A pedagogical framework for integrated instruction of English prosody

To tackle the challenge of teaching/learning English prosody, we propose a comprehensive pedagogical framework that breaks down the elusive and complex phenomenon of prosody into three principles. The foundation of this framework lies in solid basic phonetic concepts, including syllable structure, three stress levels, and nucleus placement principles. These principles make it more accessible for both teachers and learners.

Transcript

1. A pedagogical framework for integrated instruction of English prosody Kazuhito YAMATO (Kansai University) Takamichi ISODA (Ryukoku University) 1 IATEFL PronSIG online conference October 14th, 2023
2. Outline Purpose Introduce our approach to teaching prosody and its theoretical underpinning, and illustrate some suggested activities. Outline 1. Introduction and background 2. Three principles approach 3. Suggested activities 2 This study is supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 22K00761.
3. 1. Introduction and background 3
4. 1. Introduction and background • Needs for prosody teaching • Teachers feel less con fi dent and not enough training (Shibata et al., 2008; Murphy, 2018) 4
5. 1. Introduction and background •Needs for prosody teaching •Japanese EFL learners have problems with prosodic features (Nanjo, 2010; Saito & Ueda, 2011; Saito, 2017; Matsusaka, 1986): -sentence stress -intonation -nucleus placement 5
6. 1. Introduction and background •Issues to be addressed -Teachers: hard to teach, not sure on what to teach -Learners: complex descriptions, too much to remember 6
7. 1. Introduction and background A famous example of a model for teaching prosody •Prosody pyramid (Gilbert, 2008) •presupposes understanding syllables → for high-level learners? 7
8. 1. Introduction and background •what should we do? -Need an even more user-friendly pedagogical framework (for both teachers and students), which encompasses separate elements (syllable, stress and rhythm, and intonation) as an interrelated system -Need to develop teaching techniques or activities coherent with its framework •Proposal: -“Three Principles” Approach!! 8
9. 2. “Three Principles” approach 9
10. 2. “Three Principles” approach -Minimum essentials of prosody -As a guide for teachers to develop activities utilizing a textbook in hand -As a checklist for students 10 “Three Principles” approach 1.Strike a beat where there is a vowel. 2.When there are more than one beat, differentiate strong and weak beats. 3.When there are more than one strong beat, make one of them more salient than the others.
11. 2. “Three Principles” approach •Principle 1 … -covers “syllable structure” ‣Beats or syllables can be counted by “humming” -prevents unnecessary “vowel insertion” 11 “Three Principles” approach 1.Strike a beat where there is a vowel. strike ɹɹ ετϥΠΫ /straɪk/ su to ra i ku
12. 2. “Three Principles” approach 12 “Three Principles” approach 2.When there are more than one beat, differentiate strong and weak beats. • Principle 2 … •illustrates word stress/phrasal stress •shows reduced vowels bananaɹɹ ό φ φ /bənænə/ ba na na
13. 2. “Three Principles” approach •Principle 2 … • illustrates strong beats tend to be content words and weak beats to be function words •leads to “rhythm in English” (stressed beats are repeated with regular intervals) 13 “Three Principles” approach 2. When there are more than one beat, differentiate strong and weak beats. Cats eat ɹ fi sh. The cats eat ɹ the fi sh. The cats are eating the fi sh. The cats will have eaten the fi sh.
14. 2. “Three Principles” approach 14 “Three Principles” approach 3.When there are more than one strong beat, make one of them more salient than the others. •Principle 3 … •illustrates “primary stress” in words and “Nucleus placement principle” in sentences •Nucleus placed elsewhere re fl ects speaker’s intention universityɹI go to school by bus. A: Where do you go by bus? B: I go to school by bus.
15. 2. “Three Principles” approach 15 •What can we do with this framework? -Analyse texts/passages with this framework -Integrate prosody instruction into classes (cf. Celce-Murcia et al.(2010)’s communicative framework) ɹɹɹˣ -Develop activities based on a textbook in hand “Three Principles” approach 1. Strike a beat where there is a vowel. 2. When there are more than one beat, differentiate strong and weak beats. 3. When there are more than one strong beat, make one of them more salient than the others.
