EAPIC Lesson 2 - Fluency (and rise-fall and fall-rise hacks)

Important note:  As of tonight, March 4th, only 2 people had completed viewing of the L2 training video, and none had enrolled in the course officially yet, so there was no feedback session this evening. I will wait a week before uploading the L3 training video, to give time for others to get "caught up!" If you have viewed the L2 training video, feel free to email me with your questions or post a comment on the blog below. 

                   

                               Lesson 2 - Tai Chi  (Fluency 1)

                                                                    

 

Link to the L2 training video         (Google meet)

Link to L2 training video  (Youtube) 

Links to  the L2 feedback session 

Link to L1 training video                 

 Link to Introduction video

Objectives:

• Basic rhythm and fluency

• Haptic conversation hacks: 

                    Tai Chi Fluency, RISE-FALL ( / \ ) 

                    FALL-RISE ( \ /) tones 

           Warm up! (vowel lip shape up!)

Circles        (3 sided) boxes

 u                        i          
 U                        I          
 O                       e             
 Ɔ                       ɛ
 ʌ                     ae
       a         a    

a > i     a > u   Ɔ > i

i > i     e > i    u > u    o > u 

READ

Tai Chi Finger flow fluency: both hands move in clockwise circles.

•     Finger tips touch very lightly on the most stressed syllable in the rhythm group.

•     Arms, hands and fingers—and whole body as relaxed as possible.

RISE-FALL and FALL-RISE tone hacks, using bigger circles and energy

Tai Chi (Finger-flow fluency)Training

• Fingers touch on the stressed syllable: X
• Hands move in (soft ball size) clockwise circles!

Nice X
That’s nice. oX
Very nice.  ooX
That’s very nice.  oooX
Easy Xo
That’s easy. oXo
Very easy. ooXo
That’s ve-ry easy. oooXo
Beau-ti-ful Xoo
That’s beautiful. oXoo
Very beautiful. ooXoo
That’s very beautiful. oooXoo
Fascinating Xooo
That’s fascinating oXooo
Very fascinating ooXooo
That’s very fascinating oooXooo

RISE-FALL and FALL-RISE Hacks

• RISE-FALL: Soccer ball size circles with both hands! 
• Meaning: Enthusiasm or excitement, with more voice energy
• 
  
• FALL-RISE:  Right hand continues upward a little. Left hand continues down.
• Meaning: You are bit curious or surprised about something, 
• or you are a Canadian* who sometimes uses a FALL-RISE + "eh" at the end of a sentence.  

Nice X          / \        \ /
That’s nice. oX / \        \ /
Very nice.  ooX / \        \ /
That’s very nice.  oooX / \       \ /
Easy Xo / \       \ /
That’s easy. oXo / \       \ /
Very easy. ooXo / \       \ /
That’s ve-ry easy. oooXo  / \       \ /
Beau-ti-ful Xoo / \       \ /
That’s beautiful. oXoo / \       \ /
Very beautiful. ooXoo  / \       \ /
That’s very beautiful. oooXoo  / \       \ /

Fascinating Xooo / \       \ /
That’s fascinating oXooo / \       \ /
Very fascinating. ooXooo / \       \ /
That’s very fascinating.       oooXooo / \       \ /

*We lived in Canada | for twenty years | and love a Canadian accent! 

 

Lesson 2 EOR - Ducks on a plane! 

(Tai Chi, plus RISE-FALL and FALL-RISE hacks)

MOOD: VERY enthusiastic! (On a very noisy subway where you have to speak loudly!) 

1A: ExCUse me. Could you put my DUCK | in the Overhead?

            X / \                                             X / \                 X \ / or /

   B: SURE. GLAD to. THERE you are!

         X / \      X / \           X / \ 

2A: Thank you so MUCH!

                                X / \

   B: You're WELcome. Where're you FROM, EH?

                    X / \                                        X / \    \ /

3A: JapAN| but I’m a STUdent here now. 

             X / \                 X / \

    B: JaPAN?  WHERE in Japan?

              X \ /       X / \

4A: SENdai.  About two HOUrs | north of Tokyo by TRAIN. 

        X / \                         X / \ or /                                   X / \

   B: That's a REally nice area. 

                        X / \

5A: It certainly IS. But it’s beCOming | very CROWded. 

                        X \ /                  X / \                    X \ / or / \

B: I've HEARD that. How LONG | are you staying in CAnada?

              X / \                         X / \                                       X \ / or / \

6A: PERmanently! I'm going to be WORking | in ToRONto. 

