Teacher Discussion Forums

[imkimjeng]

Many studies showed the important place of prosody in language communication for the reason that misunderstanding would occur when speakers are lack of suprasegmental knowledge. However, most of language teaching focuses on segmental features first, especially the instruction for beginners, and then moves to prosody, the teaching for advanced learners. Here comes my questions. I'm wondering the order of the two dimensions of language teaching is appropriate or not. For example, students learn phonics in the beginning and some of them later would be aware of connected speech employed by native speakers. However, they might get used to articulate words "clearly" (what I mean here is that they do not use connected speech) and it takes time for them to modify the way they speak. What if they learn the nature way of speaking without paying attention of segmental feature? Would this change confused language learners because there is no fixed rule for them to follow considering prosody. How to strike a balance between the teaching of prosody and of segmental feature.

[Lorikeet]

I am not sure what you are including in "prosody" but I will say that I taught about the way words were connected in very elementary levels. I had them write telephone numbers after I dictated, "fi voh" for 5-0, etc. I had them say "It's a" with the connection. I did it with everything from the very beginning.

[imkimjeng]

Prosody here means intonation, rhyme, connected speech, etc.

[Lorikeet]

[imkimjeng]

[Lorikeet]

There are patterns that can be taught. For example, "you" is often reduced to "ya" in fast speech. I used to indicate that by circling it. The "dz" sound happens when it's a __d y___ combination (would you, could you, did you, should you, had your, etc.) or "ch" for a ___t y___ combination (don't you, won't you, can't you, not yet, that you, etc.). I marked them with a liaison. I taught it explicitly, and explained that was why it was more difficult to understand spoken English.

[imkimjeng]

I'm wondering you taught students the pattern "before" they discovered something "weird" or you gave prosodic instruction once students had confusion.

[Lorikeet]

I taught it together. I might explain some grammar first, but in the spoken practice, I always said things the way we speak, and encouraged, but did not insist, on them trying it out. The most important part was understanding. If you say, "Did you go?" and pronounce each word clearly, you will be understood. If someone else says, "Didja go?" and you can't figure out what it means, then you have a problem.

[Metamorfose]

[eeaston]

I introduce reduction very early. I teach adults and it's surprising how many have never heard of it.

Easton
http://www.youtube.com/user/evaeaston?feature=mhum#p/c/C104363B56F1DC9C/1/unUJhFeoV8U