The Multimodal Context of Phonological Learning

The Multimodal Context of Phonological Learning is both authoritative and practical, combining research review and a pedagogical orientation presented by a researcher and teacher whose work in second language acquisition has centrally involved the wider context in which pronunciation is situated.
The book reviews the early foundation established by speechreading studies that explored the extraction of speech information from a talker’s facial movements and the interaction of auditory–visual cues in perceptual illusions. It then focuses on the role of auditory, visual, and tactile information in second-language perceptual learning and the interactional functions of eye gaze within the complex of non-verbal communication that incorporates head movements and manual gestures. The book also details an original mixed-methods study of the eye-gaze behavior of perceivers when viewing the face of a speaker producing their first language (English) and a speaker producing their second language (French) in different stimulus conditions.
The issue of variability in speech emerges as a central theme throughout the book and one which researchers and teachers are encouraged to exploit through their selection of multimodal materials and their approach to pronunciation teaching.


Table of Contents:

Acknowledgments
List of Acronyms
List of Figures
Preface
Series Editor’s Preface

Introduction
Chapter 1: Laying the Foundation for a Multimodal View of Speech
Chapter 2: Multimodal Input in Language Development and Processing
Chapter 3: Multimodal Input in L2 Perceptual Learning
Chapter 4: The Perceptual Functions of Eye Gaze
Chapter 5: Tracking Eye-Gaze Behavior in L1 and L2 Speech Perception
Chapter 6: Non-Verbal Communication: Broadening the Scope of Visual Input
Chapter 7: Multimodal Foundations of Pronunciation Teaching and Learning
Chapter 8: A Multisensory Approach to Teaching and Learning Speech Sounds
Chapter 9: Conclusion: The Keyword is Variability

References
Author Index
Subject Index

Debra M. Hardison is an associate professor in the Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures at Michigan State University.

"It is surprising to realize that the multimodal nature of speech has not always been foregrounded by linguists and applied linguists, either in research or in teaching, so this original and expansive book may well become a seminal work in the field. It not only presents the rich history of studies and ideas emphasizing the importance of both audio and visual cues in speech but showcases the cutting-edge technologies of today that have led to a better understanding of how human speech is produced and perceived, as well as how the phonology of a second language can be learned and taught. A magnificent achievement that will be valued by researchers and teachers alike!" - Dorothy Chun, Professor Emerita of Applied Linguistics, University of California, Santa Barbara

"Hardison’s The Multimodal Context of Phonological Learning presents a good case for conceptualizing and teaching speech sounds as auditory phenomena that are inseparable from the visual context in which they are both produced and perceived." - Elaine Tarone, Distinguished Teaching Professor Emerita and Past Director, Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA), University of Minnesota