Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h23NdVP11694; Mon, 3 Mar 2003 18:39:31 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2003 18:39:31 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <E137FEA6AB52654998DEDA818AF8FCC21F8E34@gro-mail1.watc.local> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Lorry Shoniber" <LShoniber@wichitatech.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:8724] RE: Explicit early teaching of pronunciation? X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 2332 Lines: 40 Mr. Russell, I tend to agree with your approach to pronunciation. In my own second language learning thirty-something years ago I experienced the "silent period" while learning in-country. When our current ABE/ESL teachers express concern about pronunciation, my response is generally that it should be limited. I do not know of research to support this but I do know that the "silent period" gave me time for my ear to interpret the new sounds and patterns I heard daily. Our adult beginning students may never completely hear some of our English sounds. However, in my opinion they will benefit by extended listening experiences without pressure to produce the difficult sounds. Lorry Shoniber Wichita, KS lshoniber@wichitatech.com -----Original Message----- From: Richard Russell [mailto:richtiger@cableone.net] Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 4:59 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-ESL:8722] Explicit early teaching of pronunciation? Well, I'm too quick to hit the delete button sometimes, so I've lost the post from the gentleman who argued for early, emphatic, explicit teaching of pronunciation. This is a discussion I've been in before and no doubt I ought to make a trip to the library to see what the current research is on pronunciation and the teaching thereof. Twenty years ago, I believe, the research consensus was that a "silent period" of some sort was not only harmless as regards developing good pronunciation but in fact preferable. Of course, each student and each instructor should do what works best for him or her. So, for example, ALM (the audiolingual method) is very much out of vogue; but it worked very well for me when I started studying Spanish. For most students, ALM would not be the preferred entry into Spanish or English. I guess I was the exception to the rule. But to return to pronunciation. I'd just argue that for a few weeks, at least, teachers should work on comprehension as opposed to production. Having done that, I believe that explanations of pronunciation, pronunciation drills, and reading aloud will be easier and more effective. However, I'd be glad to have any scholars out there save me a trip to the library and bring me up to date with research citations that will either tend to support my view or rebut it. Richard Russell richtiger@cableone.net
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