Applying Theories of Language and Learning to Teaching Pronunciation

Couper, Graeme

doi:10.1002/9781118346952.ch23

Cited by 15 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Further, cognitive linguistics (Mompean, ) offers a theory of language that is compatible with sociocultural theory (Lantolf, ). Together, these insights have led to a focus on concept formation (Couper, ; Fraser, ; Henderson, ). Critical listening (CL; Couper, ; Fraser, ) and socially constructed metalanguage (SCM; Couper, ; Henderson, ) require the learner to focus “on the contrast between a correct (or appropriate) pronunciation versus an incorrect (or inappropriate) pronunciation within a particular communicative act” (Fraser, , p. 301).…”

Section: Research Into Teacher Cognition Of Pronunciation Teachingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teacher Cognition of Pronunciation Teaching: Teachers' Concerns and Issues

Couper

2016

TESOL Quarterly

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This article reports on teachers' knowledge and perceptions and the issues they are concerned about in relation to pronunciation teaching. Understanding teacher cognition helps to ensure research and pedagogical advice are appropriately directed. However, there has been only a limited amount of research in this area. The researcher collected data for this study through semistructured interviews with 19 English language teachers in New Zealand. A number of themes emerged, including a lack of initial training and knowledge of phonology, leading to uncertainty about exactly what should be taught and how. This often meant pronunciation was neglected, especially in areas such as stress and intonation. It was also found that much teaching was ad hoc and in response to errors. Concerns included how to teach pronunciation in mixedfirst language classes and how to help learners with speech perception. The findings raise questions for reflective practice, teacher education, and professional development; recent research has found some answers, but these are not all represented in the knowledge base of teachers, teacher education courses, or classroom textbooks. The issues raised also underline the need for more research in a number of areas.

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Section: Research Into Teacher Cognition Of Pronunciation Teachingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teacher Cognition of Pronunciation Teaching: Teachers' Concerns and Issues

Couper

2016

TESOL Quarterly

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“…There are now many sources of guidance on teaching pronunciation (e.g. Celce-Murcia et al, 2010; Couper, 2015; Derwing and Munro, 2015; Fraser, 2001; Gilbert, 2012; Grant, 2014b; Pennington and Rogerson-Revell, 2019).…”

Section: Discussion: Answering Teachers’ Questions About Pronunciationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pronunciation Teaching Issues: Answering Teachers’ Questions

Couper

2020

RELC Journal

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This article reviews questions that non-native (NNEST) and native speaker (NEST) teachers, working in different contexts, have about pronunciation teaching. It draws on theory, research, and practice to answer those questions as far as possible. The data was collected across two projects that investigated teachers’ cognitions: their knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and practices. The first project involved semi-structured interviews with 28 NNESTs in Uruguay while the second was set in New Zealand and involved questionnaires (N=83), semistructured interviews (N=19) and classroom observations (N=6). The 19 New Zealand interviews involved 11 with New Zealand English native (L1) speakers, six with Inner Circle variety of English L1 speakers, one Outer Circle bilingual and one Expanding Circle bilingual speaker. While a number of results from these studies have already been reported (Couper, 2016a, 2016b, 2017, 2019), this article revisits the data in order to isolate questions and issues, and compare them across the two contexts. The data from Uruguay reveal insights into NNESTs’ perspectives while the data from New Zealand provide perspectives from those teaching Asian L1 students. Questions relate to: 1. the learner; 2. what to teach; 3. how to teach; 4. dealing with curriculum, textbook, and time issues; 5. teacher’s pronunciation ability and knowledge of phonetics and phonology There are some differences between the groups, such as NNESTs lacking confidence in their own pronunciation and NESTs lacking knowledge of phonetics and phonology. However, there are more similarities, with many questions not being specific to either context. These involve pedagogic knowledge and issues around priorities, setting goals, and space for pronunciation teaching. The questions and issues are addressed in terms of theories and what is known from the increasing body of research into pronunciation teaching. Practical examples of how this knowledge can be applied in the classroom are also suggested.

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“…Teachers should expose learners with English sounds as input. Nativists asserted that acquisition of pronunciation is related to the phonological rule and every individual has their innate Language Acquisition Device (LAD) helping them to acquire this rule [52]. The phonological acquisition would take place as long as they are exposed with comprehensible input [22] without any teaching intervention needed.…”

Section: B the Implication For Pronunciation Instructionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, it does not seem to be enough for merely exposing learners with the input. It is because they need attention and awareness in order to acquire the phonological system [52]. Therefore, it can be said that in teaching pronunciation, it is important to make learners able to notice [18] the sound contrasts [24].…”

Section: B the Implication For Pronunciation Instructionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, Kelly [40] suggested that pronunciation teaching can be integrated with listening or speaking. In the case of integrating pronunciation in speaking, teachers can adopt usage-based approach, a recommended approach in second language theories enabling learners to produce the language in learning pronunciation [52]. According to Couper [52] this approach gives more opportunity for learners to acquire L2 sounds as they produce it [23].…”

Section: B the Implication For Pronunciation Instructionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Unlocking Learners’ Difficulties in Acquiring English Consonant Sounds ([ð] and [θ]) and the Implication for Teaching

Yolanda¹

2019

Proceedings of the Eleventh Conference on Applied Linguistics (CONAPLIN 2018)

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Nowadays English is used to communicate not only to the native speakers but also to the non-Native English users. Instead of acquiring native-like pronunciation, ability to pronounce English with received-pronunciation and at least being understood by other users, called as intelligibility, become a new goal of pronunciation instruction in the recent language teaching development. However, the best way to approach such intelligibility remains a debate among researchers. While some believed that teachers should focus on stress and intonation in pronunciation instruction, other view that focusing on individual sounds or segments is also crucial as these segments include as a system in speech production that can influence one to another. Furthermore, diagnosing learners' difficulties in acquiring English sounds seems to be one of essential actions to achieve the intelligible pronunciation. Thus, this study aimed to investigate learners' difficulties in pronouncing consonant sounds. This was a case study toward a Chinese English learner studying in an international class in the University of Aberdeen. By interviewing the subject that emphasized on exploring the way the consonant sounds, /θ/ and /ð, were pronounced, transcribing and analyzing the recording of interview, it has been found that these dental fricative sounds were problematic for the learner. Moreover, through a followed-up interview, it could be explained that these difficulties occurred was due to the different phonological system between learner's L1 and L2, the use of inappropriate teaching approach experienced by the learner, negative attitude toward English and the low motivation possessed. In addition, a number of teaching implications toward the findings was also been suggested such as using authentic pronunciation material and presenting the phonological sounds in a factual context, integrating pronunciation teaching with speaking and listening skill, providing corrective feedback, giving learners opportunity to do self-correction toward their pronunciation production.

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Applying Theories of Language and Learning to Teaching Pronunciation

Cited by 15 publications

References 28 publications

Teacher Cognition of Pronunciation Teaching: Teachers' Concerns and Issues

Teacher Cognition of Pronunciation Teaching: Teachers' Concerns and Issues

Pronunciation Teaching Issues: Answering Teachers’ Questions

Unlocking Learners’ Difficulties in Acquiring English Consonant Sounds ([ð] and [θ]) and the Implication for Teaching

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