       X/ \                                                X / \                     X / \ 

   B: WELL. Welcome to CAnada, EH!

         X / \                           X / \         X \ /

Rhythm First: Haptic Side-Step!  (plus Tai Chi)

(For activation of the body, going from left to right, like reading a book!
Each time you do it you will add a gesture!)

A-B-C-D-E-F!

Homework;

a. (Every day): Warm up (L1 and L2), training (3 days), EOR, new text (day 5). Notes (new targets and observations) and log of time spent and when!

b. (optional) If you want to enroll for Wednesday feedback, email me for a quick interview on Zoom. 

c. Check out Legalshield and IDshield on my website: williamacton.legalshieldassociate.com (If you sign up for Legalshield or IDshield, you get 3 more personal lessons, too!) 

Keep in touch! 

Bill

wracton@gmail.com
https://hipoeces.blogspot.com/
www.actonhaptic.com
www.williamacton.legalshieldassociate. com

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?)

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

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

New! (Haptic) English Accent and Pronunciation Course!

Better, confident pronunciation in three months 

• Course dates: October 3rd ~ December 18th (10 Lessons)
• Created for students who really want to improve their accent or pronunciation but do not have the time or schedule to attend a regular course--and are pretty good at studying on their own. 
• Fees: $300 USD ($420 CAD) - First two lessons are FREE!

Features of the course:

• Designed for post-secondary-age, nonnative English speaking learners
• Haptic (makes extensive use of body movement, gesture and touch)
• Materials provided'
• 80% attendance required to receive certificate
• Oral interview required to take the course.
• The course is based on the latest neuroscientific research on how the brain and voice and body  must work together for optimal performance and memory

Weekly (online) schedule:

• Thursday, anytime – view 30-minute recorded lecture.
• Daily homework of 20-30 minutes.
• The following Wednesday (at 9 a.m. PST or 6 p.m. PST) attend live, feedback class on Zoom. (You can also view the recorded session, beginning Friday morning.)

For additional information or to schedule an enrollment interview email: wracton@gmail.com.

Bill Acton, PhD, is an internationally recognized expert in the field of pronunciation teaching. His unique style of teaching pronunciation, developed over the last 40 years, the KINETIK Method, makes  leaning and changing pronunciation more efficient, memorable--and fun! For more about Bill's research and publications goto his website: www.actonhaptic.com. 

----

Some Definitions:

• Accent could use improvement: Makes you difficult to understand sometimes when you speak quickly or are a little stressed!
• Pronunciation needs improvement: Makes you difficult to understand sometimes, even when you speak slowly.

SO . . . how does this work? How can this work? 

The key is something close to full-body engagement in the process, very much in the spirit of the Lessac method which featured both embodied speaking and extensive oral reading during homework. This course is primarily focused on "hacks," as opposed to "widgets," which come in only the last couple of lessons. Hacks encourage improvement indirectly, the usual stuff of homework, applied outside of conversational interaction, like rhythm exercises or word lists. Widgets, on the other hand are techniques we can use to alter or enhance our speech, moment by moment, without interfering much with thinking or coherence, like slowing down your rate of speaking or modifiing your posture, etc. 

Most of the work in this course involves various types of embodied oral reading, that is text that is synchronized with especially designed. gesture and touch, called Movement, tone and touch techniques (MT3s). MT3s provide an extraordinary quality of ongoing attention and emotional engagement that should strengthen  the learner's ability to change articulation of sounds and sound patterns and recall that later, plus integrate change improvement into their spontaneous speech. In addition, most of the readings involve confidence-building routines and and related voice resonance techniques. 

*Group, class and school rates available. 

Talk (to) Yourself into Improved English Fluency! (an almost DO-IT-YOURSELF course!)

Clker.com

And how do you do that? In part, using embodied oral reading to develop English fluency and confidence. The efficacy and methodology for the various applications for oral reading is well established. (For an excellent review of oral reading research and methodology, see Fuchs, Fuchs, Hosp and Jenkins, 2001) )

What haptic pronunciation teaching has brought to the party beginning in about 2007 has been the systematic use of the body and body movement in pronunciation teaching. What that means, in effect, is that every word in the selected oral reading is "choreographed" with some degree of conscious engagement of the upper body, generally focusing on rhythm of English but also, in principle, any phonological feature of any language. 

The concept of improving your speaking fluency in private, at least certain features of it, without talking with or working with another person or instructor, is today an almost radical position, as opposed to the prevailing social-constructivist, communicative view of ideal (probably group-based) context and input. Although it is difficult to establish empirically, of course, in reality the preponderance of ALL language learning happens as learners do "homework", either internal "self talk" or explicitly out loud speaking . . .  in private. 

