This article is a personal statement of the ways in which technology has affected the author’s teaching of oral communication skills. Both low-tech and high-tech means are presented. She begins with the use of simple household devices as visual and kinesthetic aids, describes how readily audiotape and videotape can be used for receptive and productive skills development, and outlines how comprehensively an interactive language lab can contribute to oral skills development. She explores the benefits of accessing sound files on CD-ROM, in presentation software, and on Web pages. She introduces the telephone and voice mail for oral practice and illustrates the advantages of using voiced email for oral development and assessment. The author concludes with a description of the ways technology has affected her teaching overall. She lists the downsides of using technology and closes with the opportunities that technology has brought her students.

This article summarizes research on body language, embodiment, and the incorporation of proprioception, physical movement, gestures, and touch into second language education, particularly with regard to the pronunciation of English. It asserts that careful attention to breathing, vocalization, articulatory positions, pulmonic and tactile pressures, pitch and duration, scope and synchrony of body movements, in addition to the systematic use of gestures, enables more effective pronunciation. It presents ways that teachers of English can embody features of pronunciation— making them more perceptible and representing them in clear and obvious ways to enhance perception, pronunciation, and retention. Classroom techniques described include pronunciation workouts such as breath training and articulator exercises; the use of simple devices, hands, and fingers to illustrate aspects of articulation and prosody; and larger body movements, such as the “Stress Stretch,” “Haptic Syllable Butterfly,” and “Rhythm Fight Club” to improve stress and rhythm.