Accurate Record Keeping Leads to Record-Setting Improvement!

Dear Fellow Earthlings, When I am doing Jingles work with someone whose native language (NL) phonology is very close to that of kerm target language (TL), the task at hand is rather straightforward: work on phonemes that differ between the two languages. This would be the case when working with such phonologically similar languages as English/Dutch, Russian/Ukrainian, Hindi/Urdu. But working with languages whose phonological distance from one another is much greater, then I have to "excavate" in order to lay a foundation capable of supporting an allophonome that will co-occupy the language learner's "native" (or primary) allophonome within the framework of kerm "phonome" (or individual phonological sound systerm). As phonological distance increases, so too does the number of task dynamics required to effect the completion of a nativelike TL allophonome. This calls for meticulous record keeping in the form of not only anecdotal notes taken down during Jingles sessions, or in the course of a client's reading of Jingles related materials, but also in the careful, accurate recording of the dates of both "JINGLES MEASUREMENTS" and "applied speaking measurements". Even such simple notes -- repeated many times, if necessary -- as the following will help keep both client and instructor on track: a) My s/z gestures are still not coming from the correct part of my body. b) I cannot allow myself to believe that the L and N gestures of English occur in "free variation". Rather, they must both be treated as separate, though similar, phonemes. c) I should aim for accuracy of articulation -- and worry about so-called "natural speed" production after I have more or less developed all of the basics of TL phonology. d) As my instructors have pointed out on numerous occasions, if I don't improve the "source jingles" A and C, I will never be able to handle their many "follow-up jingles", such as Jingle N. e) My instructor complimented me today, for getting each L and R correct as I did JINGLE R -- but kee reminded me that I need to keep developing these two gestures. Yes, careful record keeping is the hallmark of a good Jingler. The longer it takes for the learner to reach kerm goal, the greater the importance of keeping very accurate and complete records of kerm JINGLES measurements and "applied speaking" measurements along the way. Even more progress is shown by Jingles clients who can show the instructor exactly how many sessions they have taken (and on what dates) and how many sessions they have remaining on their current contracts. A Jingles client whose attitude is, "Oh, I don't really know my results or scores, I don't know which worksheets I have completed either." will invariably make mediocre progress at best.

Just as people who know their blood pressures and their weights tend to be healthier, so too do Jingles clients who keep careful records of their progress experience accelerated rates of improvements in their TL phonological competency. You don't have to be a medical doctor to know that 157 is high blood pressure -- and is bad! Likewise, Jinglers need to know what their MOST RECENT JINGLES SCORES are!!! Steve Walker Earthsaver and Jingles Creator

© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.