Invisible pronunciation: What you see is not necessarily what you get.

Nice new study by Smotrova "Making Pronunciation Visible: Gesture In Teaching Pronunciation", in
press, in TESOL Quarterly, examining in depth the pedagogical gestures used by a pronunciation teacher. She had devised an ingenious set of gestures to signal various aspects of pronunciation, such as stress placement, intonation contours, etc. Students (subjects) seemed to have engaged well with the process and there was evidence of both uptake and subsequent student-initiated use of the gestural system.

EHIEP

In the literature review, Essential Haptic-integrated Pronunciation (EHIEP) is described in some detail, for the most part accurately. What is missing, however, is any reference to the critical role of touch in contributing to the effectiveness of haptic pronunciation (HPT). EHIEP is, instead, characterized as a "kinesthetic" approach, meaning: movement and gesture-based. That is, of course, correct at face value, as far as it goes, but the application of touch to the system has been fundamental for over a decade, since 2005.

What we discovered very early on was that gesture used for such "signalling" by the instructor has valuable applications, such as pointing out problems or coordination of gross motor movements such as hand clapping or dancing. What was far more problematic, however, was attempting to use gesture systematically by conducting learner body movement to help them "embody" the new or corrected sounds. Only by using touch to anchor gesture, primarily by touch on the stressed syllable but also in many cases by assigning touch to the beginning and the terminus of the gestural movement, could we consistently work effectively with pedagogical gesture.

That is particularly the case when you want learners to use gesture spontaneously or with homework assignments. If not carefully controlled and applied, gesture use is often at best only marginally effective; at worst, threatening, intimidating and highly invasive.

In other words, the key is not just what you can see someone else doing,  but how well that gesture connects up in the body, or is "embodied" with the sound element or structure being taught, corrected or practiced. And that happens most consistently when the learner does the pedagogical movement pattern (gesture) with precision, the focus of EHIEP. Touch makes that process consistent and systematic, and generally quite acceptable and emotionally "safe" for learners as well. 

The general visual/cognitive bias in pronunciation teaching today is very problematic. Although it is understandable, given the often rigid and noncognitive nature of traditional drill and articulatory training models, it is simply too easy for learners and instructors to avoid the physical/kinesthetic side of the process which can be both inordinately time consuming and individualized.

At the basic instructional level, HPT is (simply) the answer.

Turned off by pronunciation teaching and learning? Good plan!

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Clker

Have for years, often in jest, pointed an accusing finger at the pre-frontal cortex as at least contributing to the difficulty that adults often have in learning pronunciation. A new study by Trafton of MIT (summarized by ScienceDaily.com) looking at the roles of procedural versus declarative brain networks and structures in learning language makes a striking point evident in the title of the article: "Try, try again? Study says no: Trying harder makes it more difficult to learn some aspects of language, neuroscientists find."

The bottom line: Declarative, more conscious networks work well (especially in adults) at learning vocabulary and understanding what is to be learned. Procedural networks are responsible for less conscious, more automatic (physiological) processes--such as many aspects of pronunciation, of course. According to Trafton (and many others) the answer is often to avoid "trying harder" by over use of declarative functions. How might that be done? According to Science Daily, again:

" . . . she is now testing the effects of "turning off" the adult prefrontal cortex using a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation. Other interventions she plans to study include distracting the prefrontal cortex by forcing it to perform other tasks while language is heard, and treating subjects with drugs that impair activity in that brain region."

Got to get me a TMS machine . . .

The "Harold Hill" approach to pronunciation change

In my graduate methodology class I have often poked fun at what I refer to as the "Harold Hill" method. In the musical, The Music Man, the con-man band instrument salesman is suddenly forced to actually teach some of his victims how to play the instruments he has sold them. Knowing nothing about music, he simply urges them to "Think, men, think!" And, miraculously, of course, they start playing . . . sort of. (In no time at all, they have turned into a 1,000 piece marching band w/baton twirlers, et al.)

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The more I have explored haptic phenomena and learning, the more I realize that Hill was on to something. The strong, somatic "hedonic" focus (see recent post) of a hands-on experience can rapidly anchor desired behavior or movement, even if stumbled upon by accident with a trombone. And the reverse is true. Even visualizing yourself moving an object--or trying to do it "telekinetically", if you will, can focus the attention dramatically and sometimes create workable haptic-like anchors, as well--a "standard" technique in some types of hypnotherapy, virtual training systems and contemporary "haptic" performers (See earlier posts.)

