Stop assigning pronunciation homework! (Unless it is systematic and you follow up on it!)

Clip art: Clker

Time to check your homework . . . How's this for a formula for success: Instruction (in class, f2f or online) + out-of-class-work + student ability and initiative. You with me so far? The key factor is often said to be the last one, which entails motivation and a number of other more personal variables, including being organized and disciplined. 

It is always good to have "just blame the student" (or his or her genes) on the list of legitimate excuses for lack of progress. It is, of course, the insidious flip side of metacognitive practice: train the learner how to manage his or her learning in and out of class--and then he or she is on his or her own. 

How does your homework or out of class practice regimen work? How do you know? Do you care? 

As reported is several other blogposts, the research on homework is extensive (in the field of Education and others) and all over the map. Every disciple speaks to that process is some fashion, even car manufacturing. 

Many intensive language programs (20+ hours per week) program in systematic practice on site or online that involve monitoring and assessment. Good for them. I'm only interested here in instruction where pronunciation is not the sole focus of the class but is integrated into other skill and content teaching. (Haptic-INTEGRATED)

Just as an example, a guideline, here is the general EHIEP approach:

Systematic homework practice is "the bottom line" of Essential Haptic-integrated English Pronunciation (EHIEP) teaching system. Basically, when a word or phrase containing a problematic sound or sound process (e.g., rhythm, stress, juncture or intonation) is targeted it should be assigned to a list of some kind and briefly practiced by the learning outside of class about six times over the course of two weeks. (To understand what targeting and "haptic practice" is about in this method, check out the general description on the website.) The practice times and work done should also be noted in some kind of journal or "pronunciation log" for continuous review by the instructor. 

We should do a book on this--or at least develop a good comment thread on the topic below! There is a new appendix in AHEPS, v3.0 (rolling out this fall) on homework protocols. 

Keep in touch--and do your homework.

R U P? (Txtmsging 4 pronunciation practice persistence)

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There are more and more studies on the use of social media in tempting people to engage in healthy,  constructive, persistent behavior, from direction for those with autism to teenage diet. This study by Yun and Arriaga of Georgia Institute of Technology, summarized by Science Daily, demonstrated the same effect with asthmatics: give them advice and reminders daily and they do a better job of managing their health. What is "different" about the procedures used in the study, is that text messages sent daily did not presumably initiate or invite dialogue but "simply" provided information.

Use of social media and technology for instructor-student communication and relationship maintenance is widely reported in language teaching. Some speech and pronunciation professionals and organizations, for example, do regularly send out helpful "advice" to their clients and students. The Yun and Arriaga study is also different in that it is very much programmatic, that is directly related to ongoing, recommended daily "healthy" practices.  In our (haptic-integrated clinical pronunciation) work, it would mean sending out to students in a class a group text message, using an application such as GroupMe, reminding them of how they should be pr
acticing.

That is, in fact, also the recommended format for managing homework in the AH-EPS system. For example, a typical, daily or three times weekly text message attempting to keep students on track might  look something like this: wrmp, pract 1, pract 2, 2x6, wrdlst 1, wrdlst 2

Clker

1. wrmp (Do your warm up!)
2. pract 1 (Practice key strategies of the previous module.)
3. pract 2 (Practice new strategies of this module.)
3. 2x6 (Practice using new strategies in a written dialogue.)
4. wrdlst 1 (Practice last module's targeted word and phrase list.)
5. wrdlst 2 (Practice this module's targeted word and phrase list.)

Recommendation: Try that!
Suggestions: Report here if you do or when you do?
Reminder: Keep in touch!

Write off anxiety about problematic pronunciation?

Clipart: Clker

Clipart: Clker

In our continuing series about dealing with stress associated with pronunciation change, here's another possible technique suggested by research by Ramirez and Beilock on mediating test anxiety. (Something analogous is often suggested in recommendations on the use of pronunciation "logs" or "diaries," as well.) In their study, they found that " . . . The students who aired their anxieties (in writing) showed an average 5% improvement on the second test, whereas the others broke under pressure and their scores dropped by 12% . . . the cathartic effect of writing about your emotions is exemplified by blues music. Putting your thoughts and feelings down has been shown to increase emotional and even physical well-being," Of course, if not managed right, that could be also be a pronunciation-pedagogical "Pandora's Box," but that function is basic to all effective change process. In a very real sense, the act of "embodying" the concerns regularly in a notebook probably contributes much more than the comments in reply made by the instructor. (I'd even go so far as to say that the physical, kinaesthetic act of doing that on on paper with a pen, as opposed to electronically, is essential to effective catharsis and anchoring!) I'll conclude with a couple of verses from a song, a 12-bar blues, I wrote several years ago on the lack of respect given to the syllable in pronunciation teaching, The Syllablues: 

Oh . . sometimes I do get stressed, Baby

And sometimes, I don't.

Oh . . sometimes I do get stressed, Baby

And sometimes, I don't. 

But when I do, Teacher,

Jus' "swish" you'd take note.

But when I get stuck in a backgrounded theme, I

Get real down an' doubt.

But when I get stuck in a backgrounded theme, I

Get real down an' doubt.

I get confused, compressed and depressed

Can't get my feelings out. 

I feel better already. 

TIme for pronunciation change

Clipart: Clker

Clipart: Clker

Following up on a few recent posts dealing with what goes on outside of class, today we'll look briefly at a set of principles of time management for clinical research professionals that provides a nice model for students. (If you, too, could use a little more productive time, this piece could be helpful as well.) In any teaching context the use of some kind of systematic pronunciation diary or log that includes a time management or practice scheduling function can be very effective. I have for decades used both: (a) Students plan their practice sessions that will take place before the next class--before they walk out the door (sometimes requiring my approval as well!), and (b) they also keep regular notes on how the practices went and related reflections on relevant "pronunciation events" (for them personally and their specific goals) that occur either in or out of class. Here is the recommended "clinical researcher's" framework, with my annotations:

• Use only one prioritized list — planner system, notebook, or calendar — for home as well as work. And make at least parts of that available for instructor review or consultation. 
• Update the list at the end of the day, rather than the morning . . . including reflections and "data."
• Consider the penalty, impact, and payoff of  . . .  a task. This can be a radical proposal for many learners, having to take full responsibility for the actions and time. 
• Review you goals and action plans each day prior to compiling your list . . . in the morning after coffee, breakfast and doing your basic pronunciation work. 
• Before you start a task that is not on your list, ask yourself, “Will what I am about to do move me closer to my objectives?” That, of course, assumes that the objectives are clearly articulated and achievable!
• Give yourself time to relax, meditate, or “goof-off.” (I, personally, also recommend regular aerobic exercise for my students as well.) Even if that only means sufficient sleep, research has validated repeatedly the place of critical "down time" for the brain in efficient learning. (In the EHIEP system, practice is scheduled on alternative days, not daily, although a morning warm up is highly recommended.) 

Got time to do some of that with your students?