Multilingual Clients
This training module is designed to enrich understanding about multilingual clients with first languages other than English, who may come from different cultures and speak various languages. The module will include explanation of key terminologies related to understandability and English pronunciation, as well as information on positive mindset, cultural competency, and the interpersonal nature of consultant interaction with multilingual clients. Throughout the module, there will be activities and prompts for reflection. It will also contain multimodal educational components like readings, videos, and handouts. Although the module is designed to keep multilingual clients in mind, the explanations and terminologies are helpful for all kinds of speakers as we support them in enhancing their linguistic skills and verbal delivery in most public speaking settings.
Module Preview and Introduction
Preview
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Welcome to the multilingual module! In this module, you will enrich your understanding of multilingual clients through a pathway of success designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills pertinent to your role as a consultant.
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You will begin with a brief activity that will help you pen down what you already know about multilingualism. You will then segue into a brief introduction to help familiarize you with the purpose of this module. Next, you will dive into the main sections: the comprehensibility, accentedness, and intelligibility section talks about listeners' perceptions of non-native speakers' verbal delivery and raises awareness about the misconceptions and biases that pose as obstacles for multilingual speakers; the suprasegmental section explores the pronunciation features that impact speakers' intelligibility; and lastly, the client and consultant interaction section addresses strategies for creating a positive learning environment and managing client anxiety.
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Be sure to complete the activities in between sections and at the end of the module to ensure that you have absorbed all valuable information necessary for a seamless and productive appointment with multilingual clients. Good luck, consultants!
Before you begin this module, please take a few minutes to reflect and complete the Know (K) and Want to Know (W) sections of the K.W.L activity below. This activity will help you actively engage in the learning process and serve as a medium for note-taking that will benefit you personally and professionally.
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Introduction
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Students you work with may come from a range of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Their perceptions and past experiences impact their speech delivery. The key here for the consultant is to foster a growth mindset in clients, help them recognize their potential for improvement, and support them in setting goals to advance toward. Throughout the module, you will be introduced to tools that can help you support multilingual clients as they improve different aspects of their public speaking. Throughout the module, you are encouraged to reflect on factors that form your own identities and assumptions and examine how that influences your interactions with others. You are encouraged to keep an open mind and challenge your stereotypes and assumptions, so that you develop the skills to create a safe space for clients. Together, let’s create a relaxed and productive environment where clients can learn, grow, and express themselves freely. Please complete the recommended handouts and activities before moving to the next section.
Intelligibility, Accentedness, and Comprehensibility
Multilingual speakers may experience some challenges in oral communication, since they need to express their thoughts in a language other than their first. These challenges can sometimes interfere with clear communication of ideas, but more importantly, they can result in listeners judging multilingual speakers due to the difference they perceive in the multilingual speakers' speech. To examine the different ways in which listeners perceive multilingual speakers' pronunciation, research in the field of applied linguistics introduces three measures: intelligibility, comprehensibility, and accentedness. Intelligibility refers to how many words listeners can make out from a speech, whereas comprehensibility refers to the level of difficulty listeners perceive in understanding the speech. For simplicity, this section will focus on accentedness and intelligibility as they directly impact speaker’s comprehensibility. Further, we will provide ways in which consultants can help students increase their speech intelligibility. We will also discuss common misconceptions and biases that consultants, students, and professors may have and provide resources to counter those misconceptions and biases.
Accentedness
Whether we are aware of it or not, we all have an accent. Accent is defined as the paralinguistic element of spoken words' phonological and intonational features (Giles, 1970). Simply put, we perceive an accent when the combination of the linguistic features in someone's speech seems to differ from what we are familiar with. An individual's accent can be influenced by their regional, cultural, or linguistic background. Depending on the geographic region we are in, the culture we embody, or the people we interact with, we may or may not be perceived to have an accent. Accents might be more easily understood by some listeners than others, as we move further away from people who speak similarly to us.
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Accentedness and Speech Intelligibility
Speech intelligibility is essential to ensure that the message a speaker is trying to convey is the message the audience receives. A speaker presents a "heavy" accent when their pronunciation differs significantly from what the listener is accustomed to. It is entirely possible that someone's verbal message is fully understandable while they are perceived to have an accent. Therefore, intelligibility and accentedness does not necessarily correlate. Nevertheless, it is possible that accentedness influences listeners' comprehension of the spoken message, potentially leading to misunderstandings or misinterpretations (Gluszek & Dovidio, 2010; Ng & Bradac, 1993).
