KINETIK Webinar #3: Consonants Supreme 1 (The Best, most moving way to teach the pronunciation of 'th' and beyond!)

Duh best, most moving and efficient technique for duh 'th' sound and den some! One reason dat many metodologists advise not making 'th' a priority is dat dey don't know how to teach it well or teach others how to teach it well. Duh Haptic Pronunciation Teaching "Movement, tone and touch technique" (MT3) for 'th', inspired by a close encounter wit a popsicle stick in Japan two decades ago, is wort duh (free) price of admission for next week's webinar!

Seriously, the Haptic MT# for θ/ð is amazing . . we'll also do f/v, and y & w onglides. Don't believe me; come and try it on yourself next Tuesday, July 29th. 

Almost forgot. Bring along a coffee stirrer or popsicle stick. (Most MT3s use one!) 

Go to www.actonhaptic.com, to sign up!

Good looking, intelligible English pronunciation: Better seen (than just) heard

One of the less obvious shortcomings of virtually all empirical research in second language pronunciation intelligibility is that is generally done using only audio recordings of learner speech--where the judges cannot see the faces of the subjects. In addition, the more prominent studies were done either in laboratory settings or in specially designed pronunciation modules or courses.

In a fascinating, but common sense 2014 study by Kawase, Hannah and Wang it was found that being able to see the lip configuration of the subjects, as they produced the consonant 'r', for example, had a significant impact on how the perceived intelligibility of the word was rated. (Full citation below.) From a teaching perspective, providing visual support or schema for pronunciation work is a given. Many methods, especially those available on the web, strongly rely on learners mirroring visual models, many of them dynamic and very "colorful." Likewise, many, perhaps most f2f pronunciation teachers are very attentive to using lip configuration, their own or video models, in the classroom.

What is intriguing to me is the contribution of lip configuration and general appearance to f2f intelligibility. There are literally hundreds of studies that have established the impact of facial appearance on perceived speaker credibility and desirability. So why are there none that I can find on perceived intelligibility based on judges viewing of video recordings, as opposed to just audio? In general, the rationale is to isolate speech, not allowing the broader communicative abilities of the subjects to "contaminate" the study. That makes real sense on a theoretical level, bypassing racial and ethnic and "cosmetic" differences, but almost none on a practical, personal level.

There are an infinite number of ways to "fake" a consonant or vowel, coming off quite intelligibly, while at the same time doing something very much different than what a native speaker would do. So why shouldn't there be an established criterion for how mouth and face look as you speak, in addition to how the sounds come out? Turns out that there is, in some sense. In f2f interviews, being influenced by the way the mouth and eyes are "moving" is inescapable.

Should we be attending more to holistic pronunciation, that is what the learner both looks and sounds like as they speak? Indeed. There are a number of methods today that have learners working more from visual models and video self recordings. That is, I believe, the future of pronunciation teaching, with software systems that provide formative feedback on both motion and sound. Some of that is now available in speech pathology and rehabilitation.

There is more to this pronunciation work than what doesn't meet the eye! The key, however, is not just visual or video models, but principled "lip service", focused intervention by the instructor (or software system) to assist the learner in intelligibly "mouthing" the words as well.

This gives new meaning to the idea of "good looking" instruction!

Full citation:
Kawase S, Hannah B, Wang Y. (2014). The influence of visual speech information on the intelligibility of English consonants produced by non-native speakers. J Acoust Soc Am. 2014 Sep;136(3):1352. doi: 10.1121/1.4892770.

We have met the enemy (of pronunciation teaching in TESOL), and he is us!

Clker.com

Am often reminded of that great quip in the political cartoon Pogo, by Walt Kelly, embellished in the title of this post. In workshops we often encounter the following three misconceptions about pronunciation teaching, based vaguely and incorrectly on "research" in the field. Recently, in the comments of one reviewer of a proposal for a workshop on teaching consonants for the 2016 TESOL convention--which was rejected, by the way--all three showed up together! Here they are, with my responses in italics:

Currency/Importance/Appropriateness 
"Most learners have access to websites that model phonemes, such as Rachel’s English and Sounds of Speech by the University of Iowa."

