The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary English Pronunciation by Kang Okim Thomson Ron Murphy John M

Author:Kang, Okim,Thomson, Ron,Murphy, John M.
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Work with pronunciation-centred ESL classroom textbooks

Another recommended strategy for developing pronunciation teaching skills is to familiarize PPTs with contemporary pedagogical materials. As of the time of writing, there are at least 17 pronunciation-centred ESL classroom textbooks of high quality. These include Beisbier (1994, 1995), Brazil (1994), Cauldwell (2012), Dauer (1993), Gilbert (2012a, 2012b), Gorsuch, Meyers, Pickering and Griffee (2013), Grant (2017a, 2017b), Hahn & Dickerson (1999), Hancock (2003), Hewings (2007), Lane (2005), Marks (2007), Miller (2006) and Reed and Michaud (2005). It would be a missed opportunity for PPTs to complete their period of training unacquainted with resources of this kind. Not surprisingly, Levis (2016) identifies gaps in the coverage of textbooks such as these when their substance is compared with contemporary research in support of pronunciation teaching (see also Derwing, Diepenbroek & Foote, 2013). Most notably, published materials tend to overemphasize the teaching of compressed speech phenomena and suprasegmentals (over segmentals) to degrees as yet lacking empirical research support. As Levis explains, ‘in both cases, pedagogical emphasis outstrips what is justifiable based on research findings. It may be that future research will justify the emphases these practices enjoy, but we are far from that point.’ While acknowledging these concerns, PPTs are better prepared when they are familiar with available pedagogical materials, especially if they are asked to analyse with a critical eye the quality of what they find. An option is for teacher educators to make available as many pronunciation-centred ESL classroom textbooks as possible. This can be accomplished by including one or more as required reading in the course, sharing personal desk copies and/or setting up library reserve procedures.

Having implemented each of these options over recent years, students regularly comment how useful it is (a) to compare how different writers treat similar pronunciation topics in different ways; (b) to discuss ways of modifying and improving upon ideas for pronunciation teaching featured in published materials; (c) to identify areas of L2 students’ pronunciation needs missing from published materials; and (d) to trace the impact and/or lack of connections to contemporary empirical research. Guided exposure to contemporary teaching materials also informs and enriches the quality of culminating course papers/projects and, looking to long-term professional growth, encourages PPTs to begin to see themselves as potential material developers of the future. Such procedures help to ensure that PPTs complete the course already familiar with pedagogical resources and an expanded repertoire of teaching techniques. Further, PPTs are better able to assess the quality of teaching resources that may become available in the future.

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