EAPIC Lesson 1: Rhythm and FALL/RISE Sign-offs

 English Accent and Pronunciation Improvement Course (EAPIC)

Haptic - using gesture and touch

KINETIK – using the whole body to learn

Link to the Introduction video!

***

Link to Lesson 1 Training video

Lesson 1 – Rhythm and FALL/RISE Sign-offs

• MT5 (movement, tone, touch and tempo) Technique
• MT5 video uploaded every Week on Youtube.
• (Optional) Zoom class meeting on Wednesday at 8 EST.

Homework: 

Do at least the 20-minute practice every morning for 5 days. 

Warm up (3x each)

1. Neck stretch (left side, right side, back, front)

2. Upper chest and shoulders (elbows touch) 

3. Nasal resonance (Ying! Yang! Young!) 

4. Back (‘Oh’ cone) and chest (Ooo-Wah!) 

Syllable Butterfly Training

Strong tap on the stressed syllable on right shoulder: X

Light tap on unstressed syllables on left forearm: o

 

Cool. X

That’s cool. oX

Really cool. ooX

That’s really cool. oooX

Awesome Xo

That’s awesome. oXo

Really awesome. ooXo

That’s really awesome. oooXo

Super cool. Xoo

That’s super cool. oXoo

Really super cool. ooXoo

That’s really super cool. oooXoo

Super awesome. Xooo

That’s super awesome. oXooo

Really super awesome. ooXooo

That’s really super awesome oooXooo

FALL/RISE Sign-offs: 

FALLing tone (  \ ) Usually at the end of a statement or certainty. Nice to meet you. \

RISEing tone ( / ) Usually at the end of a question or uncertainty. Are you coming? /

 

Lesson I – Embodied Oral Reading (EOR)

(Syllable Butterfly + FALL/Rise Sign-offs)

1A:  I THINK | we've GOT it | figured OUT.    

           •X                     •X•                    • •X    \

   B: Oh. Can you TELL me | what it IS? 

         X       •   •        X   •              • •X   /

2A: Your MUFfler | I THINK | has a small HOLE in it.    

           •    X•                 •X              • • •      X      • •    \

   B: Oh NO!  Does it NEED | to be rePLACED right now?   

          • X             • •     X            • •      • X                 •    •   /

3A: Yes, it DOES. It ISN’T going to | last much LONger     

        X      •  X         •   X •      •   •            • •           X•.  \

   B: Huh. How MUCH | will it COST?         

          X            • X            •  •       X   \

4A: A-BOUT | a hundred | and fifty DOLlars.        

          •X           •     X•          •     • •       X•    \

   B: Really. That's too BAD. Is there a less exPENsive way?       

          X•               ••     X                   • • • • •.  X    •        •   /

5A: You could MAYbe | rePAIR it, yourSELF.

             •   •     X•               •X     •         • X    \

   B: How LONG | exACTly | will that LAST?

             •  X                 •X•                • •     X   \

6A: If it works at ALL . . . MAYbe | for a couple of MONTHS?

               • • •   •   X             X•            • •     • •       •   X    /

   B: I'll DO that. SEE you | in a MONTH or two!

          •  X   •        X   •            • •     X         • •    \

Homework: 

1. Take notes!!!

2. Practice every day, in the morning, standing, with good gesture, using pleasing (beautiful) voice and volume. (Warm up, training and EOR)

    Friday: Do the training! Take notes!

    Saturday: Do warm up training and EOR) Take notes!

    Sunday: Take the day off! Take notes!

    Monday: Do warm up, traing and EOR. In your notes write down words or phrases you may have difficulty pronouncing well enough!

    Tuesday: Do warm up, EOR and find a dialogue or story about as long as an EOR and practice using the Butterfly MT5 with it. Take notes, lots of them!!!

    Wednesday: Do warm up, EOR, your text, take notes and come to the Feedback session (this one is frree!) 

    Thursday: Do new training video. 

3.  Check out: https://elsaspeak.com/en/ (vowels and consonants)

4.  Check out:https://speechling.com/ (general speech fluency)

5. Check out: www.williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (for the optional identity protection app that I'll introduce during Week 3.)

Email me: wracton@gmail.com with questions or to enroll for EAPIC course feedback sessions: ($250 USD)

EAPIC Lesson 1 Feedback Meet at 8 p.m. EST tonight!

The live EAPIC Google Meets session is from 8 to 9 EST tonight. It is a follow up to last week's Lesson One video. (View that here!) The lesson Two training video will be uploaded tomorrow. 

Each week on Wednesday there is a live feedback session for students who are enrolled in the course. Tonight's session is free, See you tonight. 

