Killing pronuciation 8: Unproductive goals and their "goalees!"

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The goal (of this) post is to at least partially relieve you of the burden of meeting many of your pronunciation teaching goals--and suggest a better way to reach them! Or at least "Clear-ify" them!

How would you describe your students' personal goals in terms of their English pronunciation, or their L2 learning in general? What would they tell you? Where did they come from? Do they work? Do they make sense? How do you work with them? Are they clear? Are you clear? Good questions. More research needed . . .

 One of the apparent "problems" with pronunciation teaching we are told is unrealistic or "utopian" goals (Derwing, 2010). There is certainly some of that, to be sure.

The actual problem, however, based on a new piece by James Clear, Forget About Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead: Continuous Improvement, may be the practice of (unproductive) goal setting in the first place. (If you, personally, have defective goals, that is a great piece for sorting things out. Clear is good, very good.) Clear's basic point: progress is generally best achieved by following a method, not by simply "keeping your eye on the prize", not by ad libbing your way along with exercises and practice decisions. Good advice, but how do we do that? What's the method?

I am always interested in what pronunciation teaching books recommend to students and instructors regarding goals. Here is a typical example from Learning  English VOA News that really doesn't say much but is actually about half right (The sentence in italics!):

"Start by setting a reasonable goal. Choose one or two sounds that are difficult for you to pronounce. Then, work to improve those sounds. When you have improved, study other sounds. Progress might be slow for you, but don't give up!" There is no clue there or on the website as to HOW you work or practice, but the idea that you commit to an ongoing process of improvement is what Clear is referring to. 

That VOA prescription is still at least as helpful as the typical, high-level, intelligibility-centered goal approach:

• "Aim for intelligibility, not accuracy"
• "Model yourself on an articulate educated L2 speaker of English from your L1"

 Or the more entertaining accent reduction approach:

• "Strive for perfect pronunciation" 
• "Lose your accent"

What Clear is talking about, based on research in physical training, motivation and discipline development, is that what works is commitment to a method, in effect letting the method take over and (get ready!) . . . following it consistently. Hence, the conundrum in contemporary teaching, in general.

On the one hand we want students to take responsibility and control over their learning; on the other, we want them to do what we know is best for them. Short of handing it off to the computer, which is on the horizon to be sure, what do you do? The answer is "clear", a method. Here is a little check list, based on Clear's general framework, of what that method should probably include. You don't need all the pieces but probably most of them, depending on your available "tool kit!"

• Clear sense of what needs to be done.
• Clear, relatively complete procedures for working on the problem sound/sound process, including recommended time-on-task instructions.
• Clear feedback from something/body periodically
• Clear guidelines for out-of class or independent practice and exploration
• Clear reporting or journaling on work/progress.
• Clear signs of progress becoming evident.  
• Clear criteria as to when the goal is achieved.
• Clear understanding and trust between the learner and the instructor.
• And, of course, clear commitment to ongoing progress as "the goal", not just some unattainable model. 

Are we clear on that? If not, ask your local haptician (instructor trained in haptic pronunciation teaching) or personal trainer at the gym about her method.

Derwing, T. M. (2010). Utopian goals for pronunciation teaching. In J. Levis & K. LeVelle (Eds.), Proceedings of the 1st Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Conference,

Brain-fit Pronunciation Instruction!

Wow! Science Daily just published an article on a program developed by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center called the "Brain Fit Club." Here's the description (emphasis, mine) :

" . . . . might involve a combination of scientifically-validated computerized cognitive training, brain stimulation, nutritional coaching, mindfulness training, sleep and lifestyle education, gait and balance evaluation and treatment, and group classes in meditation, tai chi and gentle yoga designed to target a full range of cognitive struggles or decline . . . there's a lot to be gained from pairing traditional treatments like medication with special kinds of exercises, and we're very excited to offer this comprehensive approach . . . " 

Sign me up! The boldfaced terms would describe basic HICP pretty well! The BIDMC has apparently been around doing this kind of thing for decades. Of the dozen or so techniques or technique-types mentioned, as of now AH-EPS does not exactly employ only a few of them, namely: 

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(a) computerized cognitive training--although we do it well w/o the wiring and are ready to go virtual reality at a moment's notice!