That successful L2 learners can improve their fluency away from public engagement is pretty much a given. (By fluency here I am limiting the discussion to the learner's ability to speaking  rhythmically and confidently--and more rapidly, using language elements that they are capable of articulating, often very haltingly or not at all.)

The model of that methodology adopted by haptic pronunciation on this blog and elsewhere has been based on that of Lessac, presented in his book, The use and training of the human voice. Although the approach was developed essentially for native speakers and many actors or public speakers in process, the principles and system are beautifully compatible with confidence and fluency development for nonnative speakers as well. In that system, learners are first reoriented to the basic movement and somatic energy in their bodies, very much like contemporary "mindfulness" therapies, for example. 

What was extraordinary back then--and even now--was the design where the entire 12-step process could be done by one person, alone, just using the book, following the plan. (One can, of course, today take courses in the Lessac method internationally, but the central premise holds: for speech fluency, as defined earlier, there is a great deal one can do on their own, such that it carries over very well into spontaneous speaking engagement.)

That, in essence, is how the KINETIK, haptic-based course works. Unfortunately, the October-December, Acton Haptic English Fluency Training (HFT) course offered through Trinity Western University is closed!!! However, there is still plenty of time, however, to set up a customized course with your organization for next spring, or plan to enroll for the upcomng January~March course. (for further information on either option, email me: wracton@gmail.com

A few excerpts from the HFT course description: 

HFT Embodied Oral Reading is done out loud, in private, using stories that are accompanied by special gestures which use language and vocabulary that students are already familiar with, what they can understand, but perhaps may not be able to talk about fluently.

The 9-week course is designed especially for non-native English-speaking adults who do not have the opportunity for much, if any English, face-to-face conversation in their daily lives but who want to keep improving, nonetheless. (and who have an IELTS reading ability of about 4.0 or above.) HFT provides the student with a set of skills so that they can continue improving after the course, working with other readings of interest to them. It is recommended, for example, for students who are not studying spoken/conversational English currently.

It is based on extensive research (and decades of teaching experience) in oral reading methodology and the well-known "Lectio Divina" tradition in meditation practice, using extensive oral reading as homework—not in a class. The key neuroscience-based innovation of HFT is the precise use of gestures and touch in the visual field, synchronized with speech, creating optimal conditions for attention, learning, retention and recall.

Course work is done individually, with four or five, 30-minute homework assignments and a live 75-minute zoom feedback meeting weekly, usually on Friday evening. (which is also recorded for later access, if necessary.)

Next course: January ~ March, 2024

·Cost for individuals: $350 USD, materials included, but for a school, for example, (maximum of 100 students) the cost per student can be as low as $25 USD.

A teacher training course in Haptic Pronunciation Teaching is also available (See www.actonhaptic/KINETIK

To enroll or for more info, go to www.actonhaptic/hft or contact Bill Acton at wracton@gmail.com

Full citation: 

Fuchs, L., Fuchs, D., Hosp, M. & Jenkins, J. 2021. Oral Reading Fluency as an Indicator of Reading Competence: A Theoretical, Empirical, and Historical Analysis DOI: 10.4324/9781410608246-3, in (Eds) Kamee'enui, E. & Simmons, D. 2002. The Role of Fluency in Reading Competence, Assessment, and instruction: Fluency at the intersection of Accuracy and Speed: A Special Issue of scientific Studies of Reading, New York: Rutledge, pp. 239-256

A Super Somewhat "Solipsistic" Solo Method for Greatly Improving English Speaking Fluency!

COURSE closed! But we are opening another soon! Keep in touch!

I know what you are thinking . . .well, actually,"solipsistically" speaking, I probably don't, of course! But, anyway, this is a remarkable new course offering,  one designed for learners in a somewhat unique but actually very common niche: 

The 9-week online course, Acton Haptic English Fluency Training (HFT), is designed especially for non-native English-speaking adults who 

1. Do not have the opportunity for much, if any English, face-to-face conversation in their daily lives but 
2. Who want to keep improving, nonetheless, 
3. Who have an IELTS reading ability of about 4.0 or above, and 
4. Do not have a lot of cash to work with!

• HFT features Embodied Oral Reading to develop English fluency and confidence 

·       Embodied Oral Reading is done out loud, in private, using stories that are accompanied by special gestures which use concepts and vocabulary that students are already familiar with, essentially, what they can understand, but perhaps may not be able to talk about fluently.  

