Cracking the Tones

Shijing Wang

Abstract：An inconvenient truth is that，for tertiary non-tonal language background students，acquisition of the Mandarin tones remains one of the most difficult tasks，and can become an embarrassing factor potentially adversely impacting their confidence in continuing learning Mandarin at university level.Based on Vandergrift and Mendelsohn’s theories and practices on L2 listening，Zongji Wu（吴宗济），Jinfu Guo（郭锦浮）research works and other studies and analysis on Mandarin tone acquisition，this paper proposes a new approach to tone acquisition：An initial exposure to the tones through positive listening in which students are required to take the initiative to explore and experiment.The tones are explained by reference to students’everyday use of the English language，thus drawing together compatible components in their familiar verbal communication to illustrate these processes.By perceiving，identifying，recognizing，and imitating the four tones，students repeat the model sounds to themselves and establish a tonal language pronunciation mechanism.One of the core steps at this stage is the perception and awareness of pitches（fundamental frequency values）and pitch contours.Class instruction and exercises demonstrate and facilitate the development of the newly acquired skills through practice which is facilitated by the convenient and instant availability of online audio-visual resources.Students are urged to participate in class using the target language even at this initial stage.The paper also observes and reflects upon the lack of appropriate teaching resources and class activities in Chinese beginner level textbooks/course materials.Matching the major elements identified in the process of acquiring Mandarin phonetic mechanisms，this paper discusses purpose designed innovative and original teaching and self-learning-monitoring processes，class routine sequencing，procedures，and pedagogy.

Keywords:positive listening;Mandarin pronunciation mechanism;student centered teaching