ELT365 · Day 154 — Bottom-up processing: decoding the signal

Idea — Bottom-up processing means building meaning word by word, sound by sound, from the raw linguistic input. It is the slower, more effortful route — and the one weaker learners over-rely on.

Example — A beginner hears fast speech and tries to catch each individual word. She is processing bottom-up — no spare capacity for context or prediction.

Try — Play eight seconds of audio. Ask learners to write every word they catch. Debrief: which words were clear? Which were swallowed by connected speech?

Independent project; not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Confers no qualification.