The first rendition was awful. Read aloud for the first time and without prep, the reading of the transcript was peppered with gnarled, misspoken words, off-target accents, chopped phrases, irregular rhythms: lurchings forward, sudden brakings. I winced inwardly. As recorded and compared against the original, the gap seemed huge.
Then work on the text, marking off the natural units, finding the right syllable for the accent, deciding where to speed up and when to slow down, where the tones need to rise and where fall, in short, making the words into a script, all the while listening closely to the original for pace, pronunciation and expression.
Second time, the charm--at least a significant improvement. Still a bit clunky, this rendition was recognizably a form of natural speech. I was surprised at how much and how quickly the upgrade in performance had occurred.
How powerful analysis and imitation working together can be. It's the principle of apprenticeship: emulation and reflection, iteratively--not a strong point in my teaching style, though essential, I think, in attaining real mastery.
This close attention to audible or visual detail, and sensitivity to the inferrable intention of the model, often comes close to encounter. My student heard more, read more into, the communication, and so experienced it as a presence which could be readily copied.
With particular vividness, this class we had highlighted for me how naturally apt we are at imitation. Witness my grandson learning to speak better and better listening to and copying his parents and other adults.
So who am I paying attention to? What texts am I studying, voices am I listening to? What presence am I evoking, conjuring up. Who is the you I am trying to become more like? Not a kid anymore, I still find models to look up to. Can I make you part of who I am?
Then work on the text, marking off the natural units, finding the right syllable for the accent, deciding where to speed up and when to slow down, where the tones need to rise and where fall, in short, making the words into a script, all the while listening closely to the original for pace, pronunciation and expression.
Second time, the charm--at least a significant improvement. Still a bit clunky, this rendition was recognizably a form of natural speech. I was surprised at how much and how quickly the upgrade in performance had occurred.
How powerful analysis and imitation working together can be. It's the principle of apprenticeship: emulation and reflection, iteratively--not a strong point in my teaching style, though essential, I think, in attaining real mastery.
This close attention to audible or visual detail, and sensitivity to the inferrable intention of the model, often comes close to encounter. My student heard more, read more into, the communication, and so experienced it as a presence which could be readily copied.
With particular vividness, this class we had highlighted for me how naturally apt we are at imitation. Witness my grandson learning to speak better and better listening to and copying his parents and other adults.
So who am I paying attention to? What texts am I studying, voices am I listening to? What presence am I evoking, conjuring up. Who is the you I am trying to become more like? Not a kid anymore, I still find models to look up to. Can I make you part of who I am?
No comments:
Post a Comment