·     HFT provides the student with a set of skills which once learned they can continue improving with beyond the course. It is especially recommended, for example, for students who do not have access to conversational English currently, such as

o   Undergraduate and graduate students in programs not taught primarily in English

o   Parents whose spoken English is not strong and whose children are in public schools in North America

o   New immigrants and family members who cannot currently access English instruction

o   Students who are in religious studies where they will serve in a language other than English, but where being able to read Scripture in English in public is essential,

o   Retired “senior” English L2 speakers who may be “home alone” in some sense much of the time but would value spending 3-4 hours weekly to develop the clarity of their spoken English.  

·    It is based on extensive research (and decades of teaching experience) in oral reading methodology and the well-known "Lectio Divina" tradition in meditation practice, using extensive oral reading as homework—not in a class.

·    The key neuroscience-based innovation of HFT is the precise use of gestures and touch in the visual field. Synchronized with speech, these multimodality gestures create optimal conditions for attention, learning, retention and recall.

·    Course work is done individually, with four or five, 30-minute homework assignments and a live 75-minute zoom feedback meeting weekly, usually on Friday evening. (which is also recorded for later access, if necessary.)

• The emphasis is on improving the English that learners understand well but do no speak with the same level of success. 

• Learners finish the course being able to speak more rhythmically, more expressively, more precisely and with greater confidence.

• There are several possible story and text types that students can choose to use in their embodied oral readings (EORs):
• General academic English (for high school learners and older)
• General business English (for adults)
• General workplace English
• General seminary/Bible-based English (for students in Christian ministry or training)
• General informal conversation-based English (especially good for parents whose children's English is better than theirs!) 
• General instructional language used in teaching (for non-native English speaking teachers)
• Personalized, story-based English (for those want to improve just for the love of English)
• Course includes:
• Introduction and 8, 1-week lessons which include
• Weekly 30-minute recorded lessons
• Weekly 60-minute follow up, live (or recorded) lesson
• Daily, 20-30 minute homework assignments
• Syllabus
• Week 1 - Introduction
• Week 2 - Rhythm 1
• Week 3 - Fluency 1
• Week 4 - Vowels 1
• Week 5 - Vowels 2
• Week 6 - Consonants (th, w/y,  r/l and f/v)
• Week 7 - Intonation
• Week 8 - Rhythm 2 (Rhythm, linking and pausing) 
• Week 9 - Fluency 2 (Expressiveness and confidence)
• Example Unit:
• Monday, view recorded lesson
• Tuesday, do homework
• Wednesday, do homework
• Thursday, do homework
• Friday, follow up lesson live on Zoom (usually, 18:00 PST)
• Saturday, do homework
• Sunday: TAKE THE DAY OFF!!!
• Homework format:
• Review one part of the video (5 minutes)
• Practice the haptic gesture featured in the weekly lesson (5 minutes)
• Practice the Embodied Oral Reading (EOR) in the course materials (10~15 minutes)
• Record your last practice (about 2 minutes)
• Review your recording (about 2 minutes)
• Find some words or phrases that are not in the lesson to practice the lesson's  haptic gesture with! (5 minutes)
• (Optional) personalized Zoom meetings available for additional fee upon request
• Customized course versions tailored for organizations of almost any size. 
• (Optional) Professional development credit available through Trinity Western University

• Next course: October 9th ~ December 9th. 
• Cost: $350 USD, materials included. 
• To enroll or for more info, contact Bill Acton at wracton@gmail.com

• Further details are available at: www.actonhaptic.com/hft
• Instructors with training in haptic pronunciation teaching are invited to apply to be a collaborating instructor in these HFT courses. (Or offer the course through their school!)

Do-it-(almost by and with)-yourself: English SELF-TALK Pronunciation Improvement (ESPI)

How's your pronunciation and diction when you talk (out loud) to yourself? Probably not great, right? Well, how about using that venue/menu to help improve a learner's general English pronunciation? We are testing a new KINETIK course, English SELF-TALK Pronunciation Improvement (ESPI), that has in the past shown real promise in (also) improving the pronunciation of talk with other people as well! Wow . .  . what a concept, eh!

ESPI is basically, an application of the Lessac system as presented in Lessac's 1997 book, The use and training of the human voice: A bio-dynamic approach to vocal life

Note: In that (1997) edition there is a brilliant, multi-step roadmap for the individual who wants to or must work on their own. Today's Lessac practitioners may or may not still work with that (slightly solipsistic) framework. Although the 1997 version is focused on giving native speakers of English, not nonnatives, a "healthy vocal life," derived from Lessac's career in voice training, it is easily adaptable by an experienced English language instructor. I have been using it, in some form, for about 40 years, in fact. 

