This workshop brought together the community of teachers and scholars, in Canberra and beyond, interested in L2 pronunciation teaching and learning, in particular those of languages other than English. The workshop consisted of talks in the morning dealing with current research in the field, a round table, and hands-on sessions in the afternoon. It provided a combination of theory and practice, opportunities for networking, and opened avenues for future collaborations.

This workshop was run through the auspices of the Australian Foreign/Second Language Pronunciation Pedagogy Research Group.

All language teachers and scholars interested in the role and implementation of L2 pronunciation were welcome to attend.

ABSTRACTS AND SLIDES (TALKS)

Talk 1. Dr Manuel Delicado Cantero, ANU. Some issues affecting pronunciation T&L in the (Spanish) L2 class

This talk is an initial welcome to the workshop and an invitation to reflect upon the need for adequate teaching and learning (T&L) of pronunciation at different levels in order to improve our students’ competency in the goal language. It explores a number of important concepts, starting with the very nature of ‘pronunciation’, and provides an introduction to current research on FL/L2 pronunciation T&L. The main language explored will be Spanish, but the presentation will be of interest to colleagues teaching any language.

Talk 1 Slides (1.83MB PDF)

Talk 2. Dr Solène Inceoglu, ANU. What are the effects of instruction on L2 French pronunciation and fluency: the case of an online course

Pronunciation instruction has been shown to improve some aspects of second language (L2) learners’ pronunciation. However, despite the increasing demand for online course delivery, there has been no study investigating how online pronunciation instruction can affect second language speech development. This study investigated the effects of a semester-long online pronunciation course on the development of L2 French pronunciation and fluency. Pre- and post-test tasks (i.e., picture narration, read-aloud, and conversation simulation) were used to analyze learners’ pronunciation development in terms of segmental errors, connected speech (use of liaisons and enchaînements), and fluency (including pauses and mean length of run (MLR)). Findings revealed significant interaction effects between time and tasks. 

Talk 2 Slides (1.20MB PDF)

Talk 3. Dr Chiharu Tsurutani, Griffith University. Prosodic characteristics of Japanese speech spoken by L2 learners

Prosody plays an important role in not only intelligibility, but also in speakers’ attitudes and emotions. In the early stages of learning, learners need to acquire the rhythm of the target language, starting from prosody at word level. In the later stages of learning, more subtle usage of prosody is required in communication, where intonation can completely change the interpretation of an utterance. In this presentation, I will illustrate typical prosodic characteristics of Japanese speech produced by L2 learners and discuss different ways teachers can assist learners throughout the acquisition process.

Talk 3 Slides (858KB PDF)

Talk 4. Dr Xiaoping Gao, University of Wollongong. Strategies for teaching Mandarin pronunciation    

Mandarin Chinese has been regarded as one of the most difficult languages for English native speakers to learn partially due to its variable tone system. This presentation provides strategies for teaching Mandarin pronunciation, with a particular focus on coping with the most challenging parts for English speaking learners. It covers not only instructional techniques but also innovative technologies (e.g., software and applications) available for facilitating the implementation of the strategies in teaching practice. The effectiveness of these strategies will also be discussed in association with the assessment methods used to evaluate learner pronunciation.   

Talk 4 Slides (1.72MB PDF)

Talk 5. Dr Ksenia Gnevsheva. Nativelikeness in production and perception

Linguistics has seen a heated discussion of whether ultimate attainment in second language speakers is possible and what it means to be nativelike. To help us understand the relationship between objective measures of production and subjective measures of perception, the data from the same speakers are analyzed from both angles. Here I discuss one non-native English speaker’s nativelikeness in production and perception and the correspondences between the two with a focus on vowels. I highlight the speaker’s nativelike production of some but not all vowels, which nevertheless results in a perceived nativelikeness. I conclude with a discussion of feature salience.

Talk 5 Slides (441KB PDF)

Talk 6. Yuko Kinoshita. Japanese pronunciation workshop

Talk 6 Slides (6.88MB PDF)