English Accent and Pronunciation Improvement Course (EAPIC) Introduction

Here is the link to the video (Youtube)

(Note: The video quality of the text on the screen is a little fuzzy, but it is the same as what is below! Also, my voice with the cold is a little fuzzy, too! ) 

Better accent or pronunciation

Better expressiveness in speaking

More confidence in speaking

Good method for continuing to improve - Study at home, by yourself!

Works for anybody with a CLB or IELTS 5 and up

• 10 weeks, online (plus Introduction)

• (Free) 20~30-minute training video uploaded to YouTube every Thursday

• 15~30 minutes of homework every day!

• (Optional) live homework follow up meeting on Zoom Wednesday at 8-9 p.m. EST. 15-minute Zoom interview required to enroll ($250 USD additional fee)

Weekly syllabus:
1. Basic rhythm 1 (pronunciation grammar) 
2. Fluency 1 (body rhythm)
3. Consonants 1 (common problems, such as 'th' and 'r/l')
4. Vowels 1 (short)
5. Vowels 2 (long)
6. Consonants 2 (students’ “favorite” problems)
7. Melody 1 (little pieces, phrases)
8. Melody 2 (longer pieces, sentences)
9. Fluency 2 (Public speaking and classroom stye)
10. Rhythm 2 (Conversation style)

Typical weekly schedule: 

   Thursday: Do the video along with me (20+ minutes) and keep notes!

   Friday: Do the warm up, training, embodied oral reading (EOR) and keep notes!

   Saturday: Do the warm up, training, EOR and keep notes!
              Notes: Other words or phrases you have difficulty pronouncing well

   Sunday: Take the day off with me!

   Monday: Do the warm up, EOR, practice your target words (with MT5s) and keep notes!

   Tuesday: Do the warm up, EOR,  a new one-page story you have found with MT5s, 

                   practice your target words and keep notes!

   Wednesday: Come to the live feedback 60-minute class on Zoom (or practice by yourself!) 

       Here is what goes on in the feedback session: 
                       a. Go over the EOR
                       b. Check students' individual MT5s for accuracy
                       c. Questions from and help with target words of students
                       d. Preview of the next week's lesson

So . . . How does this course work? 

Gesture and touch make pronunciation easier to learn and remember

Using your whole body (embodied) makes is easier to pay full attention

Rhythm and gesture together help keep learning both relaxed and energetic

Embodied oral reading is great for bringing what you study into conversation

Practicing the EOR every day trains your mind and body to move and speak more like English speakers do. 

Use what you know . . . 

Email me: wracton@gmail.com for more information or to enroll (via Paypal or Venmo). To enroll requires brief Zoom chat (just to make sure the course is for you!) 

For a more in depth discussion of the basis of the EAPIC course, go to: https://www.actonhaptic.com/eapic

The Summer 2026 EAPIC course is being revised to include identity protection. Students will also be using IDentityshield system. For a preview of IDentityshield go to: IDentityshield introduction, or  www.williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com 

Homework for next week 

A. Tell me a little about yourself and why you think this course would be helpful for you.

B. Give me some idea of your weekly schedule, how much time you have to practice!

C. Tell me about your experience with music, playing an instrument, etc., or just enjoying it!

D. Tell me if you'd like to join the Wednesday Zoom feedback class. (If so, I'll set up a Zoom interview just with you as soon as possible. If I do, what would be a good time for you?)

Keep in touch!

Bill

Embodied English Pronunciation and Identity Protection Course

Embodied English Pronunciation and Identity Protection Course (for nonnative speakers and their instructors) is a 12-week, practice-driven course that helps multilingual professionals and their instructors build clearer, more confident spoken English while learning to recognize and resist today’s AI enabled fraud and deepfake threats. It is designed for programs or individuals that want to strengthen students’ communicative impact and safeguard their digital and professional identities at the same time. [pronsig.iatefl+6] 

What this course does

• Integrates haptic (movement  and touch based) pronunciation training so learners physically “map” stress, rhythm, and intonation, making clearer, more intelligible speech that transfers into real world communication. [jalt-publications+3]

• Uses that same heightened awareness of voice, language patterns, and gesture to train students and instructors to detect persuasive language, suspicious vocal cues, and cultural “red flags” in scam calls and social engineering attempts. [hipoeces.blogspot+2]

• Provides hands on practice with a comprehensive, web based identity protection platform (IDentityShield by LegalShield), so participants can see how technical safeguards and human judgment work together. [youtube]

Why this matters for educators

Deepfake audio and video are now realistic enough that even experienced professionals are being deceived by AI generated “colleagues” and executives in live video calls, resulting in multimillion dollar losses for institutions in places like Hong Kong or AI deep fakes such as Only Virtual, where you can communicate with the dead. Traditional awareness campaigns and generic fraud briefings are no longer sufficient; learners need repeated, language rich practice in spotting how fraudulent messages actually sound, look, and feel in interaction. [incode+5]

