Introductory

key ideas

for ENGL

5860 (CMBG)

1. List what teachers need to

know to assess & address

L2 learners’ pronunciation

needs.

1. Explicit knowledge of English

sound system

2. Familiarity with variety of

pedagogical techniques, including

the communicatively oriented.

3. The ability to choose right

techniques for task at hand

2. Define “threshold level.”

Why has it replaced native-

like as a goal for most

adult English learners?

• Threshold level

– intelligible, communication not hindered by

pronunciation

• Reasonable goal for adults

– Native-like is usually unrealistic & not

required

– Wiser use of energy and time --

vocabulary, syntax, etc.

3. Define controlled practice.

State the important

pedagogical question

regarding its use.

• Controlled practice: Imitating a

model or reading a script, so

mental focus is strictly on producing

the L2 accurately.

• Pedagogical Q: How can the

students’ accurate language

production in controlled practice be

transferred to their free use of the

language?

4. Discuss briefly the 6

learner factors that have

an impact on language

learning.

1) Age

• Generally, the earlier the exposure to

native speakers of the L2, the better the

acquisition of phonology (particularly

before late teens).

• Sensitive periods do exist.

– Learning “melody” of L1 in the womb

• Psychomotor considerations with

pronunciation--physical habits

• Schema for sounds are set--hear L2

with L1 ears

• Even child L2 learners’ acquisition is

influenced by established L1.

2) Exposure to L2

• Language-rich environment: more input

& high quality input aid acquisition--

• “exposure & practice make perfect”

– Even in TL settings, teachers must

provide enough input & opportunities

to use L2.

• Listening discrimination first--helps

perception & production

• Best situation--early total immersion in

L2 speaking environment when young

– For pronunciation, early gains often

retained years later

3) Amount & type of prior

instruction

• Experienced learners--may have fixed &

systematic L2 pronunciation errors

– Early models may have been inaccurate

– May have had no explicit pronunciation

instruction or feedback

4) Aptitude

• 4 traits--Learner may be especially

strong in one, some, or all

1) Phonemic coding ability--discriminate &

recall

2) Grammatical sensitivity--induce systems

3) Inductive learning abilty--to “acquire” L2

4) Memory--retain what’s learned

5) Attitude &

motivation

• Attitude influenced by how your group is

treated (sociocultural variables) & by

own perceptions/feelings (affective

variables)--Schumann

– Affective variables may be especially

influential.

• “Ego permeability”--willingness to

redefine self as part of the L2 group

• Integrative & assimilative motivation

– a) Socially a member or (b) even

indistinguishable from L2 group

• Instrumental motivation

– Learn L2 to achieve a goal (new job,

promotion)

• Intensity of motivation as important as

type (especially when combined with

endurance--“grit”)

6) Role of L1--

CA, EA,

Markedness,

IL (errors),

• Contrastive analysis--better predictor for

pronunciation than other areas of SLA

– L1 facilitates & interferes (positive &

negative transfer)

– Problem--ability to predict degree of

difficulty in acquiring L2 form

2. Hierarchy of difficulty--“snacc”

Hardest: Split x -> x or y; e.g., for -> por or para

New: Ø -> x; e.g., grammatical gender

Absent: x -> Ø; e.g., do as a tense marker

Coalesced: x & y ->x; his & her -> su

Easiest: Correspondence: x = x, e.g., -ing = -ndo

• Contrastive analyses for pronunciation--

help us anticipate problems, explain

errors, & know learners’ starting points

• Error analyses--a way to uncover what

marked forms are

– What’s likely to need extra focus

• Fossilization of IL--refinement ends

short of TL norm

– May be a wise decision: Native-like

may not be a good use of learner’s

resources

– (threshold level)

IL & learners’ errors

• Errors are natural. Cannot be avoided.

• Errors reveal learner’s development.

• As long as development continues,

errors may be eliminated.

• Our role: foster development; provide

form-focused input

• Correction is necessary:

– If input alone cannot indicate correct L2

form.

• Need for negative input:

– L1 offers more options than L2 offers;

learners transfer all the L1 options.

5. How does

information-

processing

theory regard

L2 learning?

• Information processing theory

– Learners interpret new information in

relation to existing knowledge structures

(schemata)

– Take in information through either

controlled or automatic processes

–Controlled--requires

focus/attention--limited capacity

–Automatic--capacity is not limited,

happens outside of awareness

• Information processing

theory’s 2 predictions

about phonological SLA &

IPT’s 3 modes of learning.

• Predictions. Strong tendencies to:

1) Process L2 sounds using L1 system

2) Process L2 phonological information

automatically (not focus of

attention). Reason for

hyperpronunciation practice.

• IPT’s 3 modes of learning

1) Addition: add new structures to

existing knowledge structures

(schemata)

2) Restructure: reorganize existing

structures and create new ones

based on preexisting patterns

3) (Fine) Tune: Refine/modify new

&/or old schemata, making them

more accurate, general, or specific.

• A-R-T: add, restructure, (fine) tune

• Note: IPT is applied to all learning, not

just L2 learning

6. Explain voice quality &

why it merits pedagogical

attention.

• Voice quality = global features of a

language group’s performance:

loudness, nasality, muscle tension/pitch,

voice support, fullness/breathiness,

mouth openness, lip shape, degree of

assimilation

• Importance of these settings:

– If they’re wrong, phonemes, rhythm,

intonation often can’t fall into place.

– Speaker’s L2 might be not be pleasing to

listeners’ ears.

• NAE English: lung support, lack of

muscle tension in throat & face

7. List the 8 ideas that are

generally agreed upon

regarding phonological

acquisition.

1) L1 plays a role in L2 phonological

acquisition.

2) Extent of negative transfer varies by

learner & type of structure.

3) Some aspects of IL phonology parallel

child L1 learning.

4) Register affects accuracy of L2

performance.

5) The earlier a learner is exposed to

native-spoken L2, the better.

6) For most adults, intelligible L2

production is the reasonable goal.

7) Acquiring L2 phonology is qualitatively

different from acquiring L2 morphology

& syntax.

8) Sociocultural & sociopsychological

factors influence ultimate attainment of

L2.