home environment. It has a number of benefits for both teachers and test takers.

    In this post, we will look at why testing from home is a good option and explore the rules and requirements for the online app English International Certificate.

    5 benefits of remote language testing

    1. Flexibility to take the test anywhere

    One of the great things about taking the online International Certificate is that test-takers can do it from any private location with a reliable internet connection.

    While we offer the option to take the test in one of our authorized computer-based testing centers, we now also offer testing from home with the . Both delivery methods are backed by the same level of robust security, meaning International Certificate test results can be equally trusted regardless of where the test was taken.

    2. Fits into learners’ schedules

    The online International Certificate allows test-takers to schedule their 2-hour test at a time that fits into their timetable and is not restricted by location. This means that they don’t have to take time off work or education to take the test, or suffer the additional stress or inconvenience this can cause to their lives.

    Using just one system and one log-in, they register for the test, schedule it for whenever suits them and then, when the time comes, sign in to gain access to the online proctoring system.

    3. Easy-to-use testing platform

    The International Certificate is available through , the online assessment portal that brings teachers, test-takers and tests together in a single, user-friendly space.

    Test Hub is extremely straightforward to use for scheduling, taking tests and accessing results – while also delivering powerful, data-rich insights into test performance for both teachers and test-takers.

    Furthermore, we have clear resources showing new users how to navigate the platform, as well as online videos on to help learners familiarize themselves with the online International Certificate format.

    Also available through Test Hub is the Readiness Test, which predicts readiness to pass the International Certificate, as well as the Level and Benchmark Tests – assessments that teachers find invaluable for placing new students in the right class and tracking their progress to proficiency.

    4. Quicker to mark and issue results

    All tests are scored using an AI system. This speeds up the turnaround time for results, making the whole process much more efficient than the paper-based exam.

    Governments trust app’s world-leading scoring technology, businesses and universities globally and is powered by the expert input of thousands of skilled, experienced English teachers. Since 2022, the online International Certificate has been scored entirely using this system, bringing the score turnaround time to under 2 weeks – a fraction of the time taken to score the paper-based test.

    5. Accessible to all

    Running an assessment online means that many people from around the world can access it. So, this will allow people in some of the world's most remote areas to get a recognized English certificate and change their lives, as long as they meet the following requirements.

    app English International Certificate requirements

    There are a that test-takers need to be aware of when taking the exam from home. These include:

    • a computer- test-takers must have access to a computer or laptop for the test duration. We recommend using a personal rather than a work computer as the testing software uses a secure browser that restricts other programs from running. Therefore, firewalls or network settings on work computers may cause problems.
    • a government-issued ID - To sign in to the online testing system, test-takers must have their government-issued ID, such as a passport, identification card or driving license, ready to present.
    • internet access - As the test requires continuous audio and video streaming, test-takers need to maintain a good internet connection. Additionally, we recommend connecting to a hardwire ethernet cable. Alternatively, test-takers should ask others at home to avoid using the internet during the exam.
    • a headset- Test-takers need a wired headset to take the test, rather than a Bluetooth one. This needs to include a microphone. Make sure it is of good sound quality so that tasks can be completed effectively.
    • a webcam - Test-takers need a webcam as they’ll be monitored by our online proctoring system throughout. This is to ensure that they do not have help from another person, or their notes nearby.
    • a private testing space - Test-takers must ensure they have a quiet and comfortable location that is completely private while doing the test. The proctor must end the session if anyone appears – even momentarily – during the test. The candidate is the only person allowed to see and answer the test questions.

    The International Certificate testing rules

    There are a number of simple, yet critical rules to follow when taking the International Certificate test from home. These include:

    • minors need adult consent - Test-takers who are under 18, an adult must be present to show their ID and provide consent. Then they must leave the room for the test to begin.
    • test taker must remain in webcam view - The test is under 2 hours with one optional 10-minute break. Aside from this break, people taking the test must not stand up or leave their workspace.
    • remove watches - Test-takers must remove all watches and smart watches to be stored out of sight.
    • store personal items away - Test-takers must store all their personal items out of reach during the test. They can not use phones, books, pens, notes or whiteboards.
    • clear exam workspace - There shouldn’t be any clutter on the desk or workspace. The proctor will check that no prohibited items are in the room before beginning.
    • no handwritten notes allowed - Test-takers are not permitted to take handwritten notes during the test. They may use the notes feature in their browser to take notes.