This course positions language educators as a first line of defense by turning everyday pronunciation work into a powerful lens on persuasion, credibility, and identity—skills that transfer directly to academic, workplace, and online contexts. [actonhaptic+4]

Structure and learning experience

• 12 week core program combining targeted pronunciation modules (vowels, stress, rhythm, intonation, fluency, key consonants) with parallel units on scam recognition and response. [wracton.wixsite+1]

• Weekly Zoom feedback sessions for students that focus on intelligibility, professional identity, and real play practice with scam and deepfake scenarios. [wracton.wixsite]

• Separate weekly Zoom sessions for instructors that model classroom techniques, debrief cases, and adapt materials to different proficiency levels and institutional needs. [pronsig.iatefl+3]

Throughout the course, learners repeatedly rehearse short, authentic style scripts—such as “urgent” calls from supposed supervisors or financial institutions—using haptic techniques to anchor both accurate pronunciation and a critical awareness of how persuasive attacks are constructed. [jalt-publications+3]

Outcomes for students and programs

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Speak with clearer, more consistent pronunciation and rhythm, improving comprehensibility in academic and professional settings. [actonhaptic+4]

• Analyze and respond appropriately to suspicious calls, messages, and video interactions, drawing on linguistic, vocal, and cultural cues rather than relying solely on intuition or technology. [coverlink+4]

• Use IDentityShield tools more effectively to monitor, document, and report potential identity fraud, integrating language skills with concrete protective actions.[youtube]

For institutions, adopting this course means adding a distinctive, future oriented offering that simultaneously advances core language outcomes and addresses a fast emerging area of digital risk that directly affects students, staff, and partner organizations. [getclarity+7]

EEPAIP Course will be available as described beginning May 2026. Most of the basic structure, less the IDentityshield components, is present in the current English Accent and Pronunciation Improvement course, beginning this week, on February 5th. 

Sources: 

1. https://pronsig.iatefl.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Haptic-Pronunciation-Teaching-IATEFL-Webinar-FINAL.pdf       

2. https://incode.com/blog/25-million-deepfake-fraud-hong-kong/    

3. https://jalt-publications.org/sites/default/files/pdf-article/jalt2012-042.pdf         

4. https://coverlink.com/case-study/case-study-25-million-deepfake-scam/    

5. https://www.actonhaptic.com/about     

6. https://www.getclarity.ai/ai-deepfake-blog/25m-deepfake-ceo-scam-shakes-hong-kong-firm    

7. https://hipoeces.blogspot.com/p/hapticteaching-tips-a.html       

8. https://wracton.wixsite.com/acton-haptic        

9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu0lyPJmhE0  

10. https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/04/asia/deepfake-cfo-scam-hong-kong-intl-hnk 

11. https://www.trendmicro.com/en_us/research/24/b/deepfake-video-calls.html  

12. https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/16/tech/arup-deepfake-scam-loss-hong-kong-intl-hnk   

13. image.jpg 

14. https://hipoeces.blogspot.com 

15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwzrLUnrdLc 

16. https://www.facebook.com/SRteachingandlearning/videos/haptic-pronunciation-teachinghaptic-its-basically-using-more-gesture-in-teaching/2793189254227565/ 

For additional information on the course: wracton@gmail.com

See also www.williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com for specifics on IDshield system. 

DISCLAIMER: This course description was created with the assistance/collaboration of Perplexity AI.

Bill Acton's Haptic EAPIC course, featuring Perplexity AI, beginning on February 5th!

 The Spring 2026 “Haptic” English Accent and Pronunciation Improvement Course (EAPIC) starts next week on February 5th. This term, participants will use Perplexity AI to tailor their homework and practice activities—creating a truly individualized learning experience. 

The course training videos and materials are free on Vimeo.com and here on the blog, as usual; enrolment required to participate in the weekly feedback sessions.and receive supplementary materials. 

For full course details, go here!

Bill

Feel free also, to contact me directly! wracton@gmail.com

l

Spring 2026 English Accent and Pronunciation Improvement Course (EAPIC)

Beginning two weeks from today! 

Spring 2026 English Accent and Pronunciation Improvement Course (EAPIC)

(EAPIC: pronounced "EPIC!") 

Beginning February 5, 2026 

• Better accent or pronunciation
• Better expressiveness in speaking
• More confidence in speaking
• Good method for continuing to improve
• Works for anybody with a CLB or IELTS 5 and up

• 10 weeks, online (plus Introduction video on 2/5/2026)
• (Free) 20~30-minute training video uploaded to YouTube every Thursday
• 15~30 minutes of homework every day!
• (Optional) live homework follow up meeting on Zoom Wednesday at 8-9 p.m. EST. 

