Teaching Pronunciation

UNIT 4: Research in the acquisition of phonological skills

PORTFOLIO- TASKS
Student’s Ariadna Luisa Montiel Cornejo
name
GENERAL INFORMATION
 This document includes the tasks you are required to do for unit 4.
 Read the instructions for the task carefully before you do them.
 When you have finished them, save the task-document in your portfolio.
 Then, submit it by the due date following the instructions given in the
Academic Guide.

Task 1

Give a brief explanation of the following concepts. Please avoid copying from
the text. Instead use your own words or examples.

a) Intonation: The way the voice or pitch rises and falls while speaking. It
emotes emotions and it is an important aspect of effective
communication and it includes stress, rhythm and intonation patterns, It
can vary depending on the native language of the speaker and regional
accent.
b) Rhythm: It is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a spoken
language, it affects the listener’s ability to comprehend what was said
and developing a natural rhythm when speaking can help learners sound
native-like in the L2.
c) Connected Speech: It refers to the way native speakers links sounds
when they are speaking, creating a flowing and -as the name suggests-
connected sound. This involves changes in pronunciation as well as
contractions in certain words. It can be difficult for learners to
comprehend and eventually produce as it makes familiar words sound
different.
d) Voice quality: It is the tone and sound of a speaker’s voice. This includes
volume, pitch, resonance, breathiness, nasality or hoarseness. This
aspect is important because it affects the effectivity of communication.
Learners need to work on developing the voice quality because it
improves the ability to express emotions and bear meaning.

Task 2
Fill in the following table with the information provided in required reading 3 that
is under the name “Research Directions”.

Phonological Author of Purpose of Findings. Importance to

Element study/Year study. teaching
pronunciation.
Intonation Backmann Blackmann: The longer the They provide
(1977) Study Spanish an insight into
Todaka intonation speaker spent how L1 patters
(1990) based on living in the interfere with
Spanish US and the speaker’s
speakers. increased their intonation in
Todaka: English English but
Studied the proficiency, being
acousticality their intonation constantly
of a English changed into a exposed to an
speaker with more typical authentic
Japanese as American ambiance
L1 compared pronunciation. allows them to
to native adopt and
English Japanese adapt the L2
speaker. speakers patterns.
made the
same mistake
as the
Spanish
speakers in
Backmann’s
study when
transferring
their L1
intonation
patterns into
English,
making two
important
mistakes: Not
using a wide
enough range
of pitch and
not giving
emphasis to
stressed
syllables with
pitch changes.
Rhythm Chela Flores Prove the In order to For a learner to
(1993) difficulty automatize the master the
rhythm has for rhythmic rhythm of the
non-native patterns in an language, they
speakers . L2, the learner must recognize
has to be the challenge
exposed to and teachers
extended must develops
practice. strategies and
exercises to
help them
 improve the
rhythm and
fluency. This
comes, again,
to produce
extensive
practice
sessions.
Connected Anderson- Factors that ESL learners Comprehendin
Speech Hsieh, Riney influence with Japanese g how L1
and Koehler speaker’s L1 made affects L2 style
(1994) performance, fewer shifting and its
such as modifications influence whit
language on an elicit connected
proficiency, narrative task speech helps
native than those teachers
language who had identify the
transfer and English as L1. areas where
ability to shift The latter the students
style. would omit may struggle
weak syllables and provide
and targeted
restructure instruction in
phonological order to
forms. improve their
pronunciation.
Voice Quality Hanley, Comparison of Spanish and Understanding
Sindecor and pitch and Japanese the voice
Ringel (1966) loudness speakers used quality in
Todaka among a higher pitch different
(1993) Spanish, and lower language
American volume groups allows
English and compared to teachers to
Japanese the target areas
speakers. Americans. where the
students may
Screening test Todaka found need to
to discern the same improve their
bilingual results when pitch or volume
speakers. using bilingual according to the
speakers. target language
They spoke and even social
Japanese in a interaction.
higher pitch
rather than
when they
speak English.