What ’s Phonetics Got to Do with Language Teaching?
DESIGN OF THE STUDY
Data Collection
The data collected as part of this research project is primarily qualitative in nature. The teachers in training responded to reflection questions, during the first semester as part of a pen-and-paper journal project and during the second semester, as an end-of-semester online reflection activity.
The reflection activity in which the teachers in training participated over the course of the two semesters, and which was allotted 20% of course grade, was based on questions that asked the students to (1) observe and describe linguistic phenomena using video clips, (2) make personal connections with the material, (3) make practical application of the course information in critical thinking situations, and (4) comment on the experience of the final project that culminated the two semesters (Varona, 1999).
The teachers in training were provided with a rubric specifying how I wanted questions answered (including format and content considerations). The specifications included: (1) that answers to the reflection questions not be used to criticize the instructor or the course, (2) that the question be answered thoroughly and completely giving all requested information, (3) that the answer show evidence of successful time management (in other words, that it not look like it had be done in the five minutes previous to class time; and (4) that the answer not duplicate another classmate’s answer.
Specifically, the reflection questions for the introductory course dealt with (1) observation and description of things like social discrimination against L2 speakers due to foreign accents, characteristics of regional varieties of Spanish, and self-evaluation of pronunciation; (2) personal connection based on emotional reactions provoked by the study of regional varieties, stating an opinion about the most enjoyable aspect of studying pronunciation in Spanish, stating an opinion about what regional variety should be taught to beginning learners of Spanish and stating an opinion about the most important aspect of phonology and phonetics learned during the semester; and (3) application of KAL based on what makes beginning learners sound foreigniv, perceived necessity of teaching pronunciation, definition of good pronunciation, and describing how knowledge of phonetics and phonology would be used by a teacher of Spanish.
During the second semester, in which the novice teachers participated in Applied Linguistics, the reflection questions were again categorized as above. The question dealing with observation and description asked what aspects of Spanish pronunciation most often lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding for English L1 speakers. The personal connection questions asked (1) if the participants had ever been corrected with respect to their pronunciation and what emotional effect the experience had produced in them and (2) what opinions the participants formed of those who do not sound native-like in their pronunciation. The questions dealing with application alluded to the proposed critical/sensitive period by asking participants to consider the age of the learner as well as by forcing the participants to consider when and how pronunciation should be taught (a topic to which I had not dedicated much class time). Finally, the participants were asked to evaluate the action that they took (the pronunciation tutoring) as to whether or not it was a beneficial experience and what was learned from the experience.
Learners were told that the answers to reflection questions would not be graded on grammar but rather on the extent to which the reflection questions were answered thoroughly and completely according to the rubric (explained above) and that they would receive credit for faithfully keeping the journal (3 points possible/question). During the first semester, the reflection journal was kept with paper and pen and turned in incrementally at the end of each unit of study. During the second semester, the reflection questions were answered on line at the end of the semester immediately following the pronunciation-tutoring project, using the assessment manager of Blackboard, the electronic course management system. The questions were posed in English and the trainees were allowed to answer in either Spanish or English according to their language preference since I thought language should not be an impediment to the expression of what they wanted to say.
iv The novice teachers viewed videos of second semester Spanish students.
