Pronunciation Myths: Applying Second Language Research to Classroom Teaching

by Linda Grant

Overview

This volume was conceived as a "best practices" resource for pronunciation and speaking teachers in the way that Vocabulary Myths by Keith S. Folse is one for reading and vocabulary teachers. Like others in the Myths series, this book combines research with good pedagogical practices.

The book opens with a Prologue by Linda Grant (author of the Well Said textbook series), which reviews the last four decades of pronunciation teaching, the differences between accent and intelligibility, the rudiments of the English sound system, and other factors related to the ways that pronunciation is learned and taught.

The myths challenged in this book are:

§  Once you’ve been speaking a second language for years, it’s too late to change your pronunciation. (Derwing and Munro)

§  Pronunciation instruction is not appropriate for beginning-level learners. (Zielinski and Yates)

§  Pronunciation teaching has to establish in the minds of language learners a set of distinct consonant and vowel sounds.  (Field)

§  Intonation is hard to teach. (Gilbert)

§  Students would make better progress if they just practiced more. (Grant)

§  Accent reduction and pronunciation instruction are the same thing. (Thomson)

§  Teacher training programs provide adequate preparation in how to teach pronunciation (Murphy).

The book concludes with an Epilogue by Donna M. Brinton, who synthesizes some of the best practices explored in the volume.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780472035168
Publisher:	University of Michigan Press
Publication date:	02/21/2014
Series:	The Myths Series
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction vii

Prologue to the Myths: What Teachers Need to Know Linda Grant 1

Myth 1 Once you have been speaking a second language for years, it's too late to change your pronunciation Tracey Derwing Murray J. Munro 34

Myth 2 Pronunciation instruction is not appropriate for beginning-level learners Beth Zielinski Lynda Yates 56

Myth 3 Pronunciation teaching has to establish in the minds of language learners a set of distinct consonant and vowel sounds John Field 80

Myth 4 Intonation is hard to teach Judy Gilbert 107

Myth 5 Students would make better progress in pronunciation if they just practiced more Linda Grant 137

Myth 6 Accent reduction and pronunciation instruction are the same thing Ron I. Thomson 160

Myth 7 Teacher training programs provide adequate preparation in how to teach pronunciation John Murphy 188

Epilogue to the Myths: Best Practices for Teachers Donna M. Brinton 235

Index 243