Second Language Learning and Teaching John Hodgetts Pronunciation Instruction in English for Academic Purposes An Investigation of Attitudes, Beliefs and Practices Second Language Learning and Teaching Series Editor Mirosław Pawlak, Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, Kalisz, Poland The series brings together volumes dealing with different aspects of learning and teaching second and foreign languages. The titles included are both monographs and edited collections focusing on a variety of topics ranging from the processes underlying second language acquisition, through various aspects of language learning in instructed and non-instructed settings, to different facets of the teaching process, including syllabus choice, materials design, classroom practices and evaluation. The publications reflect state-of-the-art developments in those areas, they adopt a wide range of theoretical perspectives and follow diverse research paradigms. The intended audience are all those who are interested in naturalistic and classroom second language acquisition, including researchers, methodologists, curriculum and materials designers, teachers and undergraduate and graduate students undertaking empirical investigations of how second languages are learnt and taught.
More information about this series at http://www.com/series/10129 John Hodgetts Pronunciation Instruction in English for Academic Purposes An Investigation of Attitudes, Beliefs and Practices 123 John Hodgetts Łódź, Poland ISSN 2193-7648 ISSN 2193-7656 (electronic) Second Language Learning and Teaching ISBN 978-3-030-56115-4 ISBN 978-3-030-56116-1 (eBook) https://doi.1007/978-3-030-56116-1 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland Acknowledgements The process of devising and implementing the research project upon which this book is based, although challenging, was a rewarding and enjoyable experience.
I would like to thank all of those involved in the research: the teachers, the course leader, the learners, and the course mentor. I would particularly like to express my gratitude to the three teacher participants who agreed to be observed and took part in interviews on such a demanding course. I truly appreciate the involvement and participation of all those concerned at University A. I would also like to thank Prof.
Ewa Waniek-Klimczak for her guidance and support as a supervisor during the doctoral research that forms the basis of this book. Both her encouragement and knowledge of the subject area were invaluable and enabled me to defend my thesis in a timely manner. I would like to express my gratitude to the two reviewers of the original Ph. Andrzej Porzuczek and Romuald Gozdawa-Gołębiowski.
Their advice and comments were extremely helpful in assisting the realization of this book. Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends for their steadfast support, both during the research process itself and also during the writing of this book.1 Background to the Current Research .3 Contents of the Book. 5 2 Pronunciation Instruction: Background, Techniques and Relevant Studies .2 The First Focus on Speaking .3 Audiolingualism: The Beginnings of an Analytical Approach .1 The Theoretical Underpinnings of Audiolingualism .2 The Impact of Contrastive Analysis .3 The Critique of Behaviourism, Audiolingualism, and Contrastive Analysis, and New Directions Sparked by Universal Grammar and Mentalism .4 Sociocultural Theory and Scaffolding .5 The Natural Approach .1 The Broad Nature of Communicative Approaches .2 Criticisms of the Communicative Approach and Divergent Subdivisions .7 The Postmethod Approach .9 The Impact of Humanism, the Self, and Possible Limitations .10 The Importance of Affect .11 Pronunciation Techniques and Relevant Research .12 English as an International Language and the Status of the Native Speaker Variety. 41 vii viii Contents 3 Suprasegmental Instruction and Intelligibility .2 What Are Suprasegmentals? .3 Native-Like Production or Intelligibility? .4 Intelligibility, Comprehensibility and Accentedness .5 The Lingua Franca Core .6 Key Issues Connected with Intelligibility .8 Testing and Assessment .9 Studies Involving Chinese Learners .10 Instruction in EAP Contexts.
77 4 Methodology: The Mixed Methods Approach .2 Some Specifics of the Organization of the Course .3 My Own Role on the Course .3 The Pilot Study Interviews that Led to the Current Research .4 Other Issues Arising from the Pilot Study .4 Methods and Tools .1 Introduction: The Value of a Mixed Methods Approach .5 Semi-structured Interviews .7 Teacher Assessment of Student Seminars .1 Members of Staff: Teachers and the Course Leader .3 Comments on the Level of the Students .4 Learner Participation: The Learner Questionnaire .5 Ethical Issues and Potential Effects on Participants .2 The Course Leader. 119 5 Results, Analysis, and Discussion .2 Notes on the Course Documents and Induction Documents .1 Syllabus Content: Seminars .2 Syllabus Content: Presentations .3 Syllabus Content: Listening at University .4 Syllabus Content: Supplementary Listening Materials .5 The Associate Lecturer Supplement and the Student Handbook .6 Course Documents: The Seminar Marksheet .7 Course Documents: Seminar Guidelines and Standardization Document .3 Action Research Results .1 Notes Taken During Participant Observation: The Induction .2 The CPD Session .3 Action Research: A Summary of Observations of My Own Experiences .4 Other Observations not Directly Involving Instruction .4 Results: Observations and Teacher Self-completion Checklist Data .1 Mark and Myself: Video Recording on 01/08/2018 .2 Other Points of Interest .3 Bruce and Olivia: Video Recording on 25/07/2018 .4 Other Points of Interest .5 Teacher Participants’ Assessment of Student Pronunciation .1 The Scores Given .2 Follow-up Interviews .6 Semi-structured Interview with the Course Leader .1 Goals of Instruction, Segmentals and Suprasegmentals, Teacher Guidance, and Materials .2 The Course Leader’s View of Assessment Goals .3 Short Follow-up Interview .1 Teacher Training and Early Experiences .2 Confidence and Guidance .3 What Are the Teachers’ Goals, Attitudes, and Beliefs on the Pre-sessional? .5 Other Factors Concerning Pronunciation Assessment .6 Opinions on the Syllabus .7 Error Correction Feedback .8 Comments on Declared Practice and Priorities of Instruction: Teacher Priorities .9 More General Suggestions for Course Improvement .2 Teacher Attitudes and Beliefs .3 The Most Important Aspects of Pronunciation and Difficulties Encountered .2 Confidence, Motivation, Error Correction, Accent Preference, Assessment of Instruction Received, and Independent Learning .3 Frequency of Instruction .4 Most Helpful Activity for Improving Pronunciation According to Learners .1 Research Question 1: What Are the Course Goals in Terms of Suprasegmental Pronunciation Instruction and Intelligibility-Based Instruction? .2 Research Question 2: Does Assessment Reflect the Course Pronunciation Goals? .3 Research Question 3: To What Extent Are These Goals Reflected by Teacher Instruction, Attitudes, and Beliefs? .4 Research Question 4: What Are the Learners’ Attitudes Towards Pronunciation Instruction? .1 The Course Goals .3 The Course Leader’s View .4 Possible Problems with Assessment .5 The Lack of Positive Washback in Pronunciation Assessment .6 Guidance on How the Materials Can Be Used .7 A Lack of Support from Listening Materials .8 Conclusions from Actual Practice. 193 6 Conclusion and Recommendations for Future Practice .2 Recommendations for Pronunciation Instruction on Future Pre-sessional EAP Courses. 204 Appendix A: Seminar Marksheet.
