There is a very modest set of rules for pronouncing words intelligibly, and there are predictable patterns for how words run together in English dialogue. Backpackers and pretty much anyone who can read can effectively assist non-native speakers in acquiring the simple tools they need to independently survive, and then thrive, in English conversation. Regardless
of your education or theirs, to coach learners in successfully speaking English, you’ll need this book and a giant elastic band. No kidding. English can be intimidating. The popular myth is that English is one of the most difficult languages to learn. Fortunately, that’s just a story perpetuated by the education industry to excuse itself from teaching it so badly. In truth,
English is the boiled-down combination of many languages, the process of which rendered English as one of the simplest languages but with the largest vocabulary. Informal teachers shine when they understand the simple patterns of English that are always true and how to harvest what is the same about English and any learner’s first language. Informal teachers
(Backpackers) avoid the way-we-have-always-done-it dogma and focus instead on the unwritten rules of spoken English to give learners a fighting chance to participate confidently in the English-speaking world as quickly as possible. The system presented here is not about accent reduction, it’s about intelligibility and effectiveness."- Judy Thompson