•      15-minute Zoom interview required to enroll
•     $250 USD additional fee. 

Weekly syllabus:

1. Basic rhythm 1 (pronunciation grammar) 
2. Fluency 1 (body rhythm)
3. Consonants 1 (common problems, such as 'th' and 'r/l')
4. Vowels 1 (short)
5. Vowels 2 (long)
6. Consonants 2 (students’ “favorite” problems)
7. Melody 1 (little pieces, phrases)
8. Melody 2 (longer pieces, sentences)
9. Fluency 2 (Public speaking and classroom stye)

10. Rhythm 2 (Conversation style)

Typical weekly schedule: 

   Thursday: Do the video along with me (20+ minutes) and keep notes!
   Friday: Do the warm up, training, embodied oral reading (EOR) and keep notes!
   Saturday: Do the warm up, training, EOR and keep notes!
              Notes: Other words or phrases you have difficulty pronouncing well
    Sunday: Take the day off with me!
   Monday: Do the warm up, EOR, practice your target words (with MT5s) and keep notes!
   Tuesday: Do the warm up, EOR,  a new one-page story you have found with MT5s, practice your target words and keep notes!
   Wednesday: Come to the live feedback 60-minute class on Zoom (or practice by yourself!) 

       Here is what goes on in the feedback session: 

                       a. Go over the EOR
                       b. Check students' individual MT5s for accuracy
                       c. Questions from and help with target words of students
                       d. Preview of the next week's lesson

So . . . How does this course work? 

• Gesture and touch make pronunciation easier to learn and remember
• Using your whole body (embodied) makes is easier to pay full attention
• Rhythm and gesture together help keep learning both relaxed and energetic
• Embodied oral reading is great for bringing what you study into conversation
• Practicing the EOR every day trains your mind and body to move and speak more like English speakers do. 
• Use what you know . . . 

Email me: wracton@gmail.com for more information or to enroll (via Paypal or Venmo). To enroll requires brief Zoom chat (just to make sure the course is for you!) 

For a more in depth discussion of the basis of the EAPIC course, go to: https://www.actonhaptic.com/eapic

The Summer 2026 EAPIC course is being revised to include identity protection. Students will also be using IDentityshield system. For a preview of IDentityshield go to: IDentityshield introduction, or  www.williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com 

Homework for next week 

A. Tell me a little about yourself and why you think this course would be helpful for you.

B. Give me some idea of your weekly schedule, how much time you have to practice!

C. Tell me about your experience with music, playing an instrument, etc., or just enjoying it!

D. Tell me if you'd like to join the Wednesday Zoom feedback class. (If so, I'll set up a Zoom interview just with you as soon as possible. If I do, what would be a good time for you?)

Celebrating 20 years of Haptic and the "virtual peaceful-of-mind" of the road ahead!

Hard to believe it was over 20 years ago that we stumbled into the idea that touch would immeasurably complement use of gesture in pronunciation teaching. The concept has now evolved to v8.0 and will be offered, as usual, as an online course, beginning the week of February 9th. Please pass on the word; if you have a group of students, contact me directly. (wracton@gmail.com)

In addition, as suggested above, I'm now associated with LegalShield and company, among the top providers of subscriber-based legal, identity and dark web protection. It is very affordable and, depending on the extent of your life on the web and the rapid emergence of the threat of AI, is becoming more and more essential/critical for many of us. (Here's my website: williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com) . Check it out and/or get in touch and I'll be happy to give you the tour! (Here's a nice 10-minute link that describes the Legal and Identity Shield systems: https://ltl.is/djkyfqn89)

Keep in touch!

Bill

 

(Haptic) English Accent and Pronunciation Improvement Course!

For a good time, start at the bottom of page! The blog page has the materials used in the video!

Enjoy!

Bill

 Link to Lesson 10 training video (Tour of the key techniques of the course!) 

Link to Lesson 10 blog page

  Link to Lesson 9 ttaining video

Link to Lesson 9 blog page

Link to EAPIC 8 Training Video 

Link to EAPIC 8 blog page

Link to Lesson 7 Training Video

Link to Lesson 7 Blog page

 Link to Lesson 6 Training video

Link to Lesson 6 Blog page

Link to Lesson 5 Training Video 

Link to Lesson 5 Blog Page

 Link to L4 Trainng video 

Link to L4 blog page

Link to L3 training video 

Link to L3 Blog page.

Link to L2 training video 

Link to L2 blog page with the materials

Link to Lesson 1 

Link to L1 Blog page

Link to the Introduction video 

Reminder: English Accent and Pronunication Improvement course (EAPIC) Wednesday Nite L4 Feedback session.