Research on how learners learn has always pointed to at least the prominence of learners practicing "out loud," depending on modality preferences. Why not work with that more systematically? Good idea.

The course is designed especially for a specific niche. Those who:

• Can benefit from lots of practice speaking (but not necessarily conversing with somebody else)
• Have reasonably good aural comprehension for the demands of their personal context
• Lack confidence to use what they know, what they can say if they have the time and occasion.
• Have issues with rhythm, stress and intonation 
• Have a few, high functional load consonants (which they can effectively deal with by being referred to free sources on the web for personal practice, such as Accent Tutor.)

Notice in the blogpost title is the word, almost . .. The basic course includes just a set of videos and book. There is an option available for the student or a class of students to get periodic feedback (from me or one of my grad students) on their progress. That feedback could also be provided by their instructor, assuming that the instructor has done the course along with the students. 

It will be available to the public by next month, at the TESOL Convention in Portland in March. See you there! 

Lessac, A. (1997). The use and training of the human voice: A bio-dynamic approach to vocal life (3rd ed).. New York: Drama Book Specialists.

Ben Bruno's "10 Commandments of physical training" applied to pronunciation teaching!

Ben Bruno, personal trainer to the stars, has a super set of principles for training that could as well be a guide to (haptic) pronunciation teaching. Use the following as something of a test for your method about either: 

Here they are: (the boldfacing and extrapolations are mine!)

1. Thou shalt not train through pain.

    💪 Pronunciation work works when at least you can focus just on it for bit. 

2. Think of strength training as your entrée and cardio as the side dish. Both have their place but divvy your time and energy accordingly. 

    💪 At least for a time, attention to accurate, good form must supersede being fluent. 

3. The hard exercises that you hate doing are generally the ones that work the best. Sorry. 

    💪 Repetition, especially where a new physical patterning is being established, may not be mentally stimulating but it can be key to establishing the anchoring and access for a new sound or word. 

4. You can always make a mistake not to train, but at some point you just have to make time for it. Or be weak and out of shape. 

    💪 For most learners, consistent, relatively long term practice is key. And, like physical training, a new sound or pattern is not acquired unless do, indeed, "use it or lose it" if there is not sufficient consistent practice. 

5. Thou shalt train thy legs. 

    💪 The "legs" of pronunciation work is at least the rest of the body from the neck down, but in haptic work, the entire mind-body nexus. 

6. Mobility work is boring. Do it anyway.

    💪 The analogs here are (a) warming up or stretching, and (b) general fluency exercises where the body moves "fluently," along with speaking, for example. 

7. Remember that outside the gym, no one cares what you did for your workout, or about your diet. Keep it to yourself

    💪 Unless you are working with somebody, like a partner or instructor, your progress and goals are critical and only you can judge how things are going, certainly not a non-informed bystander. 

8. Similarly, nobody cares how much you lift. Drop the ego, drop the weight, and do it right. Form matters. 

    💪 Two principles there, dropping the ego . . . and form (See Principle #2)

9. Train the muscles  you can't see in the mirror (glutes, hamstrings, back, etc.) more than the muscles that you can see (pecs, biceps, etc.). It's good for you, and just because you can't see them, everyone else still can.

    💪 In other words, the rest of the body, especially the quality and resonance of your voice, overall relaxation and breathing techniques

10. Don't overcomplicate things. Always be learning, but at some point you have to put down the books and pick up the weights. 

    💪 The  bottom line: The process requires extensive "performance" without overthink or even conscious processing of the meaning of what is being spoken out loud for success. 

Ben's 10 has improved my approach to both kinds of training already--since both are so interrelated anyway. In fact, it will form something of the foundation for a new project I'm working on. 

Keep in touch!

Bill

Mi Coursa; Su Coursa! (NEW KINETIK "GE-T-UP" course!)

GE-T-UP - Gesture-enhanced-teaching-up-take (pronounced: Get-T-up! as in "Giddup!") Custom-made, "memorable" pronunciation course, using your course content. 

