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

Magdalena Wrembel Adam Mickiewicz University, Pozna magdala@amu.edu.pl

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

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
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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

Changing perspectives in pronunciation pedagogy (2)

Shift in priorities

(segmentals < 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

BE-19 AE-10 ? - 2 BE- 4 AE-10 ? - 2

20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 19

BE - books 10 10 AE - books Other - books BE - CDs 4 2 2 AE - Other CDs CDs AE - CDs Other - CDs

sites Phonetic labs Professional organisations Text files Sound files

BE AE - Other - BE books books books CDs

Target model variety - years of publication

25 20 15 10 5 0 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990
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BE AE Other

Redirection of priorities
segmentals

20% 45% segmentals suprasegm. segm.+suprasegm. 35%

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 amerykaska.

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 PIGUCE CD HUMMINGBIRD SOUND MACHINES
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Suprasegmentals
Stress -

(word stress, nuclear stress, unaccented syllables, schwa, weak forms) (thought groups)

Rhythm -

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
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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Pronunciation syllabi - common core features vs. LFC

85% weak vowel

77% intonation
74% word stress 70% vowel quantity 67% vowel quality 67% tonic stress 67% unstressed syllables 63% rhythm (thought groups) 59% diphthongs 56% dental fricatives

52% weak forms

52% consonants 48% elisions

46% 44% 41% 37% 37% 32% 18% 18%

consonantal clusters linking rhotic r assimilation aspiration fortis / lenis spelling / sound 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 piguce (CD), PHON2, 17 UCLA's Phonetic Lab, Maidment's Pronunciation Tip of the Day

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 18 2000

 Pair work

Pronunciation teaching techniques (3)

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.cyberphon.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.html
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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/tipho me.html SIL's IPA Fonts http://www.itl.atr.co.jp/comp.speech/Section1/Fonts/ 23 sil.ipa.html

Internet resources (3) - practical activities on the Web

John Maidments' Sound Machines http://www.eptotd.btinternet.co.uk/vm/soundmachin es.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/humnet/linguistics/facili ti/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 PIGUCE, Sobkowiak,W. 2000. (BE) PRONUNCIATION POWER (AE) http://www.englishlearning.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
(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)

SOUND MACHINES (BE) CONNECTED SPEECH

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