 The session starts at 8 EST on Google Meets. Lesson 4 focuses on single vowels in English and basics of (remembering) word stress. Even if you have not been attending the course, feel free to drop by and see what it is about. Tonight is the last free feedback session.

Link to the feedback session.

See you in an hour!

Bill

Beginning next week! (Haptic) English Accent and Pronunciation Improvement Course

 If you have students, or colleagues  (or yourself!) who 

• have an IELTS speaking score of 5 or above, and 
• still have some accent or pronunciation issues that can still interfere with communicating well, 
• and are to busy to take a regular course with a school,

do this EAPIC course. The description and landing page are here. As you will see, the basic course is free. If you want more personal feedback, that is available, too, for $200 USD. No limit on number of students but it is important to get in from the begining if you can, for about 30-minutes a day, 6 days a week. 

See you there!

Bill

Fall 2025 (KINETIK) English Accent and Pronunciation Course!

KINETIK – using the whole body to learn (especially gesture and touch)

The EAPIC course is an innovative 10-week online program designed for non-native adult English speakers who want to improve their accent and pronunciation, even without everyday conversational practice. Using embodied oral reading and haptic-based methods, students build fluency and confidence through structured private practice. The course suits learners with IELTS 4.0+ reading ability and lower intermediate English listening skills, especially those who are disciplined and prefer independent study. Skills gained in EAPIC empower ongoing improvement beyond the course, supporting personal, academic, and professional English communication needs.

Beginning September 25, 2025

• Much better accent or pronunciation
• Much better expressiveness in speaking
• More confidence in speaking
• Good method for continuing to improve
• Works for anybody with a CLB or IELTS 5 and up

• 10 weeks, online
• (Free) 20-minute training video uploaded every Thursday
• 15-30 minutes of homework every day!
• (Optional) live homework follow up meeting on Wednesday at 8-9 p.m. EST ($200 USD)

Weekly syllabus:

1. Basic rhythm 1(pronunciation grammar) 

2. Fluency 1(body rhythm)

3. Consonants 1 (common problems)

4. Vowels 1 (short)

5. Vowels 2 (long)

6. Consonants 2 (students’ “favorites”)

7. Melody 1 (little pieces)

8. Melody 2 (longer pieces)

9. Fluency 2 (Conversation)

10. Rhythm 2 (Public speaking)

A sample from Lesson 1

Warm up!  

1. Neck stretcher (left side, right side, back, front)

2. Upper chest and shoulders stretcher (elbows touch) 

3. Nasal resonance BUZZ (Ying! Yang! Young!) 

4. Back (‘Oh’ cone) and chest expander (Ooo-Wah!) 

 Syllable Butterfly Training

Strong tap on the stressed syllable: X

Light tap on unstressed syllables: o

Cool. X

That’s cool. oX

Really cool.  ooX

That’s really cool.  oooX

Awesome Xo

That’s awesome. oXo

Really awesome. ooXo

That’s really awesome. oooXo

Super cool. Xoo

That’s super cool. oXoo

Really super cool. ooXoo

That’s really super cool. oooXoo

Super awesome. Xooo

That’s super awesome. oXooo

Really super awesome. ooXooo

That’s really super awesome. oooXooo

Lesson I – Embodied Oral Reading (EOR)

1A:  I THINK | we've GOT it | figured OUT.    

           •X                     •X•                    • •X    

   B: Oh. Can you TELL me | what it IS? 

         X                      X   •              • •X   

2A: Your MUFfler | I THINK | has a small HOLE in it.    

 •    X•                 •X                   • • •      X      • •    

   B: Oh NO!  Does it NEED | to be rePLACED right now?   

          • X             • •     X            • •      • X                 •    •   

3A: Yes, it DOES. It ISN’T going to | last much LONger     

        X    •  X         •   X•        •   •             • •           X•.  

   B: Huh. How MUCH | will it COST?          

          X            • X            •  •        X   

4A: A-BOUT | a hundred | and fifty DOLlars.         

          •X           •     X•          •     • •       X•    

   B: Really. That's too BAD. Is there a less exPENsive way?       

          X•               ••     X                      • • • • •X    •        •   

5A: You could MAYbe | rePAIR it, yourSELF.

             • •       X•               •X     •         • X    

   B: How LONG | exACTly | will that LAST?

            •  X                 •X•                 • •     X   

6A: If it works at ALL . . . MAYbe | for a couple of MONTHS?

               • • •   •   X             X•            • •     • •       •   X    

   B: I'll DO that. SEE you | in a MONTH or two!

