The Implementation of Collaborative Study Groups as a Mechanism to Enhance and

Promote Metacognitive Processes in Pronunciation

Courses

Claudia Cárdenas

REFLECTION MODE

pronunciation

Fossilized mispronunciations?

Challenging issues

“Pronunciation has been swept under the carpet” (Brown, 1991)

Communication breakdowns start to appear when non-native speakers fall below the threshold in pronunciation (Celcee- Murcia, Brinton and Goodwin, 1996)

Project targets

Experts’ view

Deliberate actions and thoughts that are consciously employed, often in logical sequence, for learning and gaining greater control over the use of various aspects of pronunciation (Pawlak , 2010).

LEARNING PRONUNCIATION STRATEGIES

• More detailed and systematic listening, a critical process that provides an opportunity for learners to focus on their L2 production at the segment, syllable, word, phrase level. (Ingels, 2011)

• Transcription may be completed by the learner or the teacher, and learners may transcribe their own speech or that of NSs. (Clennell, 1999).

• Learners review their peer’s transcripts, looking for nontarget features, and annotate (mark) corrections directly on the transcript in a contrasting color. During this transcript correction process, learners refer to a checklist to remind them of the pronunciation features they should monitor.

• Practice has been cited as an effective strategy and one of the more frequently used (Chamot & Kupper, 1989; Cohen et al., 1995; W. B. Dickerson, 1989; Sardegna, 2009).

Research design

Burns (2010), self- reflective, critical and systematic approach

Questioning and problematising

Pronunciation struggles

Phonological awareness and Phonological awareness and application of monitoring strategiesapplication of monitoring strategies

Por lo menos ahora cuando cometo un error ya

me doy cuenta y soy capaz de autocorregirme

Por lo menos ahora cuando cometo un error ya

me doy cuenta y soy capaz de autocorregirme

Yo pensaba que yo no cometía errores, pero con los ejercicios me doy cuenta que tengo problemas constantes en la pronunciación de las vocales

Strengthening of pedagogical abilities

Descubrí que soy paciente para explicarles a mis compañeros

y que me gusta enseñar

Descubrí que soy paciente para explicarles a mis compañeros

y que me gusta enseñar

Students’ proficiency level related to the error analysis scope

Segmental feautures Suprasegmental feautures

Collaborative learning enhances pronunciation awareness

Como el grupo es pequeño, no me da vergüenzaequivocarme y me gusta porque entre todos nos

corregimos... sabemos que todos estamos aprendiendo, aunque algunos saben mas que otros

Como el grupo es pequeño, no me da vergüenzaequivocarme y me gusta porque entre todos nos

corregimos... sabemos que todos estamos aprendiendo, aunque algunos saben mas que otros

Additional gaining in the project

• Me beneficio mucho en el listening… me ayudó demasiado porque como cada semana tenía que hacer seguimiento del proceso, entonces tenía que corregir la pronunciación del compañero y como no sabía pronunciar algunas palabras entonces comparaba la pronunciación del diccionario con la del compañero entonces yo aprendí mucho también en la parte de listening.

Conclusions & Implications

• Instruction on the use of learning strategies: mandatory in any field. Proved effective and students can be self directed in their learning process

• Autonomy and collaborative learning need to be promoted in EFL scenarios.

• Reflective teaching enhances the quality of learning opportunities.

• Constant reflection on own and others’ academic processes might have an impact on learning.

• Empower learners with strategies to take control of their own process.

Thank you…Claudia Andrea Cárdenas Jiménez

clauditacar@utp.edu.co