Beyond "listen and repeat" - an overview of English pronunciation teaching materials

1
Beyond "listen and repeat" - an overview of
English pronunciation teaching materials

• Magdalena Wrembel
• Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan
  magdala_at_amu.edu.pl

2
Introduction

• Unexplored question - have material designers
  responded to changing perspectives?
• Jones (1997) "In spite of a changed
  phonological focus ... teaching techniques and
  tasks continue to rely on the behaviourist
  notions of SLA such as habit formation".
• My intention to examine how recent SLA findings
  and new trends in pronunciation pedagogy are
  reflected in pronunciation materials
• Selected materials
• textbooks
• computer software
• Internet web sites

3
Outline of the presentation

• Theoretical introduction - changing perspectives
  in pronunciation pedagogy
• Analysis of materials
• Model accents
• Goals and priorities
• Common core features
• Pronunciation teaching techniques
• Conclusions

4
Changing perspectives in pronunciation pedagogy

• Historical outline of pronunciation instruction
• Grammar Translation - irrelevant
• Direct Method - intuition imitation
• Audiolingual Method - important, drills
• Communicative Approach - initially disregarded,
  growing awareness

5
Changing perspectives in pronunciation pedagogy
(2)

• Shift in priorities
  (segmentals lt suprasegmentals)
• Contextualisation and fluency-building
• Widened scope of pronunciation instruction
• Holistic approach
• Autonomy and speech awareness
• New technologies

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Materials analysis - model accents
Textbooks (31)
CD-ROMs (13)
Internet resources

• Phonetics reference sites
• Phonetic labs
• Professional organisations
• Text files
• Sound files

BE-19
? - 2
BE- 4
AE-10
AE-10
? - 2
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Target model variety - years of publication
8
Redirection of priorities
suprasegmentals
segmentals
segmentalssuprasegm.
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Focus on segmentals1

• 1960s-70s
• Detailed treatment of Vs Cs
• Optional features
• consonantal clusters,
• weak forms,
• linking,
• elements of stress intonation

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Focus on segmentals2

• Textbooks
• Baker,A. 1977. Ship or sheep? An intermediate
  pronunciation course.
• Baker, A. 1982. Tree or Three? An elementary
  pronunciation course.
• Barnard,G.L. P.S.McKay. 1963. Practice in
  spoken English.
• Hooke,R. J. Rowell. 1982. A handbook of English
  pronunciation.
• Kenyon,J. S. 1956. American pronunciation.
• MacCarthy,P.1965. A practice book of English
  speech.
• Munro Mackenzie,M.D.1973. Modern English
  pronunciation practice.

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Segmentals suprasegmentals1

• 1980s - 1990s
• Vs - quantitative qualitative, emphasis differs
• Cs - focal areas
• aspiration, contrast, fortis / lenis, clusters
• Suprasegmentals
• stress rhythm, connected speech, weak forms,
  intonation
• Additional features
• spelling - sound correspondence, guidance for
  different L1, voice quality

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Segmentals suprasegmentals2

• Arabski,J. 1987. Wymowa amerykanska.
• Cunningham S, B. Bowler. 1999. New Headway
  Pronunciation Course
• Hewings,M. 1993. Pronunciation tasks. A course
  for pre-intermediate learners.
• O'Connor,J. D. J. Fletcher.1989. Sounds
  English.
• O'Connor,J. D. 1967 (1989). Better English
  pronunciation.
• Orion,G. 1997. Pronouncing American English
  sounds, stress, and intonation.
• Ponsby, M. 1982. How Now, Brown Cow?
• Reszkiewicz,A. 1981. Correct your English
  pronunciation.
• Sobkowiak,W. 1996. English phonetics for Poles.
• CD PRONUNCIATION POWER
• CD SPEAK FLUENT AMERICAN ENGLISH
• CD MOULTON INTERACTIVE INTRO TO PHON PHON
• CD FONETYKA ANGIELSKA W PIGULCE
• CD HUMMINGBIRD
• SOUND MACHINES

