Enhancing Control of the Abdominal Region to Address L2 English Learners’ Segmental Pronunciation Problems
Main Article Content
Abstract
In L2 English pronunciation instruction at the segmental level, anatomically the emphasis has been almost exclusively on the learners’ articulatory functions. However, an overlooked aspect of instruction is to also encourage learners, especially those with more syllable-based L1s, to use their abdominal region to assist them in pronouncing certain problematic sounds, particularly certain long vowel/diphthong sounds and voiced consonants. There appears to have been no research examining the effectiveness of such instruction incorporating abdominal control, so a study was conducted tracing the development of two learners, through case studies, when taught with this approach. The learners’ progress was observed and chronicled by the researcher, and also quantified through the use of a reading aloud test administered pre- and post-instruction. The study found that the learners progressed with many of the problematic sounds (some, as observed by the researcher, instantaneously once shown how to use their abdomen to say the sounds), although slightly less so with others. Further, some of these gains were maintained in a final, delayed administration of the reading aloud test. The findings from this study flag the usefulness of further investigating the method in future on a larger scale, preferably through an experimental study.
Keywords: Enhanced abdominal control, English learners, Pronunciation instruction, Segmental sounds
Article Details
References
Avery, P., & Ehrlich, S. (1992). Teaching American English pronunciation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Axelrod, J. (1974). Some pronunciation and linguistic problems of Spanish-speaking children in American classrooms. Elementary English, 51, 203-206.
Best, C., & Tyler, M. (2007), Nonnative and second-language speech perception: Commonalities and complementarities. In O.-S. Bohn & M. J. Munro (Eds.). Language Experience in Second Language Speech Learning: In honor of James Emil Flege (pp. 13-34). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Brown, A. (1988). Functional load and the teaching of pronunciation. TESOL Quarterly, 22, 593-606.
Catford, J.C. (1987). Phonetics and the teaching of pronunciation: A systemic description of English phonology. In J. Morley (Ed.), Current perspectives on pronunciation: Practices anchored in theory (pp. 89-90). Alexandria, VA: TESOL.
Celce-Murcia, M., Brinton, D. M., & Goodwin, J. M. (1996). Teaching pronunciation: A reference for teachers of English to speakers of other languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Celce-Murcia, M., Brinton, D. M., & Goodwin, J.M. (2010). Teaching Pronunciation: A course book and reference guide (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Chan, A. Y. W., & Li, D. C. S. (2000). English and Cantonese phonology in contrast: Explaining Cantonese ESL learners’ English pronunciation problems. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 13, 67-85.
Chen, H. C. (2015). A corpus-based pronunciation learning website. Retrieved December 2015, from: http://ecconcord.ied.edu.hk/phonetics_and_phonology/wordpress/?page_id=328
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage publications.
DeKeyser, R. M. (2007). Skill acquisition theory. In R. M. DeKeyser (Ed.), Practice in a second language: Perspectives from applied linguistics and cognitive psychology (pp. 97-113). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Derwing, T. M., & Munro, M. J. (2015). Pronunciation fundamentals: Evidence-based Perspectives for L2 teaching and research. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Deterding, D. (2006). The pronunciation of English by speakers from China. English World-Wide, 27, 175-198.
Eastman, J. K. (1993). C-words and f-words: The importance of distinguishing content and function in teaching second language listening. System, 21, 495-502.
Flege, J. E. (1995). Second language speech learning: Theory, findings and problems. In W. Strange (Ed.), Speech perception and linguistic experience: Theoretical and methodological issues (pp. 233-277). Baltimore : York Press.
Flege, J. E., Munro, M. J., & MacKay, I. R. A. (1995). The effect of age of second language learning on the production of English consonants. Speech Communication, 16, 1-26.
Jenkins, J. (2000). The phonology of English as an international language. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kelly, G. (2000). How to teach pronunciation. Essex, UK: Pearson Educational Press.
Kenworthy, J. (1987). Teaching English pronunciation (3rd ed.). London: Longman.
Lee, J., Jang, J., & Plonsky, L. (2015). The effectiveness of second language pronunciation instruction: A meta-analysis. Applied Linguistics, 36, 343-366.
Li, S., & Sewell, A. (2012). Phonological features of China English. Asian Englishes, 15, 80-101.
Messum, P. R. (1998). The accent method. IATEFL Pronunciation Special Interest Group Newsletter, 22, 30-33.
Messum, P. R. (2009). Grounding stress in expiratory activity. IATEFL Pronunciation Special Interest Group Newsletter, 41, 12-16.
Nation, I. S. P., & Newton, J. (2009). Teaching ESL/EFL listening and speaking. New York: Routledge.
Ohata, K. (2004). Phonological differences between Japanese and English: Several potentially problematic areas of pronunciation for Japanese ESL/EFL learners. Asian EFL Journal, 1-19.
Patthamawadee, N. & Bhornsawan, I. (2017). English consonant pronunciation problems of EFL students: A survey of EFL students at Mae Fah Luang University. Paper presented at the 6th Burapha University International Conference, Chon Buri, Thailand.
Richards, J. C. (2015). Key issues in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Saito, K. (2012). Effects of instruction on L2 pronunciation development: A synthesis of 15 quasi-experimental intervention studies. TESOL Quarterly, 46, 842-54.
Schmidt, R. (2001). Attention. In P. Robinson (Ed.). Cognition and second language instruction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Thyme-Frokjaer, K. (2001). The accent method: A rational voice therapy in theory & practice. Bicester, UK: Speechmark-Routledge.
Underhill, A. (2005). Sound foundations: Learning and teaching pronunciation. Oxford: McMillan Education.
Wei, Y. & Zhou, Y. (2002). Insights into English pronunciation problems of Thai students. Paper presented at the 8th Annual Meeting of the Quadruple Helix, University of Maryland, Baltimore, US.
Yeldham, M. (2000). English Conversation in Taiwan: Intermediate level. Taipei: Crane Publishing Company.
Yeldham, M. (2004). English Conversation in Taiwan: Elementary level. Taipei: Crane Publishing Company.