Tackle the 'Th' Sound to Boost Pronunciation

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

Many Indonesian learners struggle with the 'th' sounds in words like 'think' and 'this' due to differences in phonetic systems. To help your students practice, try using minimal pairs. For example, create a dialogue using 'think' and 'sink' or 'this' and 'dis'. Encourage students to exaggerate the pronunciation—placing their tongue between their teeth for the 'th' sounds. This exercise is particularly relevant as it helps reduce their tendency to substitute these sounds with similar Indonesian phonemes, promoting clearer communication in English.