          •  X   •        X   •            • •     X         • •    

Homework: 

1. Practice the warm up, training and Embodied Oral Reading every day in the morning for 15-30 minutes, standing, with good posture and gesture!

2. Practice using pleasing (beautiful) voice, good breathing and confident volume.

3.  Keep a "learning conversation" journal with your favorite AI Bot!

Email me: wracton@gmail.com for more information or to enrol.

For a more in depth discussion of the basis of the EAPIC course, go to: https://www.actonhaptic.com/eapic

Back to the future of (haptic) pronunciation teaching: beginning June 23rd!

The 2025 summer English Accent and Pronuncition Improvement Course (EAPIC) begins next month on the 26th. (The Spring course materials and videos are still available here.) I asked Perplexity about it, since it will figure in very prominently in all lessons of the new course:

"The English Accent and Pronunciation Improvement Course (EAPIC), built on Acton’s haptic pronunciation teaching, is notably effective for English learners of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds due to its unique integration of movement, touch, and embodied practice. Unlike traditional pronunciation methods that rely heavily on auditory and visual cues, haptic pronunciation teaching (HaPT) systematically incorporates gesture and touch, creating a multisensory learning experience that enhances memory, recall, and confidence in spoken English.

This approach draws inspiration from voice training, embodied oral reading, and kinesthetic learning, allowing learners to physically anchor sounds and patterns in their bodies. Such “haptic anchoring” supports deeper integration of new pronunciation habits, much like muscle memory in sports or music training.The method is adaptable, making it accessible to learners regardless of age, native language, or prior phonetic knowledge. Regular, structured practice—both in and out of class—ensures that improvements are not only rapid but also sustainable, while the engaging, movement-based activities boost motivation and make learning enjoyable.

Ultimately, Acton’s haptic method empowers learners to internalize English pronunciation in a way that is memorable, meaningful, and effective across diverse learner profiles."

Could not have said it better myself . . . (In fact most of those terms and phrases are extracted directly from the blog and publications I have been involved with!) The embodied oral reading of the course will be all AI generated--by the students themselves--to provide the optimal context and personal connection between the genre, vocabulary and proficiency level of the learner and the practice materials. 

The weekly, 30-minute course training videos are free, on Youtube and Vimeo. Enrolment in the 60-minute live feedback sessions is optional ($250 USD). 

Join us next month! 

60 days to better pronunciation (and making a habit of it!)

 I'm reminded of the old saw: Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes . . . In the midst of this meta analysis-lite of what it takes to establish a habit in Australia (summarized by Neuroscience news), there was a little gem or two from the research that supports what I have been saying to students for decades: practice pronunciation in the morning! There is no real explanation as to why that should be the case, just the numbers, but it makes perfect sense for several reasons. 

The more interesting conclusion of the study is that the current "consensus" as to how long it takes to establish a habit, that is about 30 days, does not apply to a wide range of behaviors Australians need/want to change. Some, it turns out can take up a full year to lock in. The research suggests that the minimum time is closer to 60 days, depending on any number of parameters. In the sports/fitness business opinions range from 1 to 3 months. (The popular "book" on changing habits is probably Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by Clear, a great source on how to do it.)

What the researchers and Clear agree on, however, is that the process is not mysterious but generally grounded in regular, disciplined, systematic practice. In pronunciation work at least the engagement must also be fundamentally embodied, as well. . . . In other words, to be successful you need to not only stay with it for a couple of months, at least, but also need a scaffolded goal-focused plan to get there with. 

Next week, beginning on the 6th, is the English Accent and Pronunciation Improvement (EAPIC) course, pronounced: EPIC. It lasts 9 weeks, 63 days, just over mark for establishing a habit, according to the researchers. What it does is train the student's body (and pre-frontal cortex) in how to keep on improving, centered on what we call "Embodied oral reading:" (EOR), that is daily oral reading, in private, accompanied by a set of approximately 24 gestures from the course. The 8 training videos will be free on Youtube. They are enough for you if you are really disciplined and commit to practicing everyday, for about 20 minutes, on your own. If you need weekly feedback on your work, you can sign up for the course ($200 USD), too. The feedback sessions are always the following Wednesday on Zoom at 8 EST. 

If interested, connect w/me at: wracton@gmail.com

Original source:

Ben Singh, Andrew Murphy, Carol Maher, Ashleigh E. Smith. Time to Form a Habit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Health Behaviour Habit Formation and Its Determinants. Healthcare, 2024; 12 (23): 2488 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12232488

Guilt by reason of "accentedness" (and what should be done about it!)