Really? "Most" learners? What planet is that on? Billions of learners don't have web access, including the preponderance of those in settlement programs here in Vancouver. And even those that do still need competent instruction on not only to use them effectively, but find them in the first place. Furthermore, those sites are strongly visual-auditory and EAP biased, better suited to what we term "EAP-types" (English for the academically privileged). For the kinaesthetic or less literate learner, those web resources are generally of little value. There are half a dozen other reasons why that perspective is excessively "linguini-centric."

Theory, Practice and Research Basis ·      
"There has been much research, which has shown the central importance of the peak vowel in a stressed syllable. The focus on consonant articulation is less important."

That represents an "uninformed" consensus from more than a decade ago. Any number of studies have since established the critical importance of selected consonants for intelligibility of learners of specific L1s. Think: Final consonants in English for some Vietnamese dialects or some Spanish L1 speakers of English. 

Support for Practices, Conclusions, and/or Recommendations ·      
"The article made a nice specific connection between haptic activities, and acquisition of consonant sounds. However, there was only one source."

Good grief. The workshop was proposed as a practical, hands-on session for teachers, presenting techniques for dealing with specific consonants.(The one reference is a published conference paper linked off the University of Iowa website.) Have heard similar reports from other classroom practitioners, such as myself, who had  proposals rejected: Only "researcher certified" proposals welcome. So much for our earlier enthusiasm in TESOL for teacher empowerment . . .

Love your English Consonants Repair Workshop!!!

Clip art: 

This is big. I love English consonants, most all of them. I didn't always. My relationship with them changed when I was introduced to Lessac's Use and Training of the Human Voice. In Lessac's system each consonant is identified with a musical instrument of the (classical, Western) orchestra. To "do" the consonant, then, the student "impersonates" the instrument, perhaps even by acting out the

Clker.com

movement associated with it. (My favourite, by the way is the N-trombone.)

Our haptic approach takes Lessac as a point of departure and adds touch and conscious attention to movement in various ways. Of course, most good consonant work entails some degree of tactile and kinaesthetic awareness. (Speech therapists have an advantage on us in being licensed to actually touch their patients! We use coffee stirs instead!)

May 23rd, 2015 at the BCTEAL Annual Conference at UBC in Vancouver, BC we'll be doing the FIRST Consonant Repair Workshop EVER! We have been trying to get this proposal accepted at a conference for several years now with no success. (I do not give up easily!) The basic comments from reviewers have often been something to the effect of: "Who cares?" "Segmental issues (vowels and consonants) are not that important." "Not a high priority!"

That attitude is changing, as research points out how for some learners from diverse L1's (such as Vietnamese) certain consonant issues can be exceedingly disruptive to intelligibility and need to be addressed early in instruction.

Join us!

Here is the abstract:

This workshop presents haptic-based (movement plus touch) techniques for improving pronunciation of select English consonants. Depending on participant preference, included are: th/th, f/v, l/n, r, s/z, sh/zh, y, w, voiced final consonants and initial consonant aspiration. It is appropriate for relatively inexperienced instructors of middle-school age learners and older.

20 contexts for haptic pronunciation teaching

I am often asked in what contexts or classrooms haptic pronunciation teaching works. Assuming enthusiastic, full-body buy-in by the instructor and student, here is a new list of contexts and

Credit: Anna Shaw

classrooms where features of the AHEPS - haptic pronunciation system are being or have been used so far.

Keep in touch!

(info@actonhaptic.com)

Announcing new AH-EPS v2.0 packages and Demonstration videos!

Along with release of v2.0 of Acton Haptic English Pronunciation System will be a new set of 4, 2-module packages: Vowels and word stress, rhythm and linking, intonation and expressiveness, and fluency and integration. Any one of those packages can be used as a set. Each also includes some basic introductory material to AH-EPS for students as well. 

Also for a limited time, links to Vimeo-streaming demonstrations of the haptic pedagogical movement patterns (PMPs--See the Teaman and Acton paper) are available, included below. Each video will give you an idea of the basic haptic (movement + touch) gesture that is used in presenting, practice and correcting pronunciation in that module.  (If you cannot access Vimeo, email actonhaptic@gmail.com for a demonstration DVD or further information.)

