The model of working memory has two important implications to the teaching of
listening and speaking. First, the level of fl uency of pronunciation is vital to speech
processing and comprehension. Working memory and the listening process
are closely interrelated to pronunciation and language use. As Cook (2001) commented,
how much one can remember depends on how fast one can repeat, and
thus, how fast the information circles round the articulatory loop. Cook posits that
“Pronunciation should be taken more seriously, not just for its own sake, but as the basis for speaking and comprehending” (p. 86). Helping learners build a strong
foundation in pronunciation at the beginning level fundamentally benefi ts them in
the long run.
Methods to train learners’ pronunciation may combine listening and speaking,
with listening as the focus (以听带说,听说结合). First comes accuracy in listening,
and then correct pronunciation. For example, learners are asked to focus on
listening to and practicing the stress and length of the vowel, rhythm, and intonation
in varied phonological environments. Instruction can also combine listening
and speaking in sentences where grammar plays a role in stress, as proposed by
胡波 (2004). For example, in simple subject-verb sentences, the verb is frequently
stressed (as in sentences 1–2 below); when the verb has an object, the object is
stressed (sentences 3–4); when a complement is present, the complement is
often stressed (sentences 5–6); in questions, interrogative words are often stressed
(sentence 7–8).