• Enhanced memory for course content, especially vocabulary and story. 
• Improved speaking clarity and pronunciation

Here's how it works. Basically, you share with us one or more brief excerpts in the form of stories or written dialogues from any speaking, listening or reading course that you'll be teaching. We'll provide you with a video-recorded KINETIK lesson for your students. There are potentially 10 possible lessons, presented (basically) in this order, but it can be further customized for your class: 

• Rhythm 1 (syllables and stress)
• Fluency 1 (basic)
• Vowels 1 and 2 (tailored to your students' L1s)
• Consonants 1 and 2 (tailored to your students' L1s)
• Intonation 1 and 2
• Rhythm 2 (spontaneous speaking)
• Fluency 2 (spontaneous speaking)

Here's what those lessons look like:

• Students view and move along with a 15 to 20-minute training video
• Video begins with brief training in a GE-T-UP haptic movement, tone and touch technique (MT3)
• That technique is then used in an augmented embodied oral reading (AEOR) of the text from "Su coursa" that you provided. (We may have to add some additional text, along with annotation as to how to gesture along with the text as it is spoken.)
• The homework assignment is explained and practiced.
• Students practice the 5-minute haptic exercises in the homework assignment (ideally) 4 times per week
• Student work with the lesson is always better if they have earlier already been engaged with the text from your class earlier. The lesson also helps students remember that content as well! 
• (Ideally) teachers also use the GETUP MT3 in class anytime from then on to:
• Help students remember vocabulary or new terms or phrases
• Help students improve their pronunciation (and remember it!)

The cost per custom-made module begins at about $200, depending on how many we do together.  If you'd like a (free) estimate and demonstration video made with your material from "Su Coursa," get in touch: wracton@gmail.com

(If you are new into the impact of gesture on memory, check out this piece from the Scientific American last year.)

Spring 2023 we will also be again offering the online 12-week haptic basic pronunciation course through Trinity Western University, and along with that, a 12-week KINETIK Teacher Training course. If you'd like to offer either one of those through your school or some other venue . . . get in touch, of course!

Content with your pronunciation teaching? Au contraire!

"con-'tent or 'con-tent?" take your pick there! (The correct answer is the latter; however, if you are not really the former, then maybe the latter is the answer!) Upcoming presentation at the JALT 2022 Conference (online) with Steve Caine. "Content-based pronunciation instruction: embodied oral reading." 

Oral reading, in some venues and classrooms, still gets a bad rap. Unreservedly so. It is widely used successfully in language learning and beyond. Especially in Japan. When(Japanese) students, for example, are trained to be super memorizers and practiced oral readers in their educational culture almost from birth, despite some of the obvious, potential drawbacks of the practice, remembering the content of an oral reading for most should be a piece of cake , relatively speaking. I have still been unable to find a good comparative study from that perspective, but, after a decade or so teaching in Japan, the relative advantage is quite striking. (If you know of one, please get in touch so I can touch this up!)

The presentation, on the 13th experientially explores the centerpiece of the KINETIK Method: the embodied oral reading, using gesture and touch to enhance memory for content, expressiveness and clarity (pronunciation). The basic idea: All pronunciation work, although important as a secondary objective, should emerge from course content work where memory encoding and access, and expressiveness are the priority. 

See you online or in Fukuoka on the 13th!

Bill

Looking, sounding and feeling confident in front of your (English language teaching) class!

Something of a radical idea . . . You can substantially improve your "Classroom English teaching presence" by talking pretty much to yourself . . . without much talking with anybody else in the process. For some, unfortunately, that is their only option. Have a course for them.

Well . .  more technically: Enhanced (virtual and physical) English-teaching classroom presence (EECP) --for anybody who needs it! Another of the new v6.0 KINETIK Pro-D courses! This one is designed especially for those non-native English-speaking instructors who have not been fortunate enough to do a training program where they had the opportunity to develop their "classroom English" skill set under supervision, as in a good internship or practicum. It is all done on Zoom or a comparable platform:

• Can be either 10 or 20 weeks in length, with one or two meetings per week.
• Cost varies, just based on number of participants. For example, the 10-week course for a class of 10, meeting once per week, would be about $500 USD per student; for 25 students, $200 USD each--and anything in between, even 50, at $100 each.
• Works best if all the instructors are teaching in the same school, or at least with the same type of students. 

As with all KINETIK courses, it makes use of content from the instructor's current (or favorite) course and:

• Develops improved general speech rhythm and clarity (including pronunciation)
• Features innovative "embodied oral reading" and "embodied. spontaneous oral recasting" as a basic homework/practice format. (using the student/instructor's own course content.) 
• Identifies and helps moderate both visual and speaking mannerisms that can be effectively "upgraded"-- particularly in the "Zoom Room!"
• Provides a powerful, embodied set of strategies for enhancing memory for content and expressiveness (primarily haptic in nature, using gesture and touch), most of which are directly applicable to any classroom or student population. 