NOTE: Some of the demo links below are now password protected but will be available shortly as part of AH-EPS v2.0, either on the AH-EPS DVDs or as streaming off Vimeo.com. If you would like to view some of the demos, please email me at actonhpatic@gmail.com for a temporary password!

Credit: AMPISys, Inc. 

A module typically includes instructional and student materials, plus a set of videos, including:

(a) A warm up DEMONSTRATION

(b) Demonstration of new PMP

(c) Review of PMP from previous module(s)

(d) Training in new PMP

(e) Practice of new PMP

(f) Practice of new PMP in conversational dialogues

Package 1. Vowels and word stress
(Module 2) Short vowels (lax vowels) DEMONSTRATION
(Module 3) Long vowels (tense vowels, and tense vowels + off glides) DEMONSTRATION

Package 2. Rhythm, phrasal stress and linking 
(Module 4) Syllable grouping DEMONSTRATION
(Module 6) Rhythm training and linking DEMONSTRATION (rhythm training only)

Package 3. Intonation and expressiveness
(Module 5) Basic Intonation DEMONSTRATION
(Module 8) Expressiveness (discourse intonation) DEMONSTRATION

Package 4. Fluency and integration
(Module 7) Conversational fluency DEMONSTRATION
(Module 9) Integrating pronunciation change DEMONSTRATION

Each package includes:
Instructor materials: Complete Instructor's Guide download and Vimeo video streaming of 2 modules (hardcopy and DVDs available)

 Student Workbook materials from 2 modules: Workbook download and Vimeo video streaming of 2 modules (hardcopy and DVDs available)

Cost will be about $35 for download/streaming version, or $90 plus shipping for the hardcopy/DVD version.

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Cost of other packages will range from $50 (consonants) to $400 (including student practice DVD/videos for a class of 12).

In addition to complete AH-EPS packages of Videos and materials (in download or streaming versions), the 2-module packages will be available later this month.

Keep in touch!

Intelligible pronunciation for dummies

To understand why some relatively intelligible interlanguage pronunciation can be so resistant to change, spend a week training to be a ventriloquist. What you learn quickly, is that with practice--a visually striking dummy, basic distraction techniques and a little extra aspiration--you can get away with some amazing substitutions, such as:

Clipart: Clker

a. Instead of 'b', blow out a strong blast of air, aiming at 'v'.
b. For 'f', substitute a strongly aspirated 'h'.
c. For 'm', leave lips open but inhale sharply.
d. Avoid works with 'p'--or drop the first letter if it is a 'p'.
e. For 'w', wiggle the tongue and articulate the word at the back of the throat.
f. 'Y' is the ventriloquist's shibboleth. Once you have that one, you are in the club. Do it, too, with a violent blast of air, rather than much tongue movement.
g. For 'th', most anything works, depending on the accent you are affecting.
i. Vowels are a piece of cake, as long as you don't need to sound too intelligent.
Our students, of course, aren't dummies--but they sometimes do need to be persuaded to improve for no apparent reason . . . like . . .  "watch my lips and repeat after me!" 

Dangerous English pronunciation teaching and haptic circumcisions

A former Japanese student sent me the link to "Dangerous English". (Caveat Emptor: This is an example that is commonly used by the taste-challenged instructor in Japan, nonetheless.) The s/sh and z/zh distinction is, indeed, difficult for some learners. A survey of youtube videos reveals a few typical teaching strategies:

(1) Smile on 's'.
(2) Round lips or pucker on 'sh'.
(3) Hiss like a snake on 's'.
(4) Remember how your parents told you to be quiet on 'sh,' etc.
A few take a shot at talking about (5) tongue "grooving" or
(6) "elevating at the back."
Most involve just (7) listen and repeat or listen and repeat s-l-o-w-l-y--
(8) along with practice saying the sounds in different word position and contexts.

My "favorite" example of the latter is this one. She is at least pleasurable to watch . . . She does a list of words that includes a few that I'm not even sure SHE knows the meaning and collocation of. One of them (which I assume that she DOES know, however) is "circumcision," a word that includes that potentially "dangerous" s/sh alternation.