16. 16 3. Suggested activities
17. 3. Suggested activities 1.Humming -sensitizing learners about elements of prosody: syllable, stress and rhythm, and intonation -combined with teaching new words, reading aloud, and many other types of activities. -avoiding vowel insertion 17 unusual enjoy piano pressing teeth skull words allowed “Three Principles” approach 1. Strike a beat where there is a vowel.
18. 3. Suggested activities 6.Grouping (odd-one-out etc.) -Group them in syllable number -Group them in stress pattern (strong-weak/ weak-strong) -Select one with the teacher hums/reads aloud 18 Edison found unusual way enjoy piano music pressing teeth wood skull words allowed “Three Principles” approach 2. When there are more than one beat, differentiate strong and weak beats.
19. 3. Suggested activities 7.Content words only -Listen to T’s reading aloud and guess the content -Draw slash(/) where a sentence ends and a thought group ends by paying attention to intonation 19 Thomas Edison found unusual way enjoy piano music no known photograph Edison biting piano / known bite phonographs pianos help experience music hearing worsened / daughter once remembered guest cried sight Edison biting piano someone played “Three Principles” approach 2.When there are more than one beat, differentiate strong and weak beats.
20. 3. Suggested activities 16.Q&A -The nucleus is placed in accordance with questions -If the nucleus is misplaced, Ts would repeat the question or give explicit feedback. 20 Q: What does the piano have above the keyboard? A: The piano has groups of small marks above the keyboard. Q: Does the piano have groups of small marks on the keyboard? A: The piano has groups of small marks above the keyboard. Q: Where does the piano have groups of small marks? A: The piano has groups of small marks above the keyboard. “Three Principles” approach 3. When there are more than one strong beat, make one of them more salient than the others.
21. 3. Suggested activities 20.Correcting mistakes -Work in pairs. B will read out the passage. -A will point out the wrong parts and correct them with particular emphasis on the nucleus. 21 A [Correct ver.] Thomas Edison may have found an unusual way to enjoy piano music. Pressing his teeth into the wood of phonographs and pianos helped Edison experience the music in his skull. Or in his own words, it allowed him to “hear through my teeth.” B [Wrong ver.] Thomas Edison may have found a common way to enjoy piano music. Pressing his nail into the wood of phonographs and pianos helped Edison experience the music in his hand. Or in his own words, it allowed him to “hear through my teeth.” “Three Principles” approach 3. When there are more than one strong beat, make one of them more salient than the others.
22. Takeaway messages 22 •This framework… •provides three accessible rules for Ts and Ss! •Interrelates syllable, stress, rhythm, and intonation! •Enables teachers to seamlessly integrate prosody instruction into their classes and to devise customised activities using any chosen textbooks! “Three Principles” approach 1.Strike a beat where there is a vowel. 2.When there are more than one beat, differentiate strong and weak beats. 3.When there are more than one strong beat, make one of them more salient than the others.
23. Takeaway messages 23 •The list of suggested activities are available from the link below! https://bit.ly/3LWwZ6b Kazuhito YAMATO (Kansai University) kyamato@kansai-u.ac.jp Takamichi ISODA (Ryukoku University) isoda@psy.ryukoku.ac.jp “Three Principles” approach 1.Strike a beat where there is a vowel. 2.When there are more than one beat, differentiate strong and weak beats. 3.When there are more than one strong beat, make one of them more salient than the others.
24. A pedagogical framework for integrated instruction of English prosody [contact] Kazuhito YAMATO (Kansai University) kyamato@kansai-u.ac.jp Takamichi ISODA (Ryukoku University) isoda@psy.ryukoku.ac.jp 24 IATEFL PronSIG online conference October 14th, 2023 This study is supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 22K00761.