Pronunciation learning environment: EFL students’ cognitions of in-class and out-of-class factors affecting pronunciation acquisition

Magdalena Szyszka

Published: 2018-03-07

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2018)

Pronunciation learning environment: EFL students’ cognitions of in-class and out-of-class factors affecting pronunciation acquisition

Magdalena Szyszka

Abstract

The way a foreign language (L2) learner perceives his or her educational environment may affect their processes of L2 acquisition. The aim of the study presented in this paper is to explore English as a foreign language (EFL) students’ cognitions of their teachers’ pronunciation, in-class and outside-class factors regarding pronunciation acquisition, such as pronunciation activities, recordings, focus on form, peer pronunciation, listening to music, to mention a few. A group of 89 participants responded to a survey, via which the data necessary to respond to the following three research questions was collected. How do EFL learners perceive their teachers’ pronunciation? What is the relationship between EFL learners’ perceived level of their L2 teachers’ pronunciation and perceived L2 teachers’ classroom language use? What factors, in the view of L2 learners, contribute to their pronunciation acquisition? The results indicate that there are significant differences in the perception of teachers’ pronunciation at different educational levels. Also, in L2 pronunciation learning the EFL students report the following factors as moderately important: L2 teachers’ pronunciation, in-class L2 use, pronunciation error correction, and in-class and out-of-class exposure to multimedia that provide access to a broad range of L2 pronunciation varieties.

Keywords:

educational environment , EFL learners’ perceptions/cognitions , EFL teachers’ pronunciation , in-class and out-of-class factors affecting pronunciation acquisition

Download files

PDF

Citation rules

Szyszka, M. (2018). Pronunciation learning environment: EFL students’ cognitions of in-class and out-of-class factors affecting pronunciation acquisition. Theory and Practice of Second Language Acquisition, 4(1). Retrieved from https://journals.us.edu.pl/index.php/TAPSLA/article/view/6141

References

Aufderhaar, C. (2004). Learner views of using authentic audio to aid pronunciation: "You can just grab some feelings." TESOL Quarterly, 38(4), 735-746.
Google Scholar

Barnes, B. D., & Lock, G. (2013). Student perceptions of effective foreign language teachers: A quantitative investigation from a Korean university. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 38(2), 19-36.
Google Scholar

Birdsong, D., & Molis, M. (2001). On the evidence for maturational constraints in second-language acquisition. Journal of Memory and Language, 44, 1-15.
Google Scholar

Bongaerts, T., van Summeren, C., Planken, B., & Schils, E. (1997). Age and ultimate attainment in the pronunciation of a foreign language. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 19, 447-465.
Google Scholar

Brosh, H. (1996). Perceived characteristics of the effective language teacher. Foreign Language Annals, 29(2), pp. 125–136.
Google Scholar

Celce-Murcia, M., Brinton, D. M., Goodwin J. M., & Griner, B. (2010). Teaching pronunciation. A course book and reference guide. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Google Scholar

Centra, J. A. (2003). Will teachers receive higher student evaluations by giving higher grades and less course work? Research in Higher Education, 44(5), 495-518.
Google Scholar

Colatoni, L., Steele, J., & Escudero, P. (2015). Second language speech. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Google Scholar

Craik, F. I. M. (2017). Memory, attention, and aging: Selected works of Fergus I. M. Craik. New York, NY: Routledge.
Google Scholar

Culver, S. (2010). Course grades, quality of student engagement, and students’ evaluation of instructor. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 22(3), 331-336.
Google Scholar

Dalton, C., & Seildhofer, B. (1994). Language teaching. A scheme for teacher education: pronunciation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Google Scholar

Derwing, T. M. & Rossiter, M. J. (2002). ESL learners' perceptions of their pronunciation needs and strategies. System, 30(2), 155-166.
Google Scholar

Dörnyei, Z. (2005). The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language acquisition. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Google Scholar

Entwistle, N., McCune, V., & Entwistle, J. H. (2003). Investigating ways of enhancing university teaching-learning environments: Measuring students' approaches to studying and perceptions of teaching. In E. D. Corte, L. Verschaffel, N. Entwistle, J.Merriënboer (Eds.), Powerful learning environments: Unravelling basic components and dimensions (pp. 89-107). Netherlands: Pergamon.
Google Scholar

Henderson, A., Frost, D., Tergujeff, E., Kautzsch, A., Murphy, D., Kirkova-Naskova, A., Waniek-Klimczak, E., Levey, D., Cunningham, U., & Curnick, L. (2012). The English pronunciation teaching in Europe survey: Selected results. Research in Language, 10(1), 5-27.
Google Scholar

Johnson, J. S., & Newport, E. L. (1989). Critical period effects in second language learning: the influence of maturational state on the acquisition of English as a second language. Cognitive Psychology, 21, 60-99.
Google Scholar

Kormos, J. (2006). Speech production and second language acquisition. (Cognitive sciences and second language acquisition). Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Google Scholar

Lan, & Wu, (2013). Application of form-focused instruction in English pronunciation: examples from Mandarin learners. Creative Education, 4(9), 29-34.
Google Scholar