Interesting study out of the UK: “Stereotyped accent judgements in forensic contexts: listener perceptions of social traits and types of behaviour” by Alice Paver et al., summarized by Neuroscience.com, as: "Do accents influence guilt perceptions?"  (I might also add that accents influence getting work!) It raises so many issues that I'd recommend that you read the full article yourself. The summary is not sufficient but is certainly provocative!!! Here is the Neuroscience,com summary: 

"Researchers analyzed responses from 180 participants who rated voices from 10 UK accents on social traits and likelihood of certain behaviors, including crimes. . . ." Leaving aside some obvious potential shortcomings of the design--some of which are acknowledged by the reseachers, such as using male speakers only and a design that sets up the focus on the "bias" before hearing the samples--the conclusions are . . . striking, to say the least:

"Accents influence perceptions of guilt, with those judged as “lower status” being considered more likely to commit crimes."

Now assuming that the results hold up later with

• An acceptable definition of what constitutes and accent
• Replication involving the other gender(s) and 
• Possibly a different general elicitation format, and that 
• The working class dialects do come with features that could  undermine the credibility or "hiring potential"--an intuition strongly confirmed or established in research over the decades . . . 

What should our approach be in the classroom in working with students who come to us with "working class" dialects who are aiming at white collar careers, for example? 

First, one of the other possibly relevant findings was that nonnative accents of the dialects tended to be seen as more trustworthy than the native speakers in the samples. Although it was not reported specifically which nonnative accents carried that "advantage," that sounds like good news for those who'd rather not get into accent work in the first place. Maybe. The distinction between "accent" and "pronunciation" that I give students is something like:

•  If when speaking slowly, your listeners have trouble understanding you, you need pronunciation work. Basic rhythm, stress and intonation instruction is key at that level. 
• If when speaking quickly and maybe under some stress, your listeners have trouble understanding you, you need accent work. Requires attention to better, more accurate production of key/professional terms and dialect features. pacing and voice quality settings. (May even include breath, posture and self-moitoring training.)

So, if your students come to you in a position where they have "absorbed" the features of a less prestigious, disadvantageous dialect and they are preparing for job interviews, f you can't help them at the accent-level, you may need work . . . or you may be doing so already and not know it! If you do need to upgrade your accent work toolkit, join us for the next haptic course next month!

Keep in touch!

Bill

Credit:
Clker.com

Original Research: Open access.
“Stereotyped accent judgements in forensic contexts: listener perceptions of social traits and types of behaviour” by Alice Paver et al. Frontiers in Communication

English accent and pronunciation improvement course LITE (EAPIC!)

Course begins with recorded introduction on February 6th!

In about two months make good progress in improving your English accent or pronunciation and be trained in how to keep on improving after the course. This is an 8-week, shorter more compact version of the regular English Accent and Pronunciation Course. (See the description of the full 12-week course here.) 

• The recorded, 30-minute weekly training lessons are free, available on Thursdays on Youtube.
• The next week on Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST there is a live  Zoom feedback session on that lesson for students who are enrolled in the course (for $200 USD.)
• The feedback sessions are recorded, so you can always access them later if you are enrolled. 
• At least be sure to watch the free Thursday training videos!!!

To really benefit from the course, you should do all the assigned homework for enrolled students, about 30 minutes per day. This is also a good course for an instructor who wants an introduction to haptic pronunciation teaching. 

The course officially begins Thursday February 6th, but you can join it anytime and still get caught up!  To enrol, just pay the $200 for the weekly Zoom feedback lessons and the homework assignments.

 All lessons are recorded and available later in day after the lesson. 

 For more information or to sign up, contact me, william.acton@twu.ca.

Keep in touch!

Bill

Bill Acton has been teaching accent and pronunciation improvement for about 50 years! This course, Version 7.0 of KINETIK system, contains many new techniques based on research in pronunciation teaching and neuroscience. Bill is now living in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

EPIC preview of the English Accent and Pronunciation Course (pronounced: EPIC!)

EPIC PREVIEW POSTPONED - DUE TO MINOR HAPTIC MALFUNCTION HERE!

CHECK BACK February 5th!!!  Spring 8-week course--Wednesday evenings 8~9 p.m. EST. 

Here is the link to the course description. 

william.acton@twu.ca. 

A new, short--but terrific-- course in Haptic Pronunciation Teaching

For all of you whose bodies are just dying to teach pronunciation "whole-bodily" and haptically . . .good news! I'll be offering a special 6-hour KINETIK Method seminar, four saturdays, 12-1:30 EST, October 19th to November 9th. $200 USD. There will be a couple of hours of optional homework assigned and all sessions will be recorded in case you miss one. Here are the topics covered:

• October 19th - Fluency and rhythm
• October 26th - Stress and vowels
• November 2nd - Intonation and consonants
• November 9th - Integration of change in spontaneous conversation

This would be especially good for those teaching CLB levels 4~6. The course will follow the first half of the coming 10-week (Haptic) English Accent and Pronunciation Course.  Will also be offering courses for CLB 1~3 and 7~9 levels next spring. 