207 Appendix B: Oral Criteria Seminars Guidelines: Pronunciation and Interactive Communication. 211 Appendix C: Notes Taken from Induction and Staff Meetings Throughout the Course. 213 Appendix D: Action Research: Some Examples of Notes Taken Regarding My Own Teaching. 215 Appendix E: Self Completion Teacher Checklist.
217 Appendix F: Interview Guide: Course Leader. 221 Appendix G: Interview Guide: Teachers. 223 Appendix H: Learner Questionnaire: Student Attitudes and Experiences. 227 Appendix I: Teacher Questionnaire: Teaching Pronunciation—Attitudes and Experiences.
233 Appendix J: Course Leader Consent Form. 239 Appendix K: Consent Form for Teacher Participants. 243 Appendix L: Consent Form for Adult Students. 245 Appendix M: Simplified Marksheet for Learners (Week 1: Seminars).
247 Appendix N: Presentation Criteria Key Features (Steve Jobs). 249 Appendix O: Teacher Feedback Sheet for Student Presentations. 251 List of Figures Fig.1 Teachers’ attitudes towards different aspects of pronunciation (in absolute numbers). Source Author’s own: The statements (1–20 on the vertical axis) are listed on the next page; the horizontal axis represents the number of teacher responses to the statements (N = 23) .2 The most important source of subjects’ pronunciation teaching knowledge.
Source Author’s own .3 The relative importance of the different aspects of pronunciation in EAP. Source Author’s own .4 Students’ native language (in percentages). Source Author’s own.5 What activity has your teacher used that is most helpful for improving your pronunciation? Source Author’s own. 174 xiii List of Tables Table 3.1 The CEFR phonological control descriptors for B1 level .2 Teacher estimations of how well their teacher training prepared them .3 Levels of teacher confidence and the stated target of instruction .4 Opinions on error correction and areas of instruction teachers focus on/believe are important .5 Suggestions on how the pre-sessional can be improved in providing pronunciation instruction .6 Number of completed teacher questionnaires .7 Learners’ L1 in the four observed classes .8 John’s group: IELTS scores at the start of the course .9 Mark’s group: IELTS scores at the start of the course .10 Bruce’s group: IELTS scores at the start of the course.11 Olivia’s group: IELTS scores at the start of the course .1 A summary of the content of Mark’s/my own video recorded lessons on 1/08/2018 .2 A summary of the content of Bruce’s/Olivia’s video recorded lesson on 25/07/2018 .3 Number of checklists and date of completion .4 Scores given by the three teacher participants to the three candidates (L, M, and R) in the pronunciation category .5 Variation in marks given by the three teacher participants to the three candidates (L, M, and R) in the remaining categories.
143 xv xvi List of Tables Table 5.6 Pronunciation descriptors marked by the three teacher participants for the three candidates (L, M, and R) .7 Question 1: The learners’ attitudes towards pronunciation (in percentages) .8 Relationship between the length of time learning English and the opinion of the percentage of time that should be spent on pronunciation.1 Background to the Current Research Pronunciation instruction has long been an area that I have found fascinating both as a practitioner and researcher. Reflections on my own experiences as a learner of foreign languages, both in childhood and as an adult, made me aware of the peculiar, and some would argue, almost unique nature of pronunciation when compared to other areas of language study. Although learners may react negatively when they discover that they have produced inaccurate language in writing, pronunciation has an intensely personal quality that is absent in writing. Losing face by pronouncing something incorrectly in an L2 can have a detrimental effect on learner motivation, more so than errors in other aspects of language learning.
Of course, this is culture bound too, so in some learning contexts other errors (for example, grammatical errors) may also induce a sense of failure or discouragement in learners. Nevertheless, the act of speaking and articulating words, phrases, and sentences has a link with the self that other aspects of language learning do not seem to have (Arnold, 2011; Cohen & Norst, 1989).