Here is a EHIEP  haptic protocol for s/sh/z/zh:

(1) For 's'  or 'z' the lips should just be relaxed.
(2) For 'sh' or 'zh'  the lips should just be slightly rounded (not the exaggerated smile and pucker of the "Dangerous English" instructor!)
(3) For 's' or 'z' begin by placing right forefinger horizontally in front of the mouth so that you can feel the air coming out on your middle knuckle as you do the sound. (Imagine the forefinger is a sharp knife?)
(4) As the sound is being produced, with both eyes staying focused on the right forefinger, slowly move the right hand up to about hair-line level.
(5) For 'sh/zh' begin in the same position and then slowly lower right hand down to just below the chin.
(6) In the case of 'z' or 'zh,' also place left forefinger on the vocal cords as the sound is produced.
What that does, among other things, is direct the air stream through the upper teeth on 's/z' and through the lower teeth on 'sh/zh.'

So for the word, "circumcisions:"

(1) Go up slowly twice (on "cir" and "ci"),
(2) Go down with left forefinger on the vocal cords (on "si'), and then
(3) Go back up on final "s" (with finger still on vocal cords.)

Can you get the "felt sense" of that technique? It does have its "ups and downs," of course, but it almost always "sits" well with learners!

To breathe or not to breathe during pronunciation practice

Clip art: Clker

In most basic strength and flexibility training, some kind of systematic control of breathing is practiced. My experience has been primarily with running, weight training and yoga, where there is a general consensus that "nose breathing," at least when inhaling, is recommended. Here is a brief summary of some of the potential health benefits. (There is extensive, well established research also on the effects of breathing in yoga systems.)

I have been exploring the use of controlled breathing in HICP/EHIEP work for sometime now. The idea is to breathe in through the nose before haptic anchoring of a sound or word, then exhaling through the mouth with the anchor as the sound or word is articulated (hapticulated, as we say!) There are several potential benefits (in addition to the biochemical changes evident in the research) including: improved pacing of exercises, enhanced "felt sense" and concentration on the target sound, improved posture encouraged by conscious nasal inhaling, improved aspiration on aspirated consonants--and perhaps most strikingly, a general sense of well-being that remains for some time after practice. (Research seems to indicate that that feeling is  probably the result of greater oxygen absorption.)

So, if your pronunciation work seems to be sucking all the oxygen and enthusiasm out of the room . . . such controlled, embodied systematic "inspiration" (and expiration) could well be a real "breath of fresh air!"

On the tip of the tongue:Tip/top hapticulation

I have given up on finding a Youtube/video that works effectively with directing learners to the felt sense of the tip of the tongue, as opposed to the "top" of the tongue just behind the tip--or for that matter, the top/middle (the blade) or the sides of the tongue. (I was tempted just to include a list of exemplary worst offenders, but decided to keep my tongue/fingers in check . . . )

The exact contact point of the tongue with the teeth, lips, alveolar ridge (just behind the teeth) is essential for efficient consonant repair (e.g., th/th, f/v, s/z, sh/zh, r, l, n, ng, t/d.)  Most learners, with a few exceptions, without the aid of an instructor and mirror, are not able to accurately anchor to those points. That does not mean that by trial and error--and brute force-- many problematic sounds cannot be eventually approximated, particularly for those who are better wired to extrapolate sound into movement. I will be posting some "hapticulation guidelines" (articulating sounds with haptic anchoring) for use in the classroom. The basic, haptic-integrated classroom teaching requirement: if you can't fix a consonant sound in 2 minutes or less, don't. Schedule an office visit.

Clip art: Clker (stick with marshmallow)

In preparation for that series of protocols, go to Starbucks--not to stir up trouble here--order a coffee and walk off with about a dozen wood coffee stirs. Take one or two, and practice breaking off 1/3 so that you end up with a rather jagged edge. Discard the resultant short piece. (The marshmallow is optional!) See if you can figure out how to establish the appropriate haptic anchor points on the upper body for the settings of the "World Englishes" that you teach. Until you can get your hands on the new EHIEP consonant protocols (March, 2013), however, I take no responsibility whatsoever for any collateral damage that you accidentally inflict on yourself or your students.