Course includes pre-publication draft of "Manual of Haptic Pronunciation Teaching," including access to new v7.0 instructional videos. 

For more information, get in touch--soon!

 wracton@gmail.com. 

More detail shortly! 

(Haptic) English Accent and Pronunciation Course - Begins October 3rd!

In case you missed the course announcement, HERE a quick video guide to it, and THE LINK to the course description! It is a new design, created especially for really busy, disciplined people. 

It is a 10-week, online, almost self-study course, WITH THE FIRST TWO LESSONS FREE! 

It does require a brief Zoom interview to actually join the course. (Just to make sure it is a good fit for you!)  

Enrolment is limited to 30 students. (So sign on soon!) 

For more information or to schedule an interview, email: wracton@gmail.com

Check it out!

(New) Acton Haptic Accent Enhancement for International Professionals

For the last 5 or 6 years I have been working with a "new" accent enhancement system, based on haptic pronunciation teaching face-to-face, on campus, with select international graduate students and professionals. With COVID, beginning early this spring, I began working on a new online version of that individualized course. It is all one-on-one (or possibly one-on-two) with weekly, 45-minute sessions on Zoom or SKYPE. 

I have been doing accent work since about 1975 or so. The first paper was published on it in 1984. (If you'd like a free copy of that, let me know and I'll send you one.) Our 2013 article gives you a pretty good picture of what it is about. Would love to work with you if you have the "wiring" and time. If interested, check out the AHAE program page. (It is still a work in progress but it will give you a pretty good idea of what it is about.) 

Bill

Affluent pronunciation: not so fast!

Clker.com

Will improving your accent or pronunciation enhance your chances of making more money later? That is a study that has not been done to my knowledge. but just ask anybody other than a prominent pronunciation researcher or methodologist (or one of their students) and the answer is a resounding: Well, of course! I did just that, in fact, an informal poll around the building last week: Yes (22) No (0).

The distinction between "accent" and "pronunciation" instruction is important in the field today. It is essentially this: The goal of pronunciation instruction should be intelligible speech; the speaker is understandable without unduly taxing the ear of the listener. Accent reduction, on the other hand, appears to go beyond this "intelligibility threshold" aiming at more and more native-like pronunciation. There may be any number of reasons to "go near there," of course, including working at an international call center, managerial or executive positions where public speaking persona may still require a certain degree of conformity, such as consular representatives--or, of course, secret agent types!

So, how fast can a learner's accent or pronunciation change and get to a goal or model?

Purely anecdotal evidence from about 40 years of working with accent, suggests that for most students it is a relatively long and incremental process--if attempted at all. There are those of amazing natural ability who almost chameleon-like appear to absorb the second language in all its multifaceted dimensions, accent being just part of the picture, of course. In truth, however, most of those who approach a native-like accent work at it, often for years--or longer. If it is worth doing, for only some, mind you, how do you get there?

One way, of course, could be to go to SpeakMoreClearly and help them become more affluent in getting you there quickly. Or . . . you might, however, want to consider this new research by Hampton, Asadi and Olson at Temple University, Good Things for Those Who Wait: Predictive Modeling Highlights Importance of Delay Discounting for Income Attainment." (Summarized by ScienceDaily.com.)

What their research demonstrated was some validation of the old saw, Good things come to those that wait! In essence, children who were trained to postpone the natural drive for more instant gratification (had more self control), later in life made significantly more money. From the ScienceDaily summary:

"Unsurprisingly, the models indicated that occupation and education were the best predictors of high income, followed by location (as determined by zip code) and gender -- with males earning more than females. Delay discounting was the next most-important factor, being more predictive than age, race, ethnicity or height."

So how does that work for predicting success at obtaining great pronunciation or accent?

(occupation and education) -- (zip code and gender) -- delay discounting. i.e., self control/delayed gratification -- (age, race, ethnicity or height)

That actually might work, as long as you flip the gender (from male in the affluence study to female!) and begin the study at age 12 or so. That would be particularly the case if you factor in DD.  

When it comes to training the body in the gym, the DD principle is a given. Self control and persistence is the only way to get to excellence--and stay there. And what that entails is adopting a commitment to the process, over time, not some abstract goal in the future. In most respects, quick fixes are only temporary, at best. For a great perspective on that, check with my favorite source on such topics, James Clear, here or here!

So, what is your best plan to achieve "a fluent" accent or pronunciation?

clker.com

DD-based practice over time (done as embodied and
haptically as possible, of course!) . . . and you can take that to the bank!