Compton P-ESL Method

The Compton P-ESL program begins where conventional English as a Second Language courses end. It is based on more than 20 years of linguistic research and teaching, and was designed specifically to aid foreign-born individuals in improving their spoken English. Speech pathologists, linguists, and ESL specialists trained in the Compton P-ESL method can teach individuals from any foreign language background. Further, the Compton P-ESL method has been used by hundreds of American-born speakers to modify their regional dialects.

Through the use of the Compton P-ESL method, speech professionals can help adult clients achieve their goal of clear communication. The approach uses four key elements:

• An initial analysis with the client
• A customized learning program that addresses each client's needs
• Use of individual or small group sessions
• The Compton P-ESL workbook and training materials

The speech professional teaches the client appropriate speech modification techniques, which the client practices outside of class using Compton P-ESL training materials. The client learns to discriminate between different speech sounds, with special emphasis placed on:

• Pronunciation
• Complete word production
• Voice projection

The client then makes use of these language fundamentals by practicing conversational speech and giving presentations.

Throughout their participation in this training, clients use Compton P-ESL accent modification training materials that include the practice workbook, cassette tapes, or a CD-ROM. The CD-ROM is a unique, interactive aid for practicing Compton P-ESL accent modification techniques.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMPTON P-ESL METHOD

Through his work as a linguist, Dr. Arthur J. Compton analyzed the English pronunciation of hundreds of individuals from more than 100 different language backgrounds. His research revealed that the "accented sounds" of English constitute a system of interrelated patterns, which are determined largely by the speaker's native language. He also discovered that even though many different speech errors or accented sounds may occur in an individual's speech, these errors represent a small number of systematic patterns (error types) which are the actual source of the pronunciation difficulty.

As a result of this discovery, Dr. Compton began to apply his "Principle of Linguistic Generalization" to foreign accents and regional dialects. By focusing on the basic error types, maximum improvement and habit formation was achieved in a significantly shorter period of time.