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

Di Liu, Alison McGregor, Beth Zielinski, Marnie Reed, Colleen Meyers

• English

  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.

• 中文

  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。