Once PMPs, pedagogical movement patterns, are established in HICP/EHIEP, learners often report "feeling" the anchor, the touching of hands, even if using only one hand-- a good test of the "stickiness" of an anchor. So, if you are not yet "moved" to join us or get "in touch," at least imagine that you are. That will probably suffice.

The "Cognitive Phonological" map and Lessac's pedagogical territory

In the linked article by Fraser is something of the Cognitive Phonologists' manifesto: “Pronunciation is primarily a cognitive phenomenon rather than a physiological problem." The CP's approach to teaching and learning pronunciation is, not surprisingly, highly metacognitive, requiring insight, explanation, conscious frameworks, planning and, of course . . . understanding. The driver of change is seen as basically cognitive, not the felt sense of speaking and pedagogical drill and practice. Simply put: ontologically, once the mind is online, the body must follow.

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From a HICP perspective, that is to fall for the classic, map/territory illusion, in Korzybski's words, "the map is not the territory." Even if the map or characterization or origin of the problem is "primarily cognitive," that does not mean that the approach to the solution or treatment "on the ground," in the classroom must be. On the contrary, in many systems of Western (as opposed to Eastern) human behavior change, the effective therapy or training must be considerably more and more noncognitive today, at least at the outset, in effect side-stepping or creating an offsetting balance with the problematic "phenomenon." (See earlier post on "Changing the channel fallacy.")

Lessac's "territorial" manifesto, Train the body first, is admittedly no less directional in design, but it has one enormous advantage . . . it works.

The Magic of Pronunciation instruction: distractions and "Burriers!"

Adam Gopnik, quoting Jamy Ian Swiss on distractions [in magic]: "Magic only ‘happens’ in a spectator’s mind….Everything else is a distraction. . . . Methods for their own sake are a distraction. You cannot cross over into the world of magic until you put everything else aside and behind you—including your own desires and needs—and focus on bringing an experience to the audience. This is magic. Nothing else."

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Several recent posts have pointed to the problem of capturing the complete attention of the learner in anchoring pronunciation change. The distraction may be of many kinds, from formal instruction to wandering thoughts of tomorrow's fishing trip to past worries. For haptic anchoring in the instructional process to work, the "magic" must be there. The learner must be completely "in" the moment, the felt sense of the sound without distraction.

Whereas in magic the distraction is used to draw attention away from the slight of hand, in HICP the pedagogical movement patterns of the hands, in a sense, create a similar distraction, keeping the eyes "entertained" so the sound and somatic experience can be absorbed better. In fact, it may be necessary to first perform a preliminary trick--what we call a "Burri-er,"  named after Mike Burri, who recently reminded me of that technique, which we had experimented with a few years ago. To turn off the cognitive, analytic pre-frontal side of the house in the head temporarily, when it cannot shut up and stop commenting on what is going on, we may use a procedure like that developed in EMDR and other "quick change" therapies (noted in earlier posts.)

For example, try having patients/learners follow their hands with their eyes, going back and forth slowly in the visual field between 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock for about 30 seconds. (That has been shown to also improve performance on problem solving for some right handed college sophomores at least . . . ) A quick little "Burri-er" such as that should remove any barriers . . . like magic!

Learning and coaching new pronunciation and juggling

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Clker

There are several "methods" for learning to juggle, as there are many methods for helping a learner change pronunciation. Linked above is a mathematician's method that presents a fascinating parallel with HICP/EHIEP haptic-integrated line-of-march. (Also check out Tim Murphey's sometime, too!) The 7 step process is very much "felt sense" based but moves systematically from conscious focus on individual movements to "automatic" performance. It involves three phases:
(1) anchoring the basic moves
(2) instructor and learner working together to integrate the moves
(3) learner "solos!"

In PHASE ONE, learner works on the felt sense of tossing (i) one ball in one hand, (ii) one ball going back and forth between hands, and then (iii) a second ball is introduced in the hand that will catch the other ball and be tossed away just before "main" ball arrives. The haptic parallel is basically anchoring the essential movements of the target sound without attempting to coordinate them. (There are rarely more than three critical parameters.)

In PHASE TWO, learner begins to combine features as the instructor/coach responds when needed in achieving accurate individual movements. Next learner and coach juggle/do the sound together. In the process, the learner's attention is directed away not only from environmental distractions but also from focus on the mechanics of each parameter, which is becoming more automatic and non-conscious. The instructor/student dance does much to enable that integration.

In PHASE THREE, learners "juggle" the new sound on their own. I have not seen a better model (or metaphor) for changing pronunciation. So should you learn to juggle first or simply "juggle" your teaching? It's probably a toss up . . .