MULTIPHONIA: a MULTImodal database of PHONetics teaching methods in classroom InterActions

The Multiphonia Corpus consists of audio-video classroom recordings comparing two methods of phonetic correction (the ‘traditional’ articulatory method, and the Verbo-Tonal Method) This database was created not only to remedy the crucial lack of information and pedagogical resources on teaching pronunciation but also to test the benefit of VTM on Second Language pronunciation. The VTM method emphasizes the role of prosody cues as vectors of second language acquisition of the phonemic system. This method also provides various and unusual procedures including facilitating gestures in order to work on spotting and assimilating the target language prosodic system (rhythm, accentuation, intonation). In doing so, speech rhythm is apprehended in correlation with body/gestural rhythm. The student is thus encouraged to associate gestures activating the motor memory at play during the repetition of target words or phrases. In turn, pedagogical gestures have an impact on second language lexical items’ recollection (Allen, 1995; Tellier, 2008). Ultimately, this large corpus (96 hours of class sessions’ recordings) will be made available to the scientific community, with several layers of annotations available for the study of segmental, prosodic and gestural aspects of L2 speech.