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Suprasegmentals 1

• Stress - (word stress, nuclear stress,
  unaccented syllables, schwa, weak forms)
• Rhythm - (thought groups)
• Intonation - (communicative function,
  discourse-based)
• Secondary importance
• Connected speech
• Individual sounds - selected aspects
• aspiration, voicing, consonantal contrasts,
  clusters
• vowel duration
• practised in the context of connected speech

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Suprasegmentals 2

• Bogle,D. 1996. Practical phonology.
• Bradford, B. 1988. Intonation in Context.
• Brazil,D. 1994. Pronunciation for advanced
  learners of English.
• Gilbert,J. 1993. Clear speech.
• Miller,S.F. 2000. Targeting pronunciation the
  intonation, sounds, and rhythm of American
  English.
• Morley, J. 1979. Improving Spoken English.
• Mortimer,C. 1985. Elements of pronunciation.
• Prator,C. 1951 (1985). A manual of American
  English pronunciation.
• Rogerson,P. J.B.Gilbert. 1990. Speaking
  clearly.
• Vaughan-Rees, M. 1994. Rhymes and Rhythm.
• Weinstein, N. 1982. Whaddaya Say?
• Zawadzki, H. 1994 In tempo.
• CD BETTER ACCENT TUTOR.FOR AMERICAN ENGLISH
• CD PRONUNCIATION IN AMERICAN ENGLISH
• CD CONNECTED SPEECH

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(No Transcript)
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Pronunciation syllabi - common core features vs.
LFC

• 85 weak vowel
• 77 intonation
• 74 word stress
• 70 vowel quantity
• 67 vowel quality
• 67 tonic stress 46 - consonantal clusters
• 67 unstressed syllables 44 - linking
• 63 rhythm (thought groups) 41 - rhotic r
• 59 diphthongs 37 - assimilation
• 56 dental fricatives 37 - aspiration
• 52 weak forms 32 - fortis / lenis
• 52 consonants 18 - spelling / sound
• 48 elisions 18 - dark l

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Pronunciation teaching techniques

• "Listen and repeat"
• Minimal pair drills
• Sample materials Higgin's Home Page, Baker 1977,
  Baker 1982, Barnard McKay 1963, O'Connor 1967,
  O'Connor Fletcher 1989, Orion 1997, Cunningham
  Bowler 1999
• Ear training -recognition/discrimination
• Baker 1977, Baker 1982, O'Connor 1967, O'Connor
  Fletcher 1989, Clear Speech Works (CD), Ponsby
  1982, UCL
• Phonetic training
• Reszkiewicz 1981, Arabski 1987, Brazil 1994,
  Orion 1997, The Mouton Interactive Introduction
  to Phonetics and Phonology (CD), Fonetyka
  angielska w pigulce (CD), PHON2, UCLA's Phonetic
  Lab, Maidment's Pronunciation Tip of the Day

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Pronunciation teaching techniques (2)

• Reading aloud / recitation
• Mortimer 1985, Bradford 1988, Brazil 1994, Ponsby
  1982
• Tongue twisters and poems
• Vaughan-Rees 1994, Reck's Collection of Tongue
  Twisters
• Pronunciation games
• Maidments' Sound Machines, Windmayer's Sounds of
  English Pronunciation Power (CD), Bogle 1996,
  Hancock 2003
• Communicative / contextualised activities
• Morley 1979, Bradford 1988, O'Connor Fletcher
  1989, Gilbert 1993, Hewings Goldstein 1993,
  Brazil 1994, Miller 2000

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Pronunciation teaching techniques (3)

• Pair work
• O'Connor Fletcher 1989, Miller 2000, Hewings
  Goldstein 1993
• Multisensory modes of presentation
• Kinaesthetic reinforcement
• Bogle 1996, Miller 2000
• Visual support
• Sobkowiak 1996, Orion 1997, Pronunciation Power
  (CD), Clear Speech Works (CD), CSLU Toolkit Baldi
• Guidance for users of different languages
  Cunningham Bowler 1999, O'Connor Fletcher
  1989, Hancock 2003

