Date of Graduation

Spring 5-21-2026

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

College/School

School of Education

Department/Program

International and Multicultural Education (IME)

First Advisor

Dr. Jessica

Second Advisor

Dr. Luz

Third Advisor

Dr. Popal

Abstract

Native Chinese Mandarin speakers face significant intelligibility challenges in English due to phonological transfers from their syllable-timed L1 to the stress-timed rhythm of English, a problem often overlooked in instructional settings. This capstone designed, developed, and proposed a targeted curriculum to bridge this gap, Suprasegmental Symphony: A Curriculum for Teaching Word Stress, Focus, and Rhythm to Native Chinese Speakers. Chapter I establishes the problem from both research and personal practitioner perspectives, identifying a specific need for suprasegmental instruction and presenting a theoretical framework that synthesizes Contrastive Analysis and Communicative Language Teaching. Chapter II reviews scholarly literature, analyzes existing curricular models, and incorporates practitioner perspectives to justify the curriculum's design and identify a specific market gap. Chapter III details the project, Suprasegmental Symphony, a curriculum structured into three scaffolded chapters: Mastering Word Stress, Mastering Focus Words, and Mastering Thought Groups. Its design recommends modern Text-to-Speech technology for accessible audio models and is tailored with culturally relevant examples for Chinese learners. Chapter IV presents conclusions and recommendations. The project’s significance is its contribution as a practical, research-based resource that empowers learners to improve rhythmic control, thereby enhancing intelligibility and communicative confidence. It is recommended for implementation as a dedicated course or a supplementary resource, with future development focused on integrated self-assessment tools. This curriculum provides a crucial tool for addressing a persistent and impactful challenge in second language pronunciation pedagogy.

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