Courses can be offered through a school or you can sign up independently. New classes commence when there is a group of at least 10 students--in compatible time zones!!! 

Look good? Contact us for more info, go to www.actonhaptic/eecp or wracton@gmail.com.

A near perfect pronunciation course! (Fun, efficient, effective, memorable. . . and almost . . . free!)

If your students need help with basic pronunciation work--and remembering it--and you don't have the time or training or cash on hand to afford it . . .  I may have a solution for you: the new KINETIK "Feed-forward" Project (KFP), beginning on September 14, 2022. It is both a course and an ongoing celebration of haptic pronunciation teaching. (A new introductory video on the project will be available shortly!) 

There is a course for students, a regular, bi-weekly recorded, 30 minutes to 1-hour lesson, with an optional live follow up the following week. The recorded lesson with chat follow up will be free. The optional, live "Feed-forward" follow up the next week will probably be about $5 per session or $10 per month! For great results, students do the homework, too, about 3 hours per week. 

There is also an ongoing seminar on haptic pronunciation teaching and an optional teacher certification course that accompanies the student course. 

How does it work?

• Students are trained in specially designed haptic movement, tone and touch techniques (MT3) that both teach and are used to practice aspects of course content and pronunciation. 
• The use of MT3s make the training and course content very memorable
• Later they can be used for enhancing recall of any content or vocabulary, correction and feedback. 
• Students are trained to do the 2 weeks of homework for that module, using a special kind of oral reading, a haptic-embodied oral reading that keeps active learning and exploration going.  
• The next week, students have the option of just doing the homework or also attending a live, 75-minute practice and feedback session on Zoom with Bill Acton.
• The entire KFP curriculum cycle is completed in about 8 months.

More about KFP

• Teaches the basics of rhythm, stress, intonation, vowels, consonants, and other key features of English pronunciation in 2-week modules
• Bill Acton is the instructor, with support from other "Hapticians"
• For any student, upper beginner and above, almost any age (7+), and any place! 
• Fits in with or complements almost any English course
• Based on the idea of developing rhythm first and regular, instructor support during the learning process
• Uses the new KINETIK "Feed forward" system (using gesture and touch, plus innovative haptic feedback learning and self-monitoring techniques on Zoom or f2f to keep active learning going!)
• Each module is 2 weeks long, one hour (recorded) available on Monday in Week One and 75 minutes (live) on Wednesday in Week 2 (Done twice, 6 a.m. PST and 6 p.m., PST)
• Trains students to self correct and develop disciplined practice routines. 
• Recommended minimum 2~3 hours of (active, movement-based, haptic) homework per week
• Materials and video models provided
• KINETIK METHOD teacher training certificate course can be taken along with student course (You basically do the student course work along with your students, and also do some additional reading and attend the weekly KFP seminars.)
• Other custom-made student courses also available.

Introductory video, more details and curriculum coming soon! 

For more information: wracton@gmail.com 

Keep in touch!

Bill

KINETIK English Fluency and Pronunciation Course (5/26~8/9)!

The course is being offered to the public for the first time by the Trinity Western University MATESOL (LIVE on Zoom or by viewing the class video later.) It has a somewhat unorthodox time format: 

• Instructor: Bill Acton
• May 26 – August 9, 2022 (12 weeks), 3-4 hours per week
• Thursday: 7 – 8 p.m. PST 
• And Wednesday, the following week: 7 - 8 p.m. PST
•  Homework: 15-20 minutes per day, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Specifics: 
This course is for those who want to improve their speaking fluency and pronunciation of English. It is especially helpful for students who have IELTS level of 4.5+ and do not have time or opportunity to practice speaking English outside of class, themselves, but have reasonably good listening skills.

The KINETIK teaching method includes neuroscience-based haptic techniques (using special gestures and touch) to improve memory for new vocabulary, pronunciation and and confidence in speaking.

In addition to one hour of class each week and one hour of homework review every week on Zoom, for best results students should practice their homework exercises at least 15-30 minutes per day, 4~5 days a week. Book and practice video recordings are provided.

A brief, preliminary interview on Zoom is required to be admitted into the course. If interested, contact Professor Bill Acton (William.acton@twu.ca) in the MATESOL Department at Trinity Western University. Classes are recorded. If a class is missed, it can be watched later. Certificate is awarded for 80% attendance.

Course fee: $500 CAD ($400 USD) Group discounts available. 

Also: The 4-week version of the instructor certificate course is also available this summer, on campus, in Langley, BC, July 18th ~ August 12th. One hour of class, 4 days a week and approximately 6 additional hours  per week of preparation and practice. Cost: $800, all materials included. (A zoom hybrid of the course may be available as well.) Contact me, if interested: william.acton@twu.ca. 