Numerous factors can influence speakers' intelligibility, including the phonological characteristics of their first language and the environmental factors surrounding their speech (such as presenting in front of a large crowd vs. in peer to peer interactions). As listeners, our own linguistic background affects our knowledge of sound patterns and phonetic rules that may help in our understanding of non-standard pronunciations. Numerous factors influence listeners' judgements of speakers' intelligibility, including exposure to other accents, familiarity with the speakers' background, and stereotypical beliefs. Listeners who have had frequent exposure to accents different from their own usually show a higher comprehension level of accented speech. Research has also shown that when believing that the speaker was from a different background, listeners perceived a heavier accent in their speech (Munro & Derwing, 1995). A combination of these factors may contribute to challenges with accented speech, making comprehension more difficult for listeners.
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To improve speech intelligibility, students may benefit from practicing pronunciation of certain sounds, working on different aspects of their intonation, slowing down their speech rate, etc. More about pronunciation will be discussed in the suprasegmental section below. As consultants, we need to try to provide a safe space for students to identify areas for improvement and introduce them to strategies and resources that best fit their needs to practice enhancing the intelligibility of their speech.
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Misconceptions and Biases
Accented speech may elicit biases or stereotypes, leading to preconceived notions about the speaker's background, intelligence, or competence. These biases can shape social interactions and impact education, employment, and social integration opportunities (Gluszek & Dovidio, 2010; Ng & Bradac, 1993). This is while multilingual students usually have a broader range of experiences and skills due to their multifaceted identities and the fact that they perform in more than just one language. It is unfair for them to miss opportunities because their speech patterns may differ "the norm". We, as consultants, should first put our own biases aside to better understand multilingual students's concerns and needs and how we can best help them. Multilingual International Students' Communicative Practices in US University Classroom discusses how key developments in this line of research include reimagining educational practices […] such as how to appropriately assess their academic performance and help them further develop their disciplinary literacy skills and critical thinking abilities. We should strive to create more equitable educational experiences for these underrepresented students while also addressing and combating long-standing biases and stigmas.
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Conclusion
Understanding factors influencing speech intelligibility, such as familiarity with and exposure to various accents as well as contextual factors, is essential for promoting effective communication and fostering inclusivity. Embracing diverse speech patterns and eliminating biases associated with accents can lead to more inclusivity, where individuals are valued for their ideas and contributions rather than judged solely based on their speech patterns. Hence, as consultants, instead of providing too many corrections on students’ accents, let’s focus on helping them deliver a clear message to their audience. Keep in mind that the English we know might not necessarily be more "correct" than the one others know. We all have our variations and it is important to acknowledge that.
Accentedness and Intelligibility Video Demonstration
Watch the following video before moving on to the next segment. This video clearly lays out how the usage of accent and grammar, whether standard or not, influence our perception about the speaker. Stereotypes can have negative social consequences and this video urges us to dispel them to be more inclusive and understanding of others.
Suprasegmentals
Segmentals vs Suprasegmentals
Pronunciation features that make up the language are mainly divided into segmental and suprasegmental features. Both of these categories of features can impact speakers' intelligibility and comprehensibility. In other words, understanding speech is directly connected to the auditory elements of speech, inclusive of the sounds produced from pronunciation and manipulation of the voice.
Segmental features are referred to as the building blocks of language. They are the individual units of speech sounds, including vowels (represented mostly by letters: A, E, I, O, and U) and consonants (represented by the rest of letters in the alphabet). Combinations of segmental features make up individual sounds into meaningful words.
Suprasegmental features extend beyond individual sounds and affect larger units of speech such as words, sentences, and discourse. Suprasegmental features include intonation (word stress and sentence stress), rhythm, pause, speed, pitch variation, and tone.
Though segmental and suprasegmental features play a fundamental role together in listeners' understanding of language, “suprasegmental features alone can collectively account for about 50% of the variance in proficiency and comprehensibility ratings” (Kang, 2010). This speaks to the profound effect of suprasegmentals in our understanding of speech as “listeners can tolerate a great deal of inaccuracy in pronouncing consonants and vowels, so long as pitch and pausing are used appropriately” (Kang, 2010). Therefore, suprasegmental features bear considerable importance in speaker’s ability to convey a message and then in how the message is perceived by their listeners.
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Word Stress
Word stress indicates emphasis on a specific syllable within a word. This emphasis is achieved by an increase in pitch, length, and volume. Review the following video to understand more about word stress and how it impacts meaning:
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Now put your understanding into practice as you watch the following video:
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For more examples of how word stress can change the meaning of words, watch this video: https://youtube.com/shorts/H2FcuQnf4UM?feature=share.
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Sentence Stress
Sentence stress or prominence refers to the stronger or softer emphasis placed on specific words within a sentence to effectively communicate the message. Generally, words that carry new, important, or contrastive information get the sentence stress. Similar to word stress, sentence stress is also achieved through an increase in pitch and volume. Watch the following video to understand how placing sentence stress on different words within the sentence changes the meaning: https://youtube.com/shorts/wfLKvREUwPY?si=6swxGVfZkLb8K2Sp
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Pauses
Pauses in speech are paramount for effective verbal communication. For speakers, intentional and effective pausing solidifies your credibility, instills confidence by resetting your nervous system, and gives the audience an opportunity to absorb your message.
