LABORATORY ACTIVITIES FOR LARGE AND ONLINE PHONETICS CLASSES

Phonetics is an inherently lab-oriented topic, involving the investigation and analysis of speech data; but it is often taught in large sections with limited instructional time and other resources, so instructors are unable to engage in the deep interactive explorations of topics that would be ideal. We present three phonetics laboratory activities designed to address this problem. In addition, these activities can engage students in material in ways that are not possible in a primarily lecture-based course; they can provide a source of empirical data for use in longitudinal research; and they can give students a taste of the experimental investigations from which much of the material in their course derives. We discuss pedagogical goals, activity design and grading. We also discuss challenges and successes in the implementation of these activities.