(b) nutritional coaching--although AH-EPS is very much based on coaching models and students do find the system "food for thought!"

(c) sleep education--although research is clear when most learning consolidation happens.

(d) gait evaluation--although general body fluidity and balance are critical. 

Clearly, if you are not doing this kind of pronunciation work, you may be in some degree of cognitive (phonological) decline . . . 

Keep In Touch. 

Reflecting on "deliberate practice" vs rote repetition in pronunciation teaching

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Here is a nice presentation by Brabeck and Jeffrey (2007) on what they term "Practice for knowledge acquisition" that uses the term, deliberate practice, in summarizing the research literature on potentially repetitive classroom practice. The key to deliberative practice is said to be: ". . . goal-directed rehearsal paired with reflection on problem-solving processes." For example, the "goal" of practicing the "th" sound is not to pronounce it correctly but the words in which it happens, in the contexts in which the word occurs. More important, however, is the place or quality of reflection in HICP/EHIEP, as opposed to the usual pronunciation class approach.

Typically, reflection, that is conscious attention to goal of practice, happens primarily before the repetition exercises and after, as follow up. In EHIEP, the critical role of attention occurs during articulation and oral practice, in the form of the "felt sense" of the sound being anchored. As discussed exhaustively in earlier posts, that is possible due to the nature of haptic anchoring and how that anchoring is available for recall without inordinately interfering with spontaneous speech and meaning creation.

We need a new term, one that captures the function of reflection in making practice relevant (deliberate) but from a haptic perspective. How about "hapticulation" or "hapticoflection" or "hapticonation?" Anyway. Reflect on that and post your haptical-somatic impressions here!

Marking the territory: What wolves can teach us about integrated anchoring and learning of L2 pronunciation

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There are many who report using haptic anchoring in teaching pronunciation, techniques such as clapping hands, stomping feet, tapping on the desk or pulling at rubber bands-- coordinated with stressed words or rhythm groups in speaking. Such "marking of the territory" does certainly help to reinforce the goal of the activity, but it is not "haptic-integrated," in the sense that we use it here.

In the 2003 study of the marking behavior of wolves in Poland, by Zub, Theuerkauf, Jędrzejewski, Jędrzejewska, Schmidt and Kowalczyk, an elaborate system was revealed such that each incidence of territorial marking could only be interpreted by considering three parameters simultaneously: (a) significance, (b) variability, and (c) relationship to other marking(s). In other words, the efficacy and meaning of the "mark" was dependent entirely upon its relative place in an integrated, multi-dimensional map of the territory.

In the same sense, haptic anchoring of new pronunciation only contributes effectively when it is thoroughly integrated into speaking, listening, reading or writing tasks. If it is experienced outside of meaningful discourse, narrative and task sequencing, as traditional, isolated pronunciation exercises inserted in the midst of a lesson--no matter how vividly or dramatically the haptic anchoring is executed, chances are it will not be all that different or memorable in principle than when the wolves, themselves, employ the same marking "technology" for other, more mundane functions in the Bialowieza woods . . .

The felt sense of stress timing (Going to the mat with Pilates)

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For over a decade (during my "pre-haptic period") I had used the concept of the "upper torso nod" in various contexts to help learners get the felt sense of what the body is doing in English when it stresses words or phrases. The function of the upper torso nod is well documented in gesture and movement research. That training seems to transfer effectively into public speaking with most students, especially in preparing them to give short, focused speeches or oral reports.

The problem was always how to get the bodies to move with correct posture, efficiency and consistency so that there was as little extraneous, random gesturing or wobbling as possible--trying to appear confident and business-like while speaking. These Pilates exercises are about the best haptic grounding for the felt sense of the well executed upper torso nod that I have seen (and tried!) Try it, yourself. I'm sure you, too, will give it your (haptic) nod of approval.