| Unit name | Second Language Pronunciation and Fluency (SLPF) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EDUCD0001 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | D/8 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Dr. Isaacs |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
Other mandatory units on EdD TESOL Applied Linguistics pathway |
| School/department | School of Education |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit centres on second language (L2) pronunciation research, teaching, and assessment, with a secondary focus on L2 fluency. Some of the topics to be covered include intelligibility and breakdowns in communication, listener sensitivity to accents, integrating pronunciation and fluency into the communicative classroom, the role of pronunciation in L2 oral proficiency scales, pronunciation and issues of identity. Embedded in the unit is a rigorous focus on research methodology that will be taught through examining empirical studies in L2 pronunciation that stem from both sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic traditions. In addition to providing students with basic training in phonetics, the course will offer a clear practical component, involving diagnosing learner errors and developing instructional targets for improving their pronunciation/communication skills. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, the unit is likely to be of interest to emerging scholars and educational practitioners with wide-ranging interests within applied linguistics that extend beyond pronunciation. The unit aims to systematically expose students to
The overarching intended learning outcome is for students to be able to critique and design empirical studies in L2 pronunciation and fluency with regard to both theoretical underpinnings, and methodological choices. By participating in this unit, students will understand
Lectures Seminars Tutorials Blackboard
The assessment for the course is in line with the assessment requirements of the other three TESOL/Applied Linguistics units (Researching Language Classroom, Language and Communication, Testing and Assessment in Language Learning), and will consist of a 4000 word (or equivalent) assignment on one of the topics covered in the course (or subject to approval by the tutor). There are two options. Both options reflect the course objective: “be able to critique and design empirical studies in L2 pronunciation and fluency with regard to both theoretical underpinnings, and methodological choices.” Option 1 will be a literature-based paper that involves synthesizing previous research on some aspect of pronunciation/communication or fluency. Through examining and reflecting on the body of evidence, the goal will be to arrive at a novel way of thinking about the subject matter (i.e., arriving at a new understanding of the topic or adopting a novel perspective to inform current practice). Option 2 will be a proposal for an empirical research study that targets some aspect of pronunciation/communication or fluency. The paper will include a focused literature review, research questions, and a methods section that discusses how the research will be addressed, including procedures for data collection and data analysis.
Bohn, O.-S. & Munro, M. J. (Eds.). (2007). Language experience in second language speech learning: In honor of James Emil Flege. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Celce-Murcia, M., Brinton, D., Goodwin, J., & Griner, B. (2010). Teaching pronunciation: a course book and reference guide (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hansen Edwards, J. & Zampini, M. (Eds.). (2008). Phonology and second language acquisition. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Jenkins, J. (2000). The phonology of English as an international language. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Riggenbach, H. (Ed.). (2000). Perspectives on fluency. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. Segalowitz, N. (2010). The cognitive bases of second language fluency. New York: Routledge.