Though it has been noted that non-native speakers tend to have a slower speech rate, “a slow rate… enables increased time for listener processing and clearer grammatical boundary markers” (Kang, 2010). Pause length and pause placement are critical factors that contribute to the success and impression of a speaker’s comprehensibility.
Take a moment to watch this brief clip that features President Obama addressing a hall of prominent individuals. Write down what you hear and make note of where he pauses with forward slashes. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/fQQAsUYMySA
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Reflect:
Compare your notes to the following mark-up:
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Mr. President / Mr. Secretary General / fellow delegates / ladies and gentlemen.
As I address / this hall / as President for the final time / ...
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Did you notice any differences? The pauses demonstrate though grouping, which is critical not only to speakers' intelligibility, but also to the impact they make with their speech. Now rewatch the clip and answer these questions: Are there any other suprasegmental features that President Obama exemplifies during this brief clip? If so, how do they connect with intelligibility, comprehensibility, and the overall impression he gives with this message?
Pitch Variation
Pitch variation is the switch between higher (squeakier) and lower (deeper) pitches in our voice. Pitch should not be confused with volume, which is the loudness of speech and pertains to how well we can be heard. Varying the pitch of your voice across a sentence can serve as a guide for listeners to comprehend the intended message. The absence of pitch fluctuations in speech can result in a monotone and robotic voice that can pose challenges in understanding the message. Review the following clip to understand the importance of varying pitch across a message, the role it plays in word stress and sentence stress, and how to practice familiarizing yourself with your baseline pitch.
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Tone
It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. Tone includes the rising or falling quality at the end of thought groups, but it can also indicate the speaker's attitude or emotions. Typically, statements have a falling tone, while questions end with a rising tone. Tone is especially important in connecting with the audience in both personal and professional settings. For example, a cheerful tone of voice can help establish rapport and a serious tone can help convey the importance of a matter. Watch the following brief clip for more information on tone.
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Now read the following passage out loud:
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“Hi, my name is Jane! I have brought my puppy in for his routine check-up. Though I appreciate your dedication to service, I ask that your team is mindful of its agitation to loud and abrupt noises. This is a concern that I have mentioned previously. Thank you for understanding!”
Reflect:
Based on how you read the passage, mark sentences that would be perceived with an amicable tone, and those which have a more serious tone. Also use upward and downward arrows to mark rising or falling tones. Then answer the following questions:
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When transcribing speech into written form, how can tone be marked using punctuation?
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Does the tone of the passage change with word choice? If so, how so?
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Suprasegmental Activity
Now, let's apply what you learned about suprasegmentals through this activity! Read the following sentence:
“I wanted you to do that because when we talk about quantitative research having this goal of analyzing data to eventually make predictions usually we think about that being generalizable to a broader population.”
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Place a forward slash (/) where you think there should be a pause.
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Underline the words that you think should be prominent (stressed).
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Now listen to the audio recording 1-2 times and:
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Place a backslash (\) where the speaker pauses.
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Circle the words that the speaker stresses.
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Were your mark-up any different from how the speaker places pauses and prominences in his speech? If so, how? How may these differences impact meaning?
Pronunciation Emphasis
For multilingual clients, there is an immense difference in hearing their own voice versus hearing a fluent English speaker’s voice versus visually seeing it all on paper. Consistent practice and encouragement in identifying suprasegmentals builds confidence. Suprasegmentals can be identified through non-verbal cues—by making hand gestures for volume, pitch, pauses, and tone – through written communication—by identifying the syllables/words of emphasis and marking the fluctuations in pitch and tone through arrow markings.
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Resources for Dictation, Voice-Typing, etc.
The following are speech-to-text, pitch, and pronunciation resources that you can recommend to multilingual clients to reinforce content learning and promote confidence.
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Use Google Doc feature of speech-to-text with your client to check how many words it recognizes.
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This is beneficial for measuring and training voice pitch: https://www.speechandhearing.net/laboratory/ampitch/
Interaction between Client-Consultant for a Successful Consultation
This section will include some general themes that will help consultants be more understanding of the diverse body of multilingual clients. It will also equip consultants build immediacy and provide effective feedback for a successful consultation.
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Cultural Competence
Cultural competency is a continuous journey that requires self-reflection, learning, and growth. By actively working to understand and appreciate diverse cultures, we can create an inclusive and supportive learning environment at our communication centers. Multilingual students continue to face challenges in academics, such as a need for more resources and support. Sivira-Gonzalez expresses how cultural competence entails successfully teaching students from diverse cultures by understanding their language, traditions, and histories. Critical socio-political consciousness involves analyzing power structures and collaborating to change oppressive systems. Additionally, she explains how these views influence academic expectations for students in linguistic and culturally diverse settings (Sivira-Gonzalez, 2023).
