Speaker
Description
This presentation explores how pronunciation-focused interventions, rooted in phonological awareness and enhanced through game-based learning, can help Vietnamese learners tackle key PTE Academic Speaking tasks, including Read Aloud, Repeat Sentence, and Answer Short Question. Drawing from my experience as a teacher trainer and test-prep instructor, I argue that traditional “repeat-after-me” drills fall short in preparing students for automated scoring systems that prioritize stress, intonation, and vowel clarity.
Grounded in Gillon’s (2004) research on phonological awareness, the Color Vowel Chart (Taylor & Thompson, 2012), and game-based learning theory (Gee, 2003), this session showcases how playful activities – from sound-symbolic dice games to rapid-response IPA drills – can build muscle memory and vocal confidence in high-pressure test scenarios. Rather than teaching to the test, the approach helps learners outsmart it by internalizing speech patterns valued by the algorithm.
The talk will provide sample classroom-tested activities, discuss their alignment with scoring rubrics, and examine the “human vs machine” dilemma in pronunciation scoring. Expect research, laughs, and a reminder that sound science doesn’t have to sound boring.
Biography
Thu Trang Thi Truong is a visiting lecturer at Thai Binh Duong University and a TESOL mentor and teacher trainer at HEW London Education and Consulting Hub in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She is also a Certified Global PTE Academic Trainer of IMME Australia, and Lead Ambassador of Twinkl Vietnam, a branch of the UK-based Twinkl—one of the world's leading providers of educational resources.
With over 16 years of experience, Trang specializes in pedagogical innovation, classroom dynamics, and teacher development. She is the Co-founder and coordinator of the Community of English Language Teaching Practice (CEP), a professional network of nearly 36,000 Vietnamese educators. Through CEP, she fosters grassroots professional learning, collaborative reflection, and nationwide sharing of teaching practices.
Trang’s work connects institutional training with community-based growth, empowering educators to thrive in diverse contexts. Her interests lie in inclusive pedagogy, teacher empowerment, and the integration of academic training with real-world application.
