I have always had this idea of helping the workforce speak
with relatively neutralized accent. For a long time, I tried to communicate the
need to have a different method for teaching English in organizations where I
worked; unfortunately because of priorities, they couldn’t be implemented. But
I have decided to share my ideas here. Some of you can try and see a visible
(an audible) change in the engineers who speak with accented English. Engineers
are basically intelligent, and I had the pleasure of being with them, helping
them to learn in my best possible way without ever letting them feel low
because of their lack of communication skills.
I must quickly add that some of you who teach spoken English
would have perhaps tried this method; so it is for those who want to make an
impact in the learners’ minds and help them change the way they speak; it could
be a significant step in bringing about a shift; from accented English to
English with neutralized accent.
I had high hopes of naming this as Higgins. Here I go. I am
not writing my whole research here, would just share some technical clues.
First of all, let us explore why most SLs (Subject learner) do not learn even
after completing the prescribed duration; one major reason could be the fact
that language learning, as opposed to other disciplines, is more psychological
than intellectual. The method, you will see, is a combo of learning
(intellectual) with affection, interest and comfort (psychological)
1. The designer should have a sound
technical team. This team’s work would be to convert
a. Speech to text – At entry point, the SL
should be given to speak on any given topic, let’s say for five minutes. A team
of expert needs to convert that into correct English. The SL needs to listen to
his recorded speech again and again.
b. Text to speech – The technical team needs
to convert the corrected speech into text to speech choosing the region per the
need of the organization. For instance, if it is American English, an American
speaker should be chosen.
c. Now these two speeches, 1) by the SL and
2) by the native speaker need to be given to the SL to listen to. With room for
auto-correction, and without the uninteresting trainer correcting them all the
time, this could work as magic.
i. If there are 20 SLs, 40 such speeches
needs to be made. This was precisely the point of disconnect between me and my
organisations because this they thought needed much effort. Thinking of ROI,
the effort was shelved. I have a gut feeling that when this is mechanized or
automated or built into a process, it will not be cumbersome at all. This
little kit on auto-correction would have a lasting impact in the brain of the
SL, and, as an outcome of auto-correction, the brain will instruct the tongue
to twist accordingly.
ii.
On day 1, the team of expert analyses the challenges of the SL. This
team has to be expert at evaluating the sounds (consonant and vowels) where
there is severe accent vibration, e.g. /s/, /sh/, /d/, /o/, /aw/, diphthongs
and so on. As a remedy, the SL should be given some tongue twisters. For
example ‘we shall surely see the sunshine soon’ needs to be given to SLs who
have accents in enunciating /s/ and /sh/. Those who have a tendency of dropping
their /h/, need to be given ‘In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire; hurricanes
hardly ever happen’, a classical tongue-twister recommended by Higgins to Elisa
Doolittle in My Fair Lady.
iii. Investing in language labs – it is not
expensive, but this is the place where the SL actually learns to twist their
tongues because there is no one watching them, no one laughing at them, it is a
comfortable and effective and a very affectionate corner that can bring about a
transformation in the way an SL speaks a foreign language. The thought that we
learn more when we are out of our comfort zones strangely also means we are
inside it. So the thought of taking them out of their comfort zones may please
be parked for a while and make all SLs feel comfortable for a change.
iv. A kitchen can be more effective than you
know – when it is a question of tongue, let the SL go through the process of
cooking their favorite dish; then write and share the recipe with the class.
This is a very effective way of tricking the tongue; a great deal of vocabulary
concerning cooking, laying the table with dining etiquette as well as the
correct flow of language would be willingly and effortlessly internalized by
the SL.
v. Shopping – SLs need to be taken for
shopping where they can buy their best clothes and accessories.
vi. If you think it is an interesting process,
focus on how you could take the SLs out of the class, let them spend more time
in the labs, in role plays rather than learning to differentiate between an
attribute and an epithet. I have seen SLs going through the entire course and
still say he don’t know, I didn’t went and so on.
d. Customized glossary – Depending on the
needs of the organization, SLs can be groomed into a specific glossary with
terms and terminologies. An engaging research is required by the communications
team, but once it is done, it gets into the repository, becomes an asset for
the organization.
e. Extended global team – MNCs can have a
practice team in the US, the UK as the case may be to regularly (or
periodically) talk or chat with the SLs as part of their learning. This is a
true and effective hand-holding any global organization can initiate to see a
positive change in their workforce. During the one on one session, the lesson
plans can be customized. Grosso modo, the global team would try to understand
two things, viz. 1) if the SL’s speech is comprehensible, if not, where are the
zones and 2) if the SL is able to understand what the GT (global team)
representative is trying to say.
f. Body language, vocal clues – a special
training needs to be shared with the SL on the importance of these finer
aspects.
g. Recommended films – If not films,
organizations can have snippets of their specific content and walk them through
on a regular basis.
h. Introducing good and easy songs – whether
the SLs are able to understand the lyrics while listening to the song.
i. Levels – Pre-beginners; Beginners;
Intermediate, Advance, Post-advance. These levels are not sacrosanct, they can
be skipped or customized accordingly.
j. Duration for each level – An SL has to
pass a pre-beginners level to move onto the next. They can take their own time,
go to the lang-labs beyond class hours; however, they wouldn’t be allowed to
get into the next level until they satisfy the criteria for moving on. This has
to be strictly followed. Gut feeling again is that we can hear them improve.
You would
have seen that the method takes the SLs equally away from the class for
effective learning. However, a balance has to be ensured because learning
inside the classroom is also equally important. The focus should be to see
whether the SLs are coming to the class out of faith, on their own or whether
they are coming out of fear, being driven; if they are coming out of fear, the
method needs to be changed. Feedback would speak a thousand words; delivery
effectiveness should coalesce with learning effectiveness at all times, across
levels.