Ma, L. (2012). Advantages and disadvantages of native- and nonnative-English-speaking teachers: Student perceptions in Hong Kong. TESOL Quarterly, 46(2), 280-305. Retrieved February 7, 2017, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41576048
Google Scholar

Macdonald, D., Yule, G., & Powers, M. (1994). Attempts to improve English L2 pronunciation: The variable effects of different types of instruction. Language Learning, 44(1), 75-100.
Google Scholar

Moradi, K., & Sabeti, G. (2014). A Comparison of EFL teachers and EFL students’ understandings of ‘highly effective teaching’. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 98(6), 1204-1213. Retrieved February 7, 2017, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.03.535
Google Scholar

Morley, J. (1991). The pronunciation component in teaching English to speakers of other languages. TESOL Quarterly, 25(3), 481-520.
Google Scholar

Moyer, A. (1999). Ultimate attainment in L2 phonology: The critical factors of age, motivation and instruction. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 21, 81-108.
Google Scholar

Park, G. P. & Lee, H. W. (2006). The characteristics of effective English teachers as perceived by high school teachers and students in Korea. Asia Pacific Education Review, 7(2), 236-248.
Google Scholar

Pawlak, M. (2014). Error correction in the foreign language classroom: Reconsidering the Issues. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.
Google Scholar

Rockoff, J. E. (2004). The impact of individual teachers on student achievement: Evidence from panel data. The American Economic Review, 94(2), 247-252.
Google Scholar

Rogerson-Revell, P. (2011). English phonology and pronunciation teaching. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.
Google Scholar

Saglam, G., & Sali, P. (2013). The essentials of the foreign language learning environment: Through the eyes of the pre-service EFL teachers. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 93, 1121 – 1125.
Google Scholar

Saito, K. (2012). Effects of instruction on L2 pronunciation development: A synthesis of 15 quasi-experimental intervention studies. TESOL Quarterly, 46(4), 842-854.
Google Scholar

Saito, K. (2011). Re-examining the role of explicit phonetic instruction in native-like and comprehensible pronunciation development: An instructed SLA approach to L2 phonology. Language Awareness, 20(1), 45-59.
Google Scholar

Sakurai, Y. (2012). Learners’ perceptions of “good” foreign language teachers: A quantitative analysis between native and non-native teachers. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 9(1), 46–60.
Google Scholar

Stasiak, S., & Szpyra-Kozłowska, J. (2003). The effectiveness of selected pronunciation teaching techniques. Zeszyty Naukowe Państwowej Wyższej Szkoły Zawodowej w Koninie, 1(2), 125-131.
Google Scholar

Stukalina, Y. (2010). The management of integrated educational environment resources: The factors to be considered. European Journal of Education, 45, 345–361.
Google Scholar

Sutcliff, C. (2011). Secondary students’ perceptions of teacher quality. Retrieved February 7, 2017, from http://eaglescholar.georgiasouthern.edu:8080/jspui/bitstream/10518/4793/1/sutcliff_cathe rine_p_201108_edd.pdf
Google Scholar

Google Scholar

Szpotowicz, M., & Szulc-Kurpaska, M. (2009). Teaching English to young learners. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
Google Scholar

Szpyra-Kozłowska, J., Frankiewicz, J., Nowacka, M., & Stadnicka, L. (2004). Pronunciation testing – atomistic or holistic? Zeszyty Naukowe Państwowej Wyższej Szkoły Zawodowej w Koninie, 1(4), 133-140.
Google Scholar

Szyszka, M. (2016). English Pronunciation Teaching at Different Educational Levels: Insights Into Teachers’ Perceptions and Actions. Research in Language, 14(2), pp. 165-180.
Google Scholar

Święciński, R. (2013) An EMA study of articulatory settings in Polish speakers of English. In E. Waniek-Klimczak and L. Shockey (Eds.), Teaching and researching English accents in native and non-native speakers (pp. 73-82). Heidelberg: Springer Publications.
Google Scholar

Williams, M., & Burden, R. (1997). Psychology for language teachers. A social constructivist approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Google Scholar

Wrembel, M. (2004). Phonological ‘know that’ or ‘know how’? – in pursuit of determinants of second language pronunciation attainments. In W. Sobkowiak and E. Waniek-Klimczak (Eds.), Zeszyt naukowy Instytutu Neofilologii (3). Materiały z konferencji „Dydaktyka fonetyki języka obcego w Polsce” Mikorzyn k. Konina 10-12 maja 2004r (pp. 163-170). Konin: Wydawnictwo Państwowej Wyższej Szkoły Zawodowej w Koninie.
Google Scholar

Zhang, Q. M. (2009). Affecting factors of native-like pronunciation: A literature review. Korea Education & Research Institute, 27(2), 33-52.
Google Scholar

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2018)
Published: 2018-06-29

ISSN: 2450-5455

eISSN: 2451-2125

10.31261/tapsla

Publisher

Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego | University of Silesia Press

Submit

Pronunciation learning environment: EFL students’ cognitions of in-class and out-of-class factors affecting pronunciation acquisition

Abstract

Keywords:

Magdalena Szyszka

Information