Second language pronunciation and listening comprehension are inherently linked. Furthermore, they are bound by a system in which the individual sounds are related. The focus of second language instruction should be the framework of intonation within which the sounds are organized. Instruction should be based on the way English speakers depend on intonation to organize thoughts and highlight important words. Students should be taught how to determine which words to emphasize and how to recognize and produce the three most useful signals of stress: pitch change, vowel lengthening, and clarity of stressed sounds. They should learn that native speakers deliberately deviate from a basic emphasis pattern in order to call attention to a new focus of thought. Minimal word pairs can be used for teaching both pronunciation and meaning by presenting them in sentences that require meaningful responses. (RW)