ESL teachers’ metalanguage as evidence of their metalinguistic knowledge of the English intonation system

Abstract

The present study investigated six experienced English as a second language (ESL) teachers’ metalinguistic knowledge of the English intonation system through analysis of their metalanguage. Participants’ metalanguage related to intonation was collected while completing three tasks: (1) a semi-structured interview, (2) a simulated teaching demonstration, and (3) a pronunciation needs assessment. Qualitative content analysis revealed information related to their metalinguistic knowledge of the intonation subsystems of parsing, prominence, and pitch contour. Although broad patterns of metalinguistic knowledge across participants were evident, metalanguage variation showed individual differences in conceptualization and descriptiveness of the subsystems, suggesting a lack of a systematic and in-depth understanding of the characteristics and functions of the interrelated subsystems. Findings highlight the need to enhance teachers’ metalinguistic knowledge of the English intonation system, with more emphasis on the interconnectivity of intonational features and contextual meaning-making phenomena of intonation. The study provides implications for second language (L2) teacher educators and education programmes, suggesting that more attention should be given to teachers’ use of metalanguage for explicit pronunciation instruction. In addition, more training opportunities are needed to foster a systematic and in-depth understanding of the intonation system.

摘要

本研究通过分析六位资深英语作为第二语言 (ESL) 的教师的元语言, 揭示了教师在英语语调方面元语言知识中的潜在维度。研究在三项任务中收集了参与者在语调教学和测评中使用的元语言: (1) 半结构式访谈；(2) 模拟教学演示；(3) 英语发音测评。通过对教师元语言的定性内容分析, 发现了在三个主要子系统–解析 (parsing) 、重音 (prominence) 及调型 (pitch contour) 中, 教师元语言知识的优势与不足。研究发现, 尽管参与者在元语言知识上存在共性, 但不同教师在认识和描述三个子系统的特征与功能上存在较大的个体差异。同时, 教师缺乏对语音语调的系统性和深入理解。这些发现强调了提高教师元语言知识的重要性, 并呼吁大家更多的关注不同语音要素 (intonational features) 之间的关联性, 以及语调在不同语境下的意义构建作用。本研究为第二语言教师教育者及培训项目提供了新的视角, 强调了元语言在显性语音教学 (explicit pronunciation instruction) 中的重要性。同时, 我们需要创造成多的机会来培养教师对语音体系的系统化和深入理解。

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

To investigate English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers’ knowledge of English intonation, this research study examined the spoken language used by six experienced ESL teachers when talking about intonation. Teachers’ spoken language about intonation was collected during three tasks: (1) an interview, (2) a teaching demonstration, and (3) a pronunciation assessment. Based on the data collected, teachers’ spoken language revealed three features: thought groups or pausing, sentence stress or highlighting, and meaningful melody of speech. Although teachers’ language choices showed some similar patterns of knowledge, there were differences in how individual teachers thought about or described the characteristics and functions of the intonation-related parts, suggesting an ‘isolated parts’ perspective of intonation rather than a ‘subsystems that work together’ perspective. The research findings highlight the need to improve teacher training with more emphasis on teachers’ knowledge about intonation, particularly on how different parts work together and how they affect meaning in different contexts. Teacher trainers and teacher training programmes need to pay more attention to the language teachers use to describe language in instructional practices of intonation. They also need to provide more training to help teachers in developing in-depth understanding of intonation as a system.

Keywords:

• Teacher cognition
• teacher knowledge
• metalinguistic knowledge
• metalanguage
• L2 pronunciation teaching
• intonation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Di Liu

Di Liu is an Assistant Professor of Instruction at Temple University. He holds an Ed.D. degree in Developmental Studies from Boston University and an MS in Information Science & Technology from Temple University. Dr. Liu is the coordinator of the TESOL MS.Ed. programme and the Instructional Learning Technology programme. He has an interdisciplinary research agenda that focuses on addressing the complex and dynamic nature of second language development with advanced technology, such as AI and VR. Dr. Liu is a co-author, with Marnie Reed and Tamara Jones, of Phonetics in Language Teaching (Cambridge University Press).

Alison McGregor

Alison McGregor is an instructor and testing coordinator for the English Language Programme in the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning at Princeton University. She teaches, tutors, and tests oral-communication skills for international graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Her applied linguistics research focuses on the comprehensibility of oral English, factors in effective pronunciation instruction, and American English intonation.

Beth Zielinski

Beth Zielinski’s research interests are in the area of L2 English speaking, particularly the influence of different pronunciation features on effective communication. She is also interested in the English learning trajectories of migrants settling in Australia. She has provided professional development to teachers, and her research and teaching have involved learners of English in many different settings in Australia.

Marnie Reed

Marnie Reed is a Professor Emerita of Education and affiliated faculty in the Linguistics Programme at Boston University where she teaches courses in linguistics and applied phonology. She is co-editor, with John Levis, of the Wiley Handbook of English Pronunciation, co-editor, with Tamara Jones, of Listening in the Classroom (TESOL Press), and co-author, with Di Liu and Tamara Jones, of Phonetics in Language Teaching (Cambridge University Press). Current research interests include the role of metacognition in cross-linguistic awareness of the pragmatic functions of intonation, appearing as a book chapter in the Sardegna & Jarosz 2023 Multilingual Matters volume. Dr. Reed has been an invited speaker at venues, such as TESOL and the International Conference on Native and Non-native Accents of English.

Colleen Meyers

Colleen Meyers is a co-author, along with Darren LaScotte and Elaine Tarone, of the book Voices and Mirroring in L2 Pronunciation Instruction (2023) published by Equinox Press. She has also co-authored journal articles, book chapters, and pronunciation textbooks on English pronunciation and, in particular, on the use of mirroring as an approach to teaching pronunciation. She is a frequent presenter at conferences, such as TESOL, PSLLT, and AAAL, as well as providing the intonation segment for the TESOL Pre-Conference Institute on teaching pronunciation. Colleen was awarded a Fulbright to do teacher training in pronunciation at the Middle Eastern Technical University in Ankara, Turkey in 2007.