Sophie Herment, Aix Marseille University, France.

From research to teaching: The case of English rising contours

The main topic of this talk is the pedagogical implications of pronunciation research. I focus on English intonation, and more specifically on rising contours. It is indeed quite common to hear incongruous rises in the speech of EFL learners, in particular for questions (e.g., MacDonald 2011; Pytlyk 2008; Santiago-Vargas & Delais-Roussarie 2012), but also at the end of declarative sentences (Contreras Roa 2019; Horgues 2010). Those rises sound inappropriate, and yet, native English speakers produce rising contours in the same contexts. Where does this discrepancy come from? How can it be avoided? How to help learners integrate a more native-like prosody? To try and answer these questions, it is necessary to focus on the forms and functions of rising contours, both in learners and natives.

The first part of the presentation concentrates on learners. The example of French learners of English is taken to illustrate the transfer of intonation from L1 to L2 (Herment et al. 2014). The functions of the rises heard are discussed.

Then rises in native English speakers are examined through various corpora. Depending on the context and the type of speech, rises can take different forms and have different functions. In spontaneous speech, high rising terminals are often heard, with very specific pragmatic functions that will be discussed (Bongiorno & Herment 2022). A study of read speech (Herment et al. 2020; Herment & Tortel 2021) reveals that rising contours are few and that contrary to what is stated in the literature, their main function is not to indicate non-finality and continuation, but rather to convey attitudes.

The pedagogical implications of these results are discussed in the third part of the talk: in read speech, learners should try and avoid rises, even in non-final tone units. In spontaneous speech, learners should be aware of the attitude conveyed by rising terminals. A few examples are given of how the visualization of prosody can help to better understand the contours and to better hear and produce them. 

Pavel Trofimovich, Concordia University, Canada.

Second language comprehensibility: What we know and where we go from here

In this presentation, I provide an overview of research on second language (L2) comprehensibility, which captures listeners’ effort to understand L2 speakers. I highlight comprehensibility as a construct with strong speaker- and listener-based contributions, as a variable with visual and behavioral components, as a dynamic, multidimensional, and interaction-relevant phenomenon, and as a socially flexible judgment with important attitudinal and behavioral consequences for both speakers and listeners. I discuss several ways in which language researchers and practitioners can approach comprehensibility in real-world contexts and outline potential avenues of comprehensibility-focused research.

Alex Baratta, University of Manchester, England.

Accent in British teaching: A lack of inherentness within a trichotomy approach

Within Britain, negative judgements are often made of regional accents deemed to be ‘broad’, further suggestive of working-class origins. If we consider such judgement within the context of the teaching profession, in which one’s voice, and by implication accent, is indeed relevant, it can help to uncover the linguistic reality for teachers. However, the Teachers’ Standards in use in Britain only state the need for teachers to use standard English, a variety that pertains only to grammar and lexis, and can be spoken in any accent. Thus, without accent-based guidance within the Teachers’ Standards, but considering the societal reality of negative perceptions of broad regional accents, this paper discusses the accent-based reality for trainee teachers in Britain.

This investigation involved four separate studies which collected data from 41 teachers, largely, but not entirely, representing trainee teachers of both primary and secondary level, and teaching a variety of subjects. The results reveal that accent modification was indeed a reality for many of the teachers, sometimes self-imposed, but often at the behest of the mentors. Moreover, it was largely teachers from the North and Midlands who were under such instruction, even if teaching in their home region; with one notable exception, Southern teachers were not given accent-based guidance.

The results clearly indicate that negative perceptions of Northern accents in particular is a reality, reflecting what is often societal-based prejudice regarding accents, whereas accents tied to the Southeast in particular are associated with more ‘standard’ accents. While there is no official standard accent in Britain, however, there are nonetheless accent varieties which are perceived as standard. These are accents which, while regional, seek to remove the more identifiable sounds (‘phonological giveaways’) and in doing so, make the speaker less identifiable to a specific location. In this manner, such accents mirror a key aspect of the RP accent – removing traces of one’s regional origins.

The implications for the results are that some teachers believe that they are being targeted unfairly for what is otherwise a key aspect of their personal identity, one rooted in pride but suggested to be a phonological liability by some mentors. Ultimately, the results have further implications for the Teachers’ Standards, raising the question as to whether or not accent should be referenced. Until then, there is evidence for a linguistic tug of war between teachers and mentors.

Anastazija Kirkova-Naskova, Ss Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, North Macedonia.

Engaging research: Empowering ESL/EFL teachers to teach pronunciation

Recent calls for more research-informed pronunciation practice and the ensuing re-evaluation of the research-practice link have brought to light a tangible state of affairs: research advances are far more progressive and teaching practice is failing to keep up. Despite the latest attempts to narrow this gap by promoting publications that devote special sections to practical applications of key research findings, teachers still struggle with real challenges: a) grasping re-defined concepts such as intelligibility, comprehensibility, and accent; b) how to integrate pronunciation features in general English lessons; c) which approach to adopt given that there are so many (conflicting) ideas and techniques; d) how to adapt materials to learners of different proficiency levels and ages; e) how to cope with lack of time; f) how to assess their learners’ pronunciation; and g) how to address their learners’ pronunciation goals, varied linguistic experience and developing L2 identities. It seems that an important aspect that has received little attention is genuinely understanding classroom reality – a reality that assumes increased workload, limited resources, and lack of autonomy and self-confidence. How can we support teachers to navigate the personal and institutional challenges and encourage them to address pronunciation in their teaching more frequently?

The aim of this talk is to propose a conceptual agenda which empowers teachers to learn how to reflect on their pronunciation teaching practices. I will discuss current issues in pronunciation research relevant for the teaching context and offer insights into the most effective research findings that can be successfully applied in the classroom. To understand teachers better, I will discuss preliminary results of an on-going qualitative study with teachers, investigating their knowledge of English pronunciation prior to and during their studies, and comparing this learning experience with their practical teaching experience. I will then explore ways of using digital and social media as tools for accessing up-to-date research findings and furthering teachers’ learning and professional development. By bringing in a reasonable amount of structure, while affording teachers enough opportunities for autonomous action, avoidance of pronunciation teaching – or simple indifference – should be minimised and better practices could be promoted and developed.