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Pronunciation teaching techniques (4)

• Transcription exercises
• Bogle 1996, Orion 1997, Lecumberri Maidment
  2000
• Integrated skills
• Speak Fluent American English (CD), Gilbert 1993
• Voice quality
• Speak Fluent American English (CD)
• Sensitisation
• Bradford 1988, Brazil 1994, Hancock 2003
• Self-monitoring and learners' autonomy
• Brazil 1994, Miller 2000, CD-ROMs

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Conclusions

• Greater variety in NS-model accents
• Redefined goals and priorities
• intelligibility communication
• Pronunciation syllabi - little compatibility with
  LFC
• Wider inventory of teaching techniques
• beyond "listen repeat"
• consciousness-raising and self-monitoring

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Internet resources - Phonetics Reference Sites

• CyberPhon (acoustic phonetics) http//www.cyberpho
  n.univ-lyon2.fr
• PHON2 Phonetics beyond the basics
  http//www.linguistics.reading.ac.uk/phon2
• Pronunciation Web Resources - links
  http//www.sunburstmedia.com/PronWeb.html
• An overview of pronunciation software, D. Healey
  http//oregonstate.edu/healeyd/tesol2002/pron.htm
  l

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Internet resources (2) - text files

• John Higgin's Home Page - minimal pairs
  http//www.marlodge.supanet.com/
• Michael Reck's Collection of Tongue Twisters
  http//www.uebersetzung.at/twister/en.html
• Sharon Windmayer's Sounds of English
  http//www.soundsofenglish.org
• Maidment's Pronunciation Tip of the Day
  http//www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/eptotd/tiphom
  e.html
• SIL's IPA Fonts http//www.itl.atr.co.jp/comp.spee
  ch/Section1/Fonts/sil.ipa.html

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Internet resources (3) - practical activities on
the Web

• John Maidments' Sound Machines
  http//www.eptotd.btinternet.co.uk/vm/soundmachine
  s.htm
• Vowel Machine
• Transcriber
• TONI
• PLATO
• Web-based transcription tool http//www.wtt.org.uk
  
• Sharon Windmayer's Sounds of English
  http//www.soundsofenglish.org

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Internet resources (4) - phonetic labs and
organisations

• UCLA's Phonetics Lab http//www.humnet.ucla.edu/hu
  mnet/linguistics/faciliti/uclaplab.html
• Phonetics Dep. at the University College London
  http//www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/wells
• The International Phonetic Association
  http//www.arts.gla.ac.uk/IPA/ipa.html
• IATEFL's Pronun. Special Interest Group
  http//members.aol.com/PronunciationSig/index.html
  
• TESOL's Speech/Pronunc. Special Interest Section
  http//www.public.iastate.edu/jlevis/SPRIS/

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Pronunciation CD-ROMs

• THE MOUTON INTERACTIVE INTRODUCTION TO PHONETICS
  AND PHONOLOGY
• FONETYKA ANGIELSKA W PIGULCE, Sobkowiak,W. 2000.
  (BE)
• PRONUNCIATION POWER (AE) http//www.englishlearnin
  g.com/pronpowr.html
• PRONUNCIATION IN AMERICAN ENGLISH 1999 (AE)
• BETTER ACCENT TUTOR FOR AMERICAN ENGLISH (AE)
• SPEAK FLUENT AMERICAN ENGLISH (AE)
• HUMMINGBIRD (AE) http//www.humbird.com
• SOUND MACHINES (BE)
• CONNECTED SPEECH (AE, BE, Australian)
• CLEAR SPEECH WORKS (AE)
• AMERICAN SPEECH SOUNDS (AE)
• ENGLISH EASY VOWELS AND CONSONANTS (Canadian
  English)
• PPO-NUNCIATION SOUND LAB MOUTH EXERCISES (BE,
  AE)
• AMERICAN ACCENT PROGRAMME (AE)