they are using an iPhone or laptop, the image should be as close to eye-level as possible-- and placed on desk or shelf, not held in one hand
In general the videos are performed slowly enough for all learners. If some do get behind or cannot keep up, feel free to stop and do a video again, perhaps with a bit of
explanation, if necessary.
It is not important that students initially pronounce the vowels sounds of the warm up or any PMP all that accurately. The goal is to get the movements down and the coordinate
the voice with the PMPs. In most cases the sounds will gradually approximate the target with consistent practice. The idea is that the PMPs begin to drive better, more accurate
articulation.
C. The Warm up protocol WUP
The warm up should normally be done standing up. Most PMPs can be done seated. Make sure that each student has enough space to either side to fully extend their arms to
the left or right.
Do the warm up with students, not facing them or watching them overtly. Standing to the side works fine. Visual contact during haptic training and warm ups should be avoided to
the extent possible. It can disconnect many learners from focus on the felt sense of the sounds--including the instructor on an off day. There is a great deal of research available
off the HICPR blog on why that is the case, especially with haptic engagement.
WUP functions to enliven mind and body and vocal resonance, producing simple syllables such as i, wi, yi, hi, covering almost all vowels of general English except
the diphthong, oy--accompanied by PMPs. It is intended as a regular re-orientation to visual, tactile and expressiveauditory anchoring, done as part of each AH-EPS training
and practice video. It or something like it is recommended for use at the beginning of any production-oriented class.
The WUP, in any of its several varieties, should be relaxing, rhythmic and fun-- connecting the learner’s body, visual space and vocal tract in the L2—and serve to coax
even the most reticent beyond the boundaries of their current comfort zone.
D. Dictionary Pronunciation Protocol DPP
The DPP is done in the introductory session to give learners some experience with haptic, experiential learning. It includes the basic form of about half of the PMPs in AH-EPS. It
is a good heuristic for getting the pronunciation, grammatical information, meaning and usage from a dictionary. As mentioned on the video, a hard copy, learners dictionary is
best, but a good electronic or web-based dictionary with acceptable sound quality is generally adequate. The key is a having learners copy some of the dictionary
information phonetic symbols and phrase to use it with, into the word list practice sections of the Workbook and b saying the word out loud with resonance and
enthusiasm--with the PMP
Acton©2014 Page
55
E. Homework suggestions
