Mastering the 'th' Sounds: Empower Your Students!

A discussion in Teaching English in Indonesia on the SpeakWise Indonesia teacher forum.

Many Indonesian learners struggle with the English 'th' sounds (/θ/ as in 'think' and /ð/ as in 'this') due to the absence of similar sounds in Bahasa Indonesia. To help your students, try a simple classroom activity: ask them to place their tongue between their teeth and gently blow air while making the /θ/ sound, and then shift to the /ð/ by adding vocalization. For example, create a fun practice session with sentences like 'This thin thread is threaded through.' Regular practice this week can significantly improve their pronunciation and confidence, making their spoken English clearer and more understandable.