Keep in touch!

Bill

Z-OR: Enhanced English Fluency and Confidence

Conference presentation later this month with Eileen McWilliams at the BCTEAL annual conference, entitled: How to Speak with Confident Vowels and Beyond! It is based on research I reported on at the 2022 Spokane ESL Conference: Using what you know: Embodied Oral Reading to Spontaneous Speech, with Volzhanina and Qie.

Here's the summary:

This workshop presents a haptic technique (using systematic movement and touch) based on strategic use of intonation and vowel quality for helping learners achieve more confidence in speaking based on developing awareness and control of the fundamental formant (lowest) in their speech, evident especially when one is relaxed and confident.

There are two terms we have been using: Haptic-Embodied Oral Reading (HE OR), and Spontaneous Haptic-Embodied Oral Recast (SHE-OR). Using the HE-OR technique, which involves using gesture and touch to accompany an oral reading, learners developed remarkable confidence and fluency in speaking and (they report) that the technique also improved their reading fluency. At the end of the study, learners switched to SHE-OR, where they managed their spontaneous speech using a fluency gesture as they were describing various locations and events. The apparent carry over from HE-OR over to SHE-OR was striking. Have just updated our terms a little. Now, instead of HE-OR or SHE-OR, we use the gender neutral, Z-OR, to refer to both fixed text and spontaneous embodied readings and recasts. 

If you can’t join us at BCTEAL, no worries. We’ll post the recording right after the conference.

"Content-Based Haptic Oral Reading: Enhanced Memory for Text and Pronunciation,":

Workshop to be presented at the TESOL Convention, Wednesday, 23 March, 14:00-15:45 US EST in Room 333 at The David L. Lawrence Convention Center. 

Here is the summary and the proposal: 

This workshop presents an innovative technique, the haptic, embodied oral reading, based on use of adjusted or enhanced targeted language present within typical, written course content or a structured “recast” of spontaneous classroom conversation. The procedure, relying on special gestures and touch, is applicable to learners of all proficiency levels.

Abstract:

Oral reading in its various incarnations may be the oldest and still most frequently employed language teaching and literacy development technique, for both learning and testing. For some learners and classroom contexts, reading out loud can be effective; for others, its applicability is limited. Its place in literacy and early reading instruction with children is well established, unequivocal. Although research on the efficacy of oral reading in language instruction with adult skill development is mixed, it is still seen as essential in oral proficiency testing. The “problem” with oral reading, in part, is that, unless done with attention to more than simply reading the text out loud, there is little empirical evidence that much is gained by the exercise.

This workshop focuses on “embodied” oral reading, that is the practice of performing an oral reading of a “regular” course text excerpt or stretch of spontaneous conversation, such that (a) the rhythm and stress grouping/structure is identified prior to the actual oral reading of the text. Next, (b) some feature of the text, such as intonation or a problematic consonant is briefly “adjusted” or modified. And (c) finally that stretch of speech (typically between 10 and 50 words) is read out loud, synchronized with some type of fluency-oriented gesture, such touching hands on the stressed words in the rhythm groups, creating a more memorable, fluent and semantically anchored experience for the learner, encouraging integration of the adjusted content material.

Confident English Speaking, Fluency and Pronunciation--in 10 weeks!

As announced here on the blog, the new KINETIK English Fluency and Pronunciation Course is on. 

Especially designed for students who do not have much opportunity to practice speaking English outside of class! (But great for everybody else, too, of course!)

Gives you confidence to use what you “know” but may not always be able to access in speaking 

• Applicable for literate adult learners, upper beginner level and above
• Online, on Zoom, 2 hours of "live" class per week and about 2 hours of homework (20 minutes a day is best)
• Weekly live Zoom class: Thursdays, 4~5 p.m. (PST) or recorded
• Weekly live Zoom follow up: Wednesdays, in small groups, by appointment
• Cost: $500USD (or $60 per lesson)
• Use of embodied haptic techniques (using gesture and touch) for improving students’ fluency, memory for course content, vocabulary and intelligibility
• Makes you easier to understand and develops better posture and breathing
• Fixes most important pronunciation problems, or at least gets you well on the way.
• Makes self correction easier
• Includes effective system for continued study after the course
• With some slight modifications is also an excellent professional development system for any instructor, native or nonnative speaking. 

Still time to sign up! February 10th ~ April 24th! Contact me: wracton@gmail.com for required initial  Zoom interview.