What informs or lies behind the decisions that you make in your area of expertise? Research? Intuition? Experience?
I think well-informed research is indeed a key ingredient for effective pronunciation instruction. There are questions, such as
- What of English pronunciation is critical to teach and why?
- What does a speaker in training cognitively process?
- What’s the most effective way to help this person move from thinking to doing in real-time talking?
- What’s the link between physical movement and pronunciation training?
- How do we perceive sound? If I speak English and you speak Tamil, are we able to perceive the same sounds?
These questions, along with the relevant research findings & discussions, push me to consistently incorporate the following into most of my teaching:
- An explanation of specific pronunciation features which make up English rhythm
- Constant movement
- Monitoring activities & techniques
My question for you
Do the ways in which you are working to improve your English pronunciation make sense to you? Do they make sense so that you are able to commit to the practice and attention needed for ongoing improvement?
