Knowing and knowing

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Two kinds of knowing:

‘Knowing’ as in a cognitive, intellectual knowledge.

And

‘Knowing’ as in ‘knowing in your bones’, ‘lived experience’ perhaps, or realization.

Adrian Underhill offers a neurological term: ‘proprioception’ to contrast with cognitive knowing in pronunciation. Proprioception is a perception and awareness of the position and movement of the body. This kind of knowing we can only learn from physical practice. And it is this kind of knowing which will release a learner from the habits of the L1. Read more

Teaching Pron: How to start?

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Pron is a physical activity, it makes sense to start by locating it physically. Adrian Underhill does this by taking the class on a ‘jungle walk’ – visualising the tongue as a leaf tumbling through a jungle in which the lips, teeth and palate represent trees etc. Read more

Teaching Pron: Where to start?

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Start with the chart. Lesson One. From the beginning. That is Adrian Underhill’s answer, for very good reasons. Read more

CPD Course 1: Pronunciation with Adrian Underhill

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I’m in the first week of a 2-week course with Adrian Underhill! Although I’ve read his book and various articles, and watched his workshops online, it is a different experience working with the man himself. As if I’d had a sketch and he’s added shading and colour. He is a generous, humanistic teacher who answers all our questions thoughtfully. Read more