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Please take advantage of professional development opportunities that specifically focus on cultural competency in education. Understanding the resources available can help advise students on what resources could be helpful for them to improve their communication skills. Lastly, seek student, manager, and colleague feedback about your teaching practices and cultural responsiveness. Actively listen to their perspectives and make necessary adjustments to improve your approach.
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Video
Watch this video on cultural competence and engage in the reflection activity that follows.
Reflection
As a consultant, self-reflection is essential for building an inclusive communication center. Start by examining your own biases, beliefs, and assumptions about different cultures. Reflect on how these may influence your interactions with students from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, note what resources are available at your institution such as workshops, seminars, and conferences that focus on cultural diversity and inclusivity.
Rapport (refer to the interpersonal module for in-depth information):
Student learning relies on the rapport between instructors and students; therefore, building rapport is vital to students' growth (Sivira-Gonzalez, 2023). Some ways consultants can build rapport with students during a consultation is by fostering a supportive learning environment, being patient and attentive, practicing active listening, avoiding making assumptions, showing empathy and respect, being open to alternative communication styles, and providing constructive feedback.
Consultants can facilitate opportunities for equal participation in group discussions. Providing support entails encouraging mutual understanding and allowing students to feel more comfortable expressing themselves. The English variations used among multilingual international students, as revealed through ELF (English as a lingua franca), can create new interactional norms based on the reality of multilingual and multicultural classroom environments (Matsumoto, 2022).
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Negotiating differences and achieving understanding among multilingual international students is necessary to enhance their public speaking skills (Matsumoto, 2022).
Lastly, consultants should provide constructive feedback on their pronunciation or language usage. Do so in a supportive manner by focusing on specific areas for improvement and providing resources or exercises to help them practice. Instructors have an important impact when working with multilingual learners, and it affects how students feel comfortable, and confident, in their ability to communicate when needed. Multinigual learners may often feel inadequate or belittled by others, leading to self-doubt. The goal for instructors is to boost their confidence and make them feel valued and capable (Sivira-Gonzalez, 2023). Remember, building rapport takes time, so be patient and understanding. Celebrate the student's progress and provide ongoing support to foster practical communication skills.
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Managing anxiety
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Managing anxiety while giving a speech can be challenging for multilingual students. It is essential to understand that multilingual students may have experienced challenges when communicating with others. To effectively help multilingual students, it is essential to approach them with sensitivity. Anxiety may come from the fear of mispronouncing words when giving a speech, and at times, the anxiety may affect the intelligibility of their speech. Advise students to practice strategies to help alleviate anxiety and prepare them for their speech.
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Techniques and resources that could help alleviate anxiety
The experience of multilingual students communicating with others and how it is received by listeners affect how they feel about communicating in public settings. For example, if they encountered a negative experience when communicating in the past, they may have more intense feelings of anxiety when asked to speak in publicIf they had positive experiences when communicating with others, then students are more likely to feel confident when asked to speak publicly. As consultants, let’s help students believe in their abilities.
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Some tips to address anxiety are:
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Practice speech multiple times. Visualize giving a successful speech and being comfortable with the classroom environment.
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Practice deep breaths before and during their speech to help manage nervousness.
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Acknowledge negative thoughts, replace them with positive affirmations.
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Focus on the strengths, past succeses, and the effort put in during speech preparation.
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Practice speech with smaller, supportive audiences before speech day. This will help in building confidence and will be an opportunity to receive constructive feedback.
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Lastly, offer resources to students. Online resources and software can help students practice their pronunciation skills. Technology helps students overcome language anxiety as they are able to practice alone and at their own pace, making them more willing to engage in different communication settings. Using computers for pronunciation practice creates a secure and beneficial learning environment. Most importantly, reassure students that they will become more confident and comfortable as they practice more and more.
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Reflection
Overcoming speech anxiety takes time and practice. Think about a time when you were anxious about completing a task. What were some things that helped you overcome anxiety to complete the target goal?
Closing Remarks
Way to go! You have successfully completed the module which has equipped you with invaluable knowledge essential for consulting multilingual students. In this module, we explored the fundamental background necessary to understand multilingual speakers, covered the linguistic background that aids listener comprehension, discussed common misconceptions that can impede client progress, and provided strategies for managing speech anxiety. All that is left for you to do is complete the What I Learned section in the K.W.L activity to solidify your understanding of this module's material. Feel free to revisit this newfound knowledge to stimulate engaging and rich consultations!
Best of luck, consultants!