Implementing explicit pronunciation instruction: The case of a nonnative English-speaking teacher

Abstract

Studies in second language teacher cognition (SLTC) of pronunciation teachers have increased in the last 10 years, due mainly to the fact that the decisions teachers make about explicit instruction are critical for the development of second language (L2) pronunciation in learners. Although recent research has indicated that nonnative-speaking teachers (NNSTs) can be as effective as native-speaking teachers (NSTs) in pronunciation instruction, and that their training needs resemble those of NSTs, the way NNSTs implement L2 pronunciation instruction has not been studied extensively. This is important to understand given the number of NNSTs of English worldwide at present, and because of the potential benefits of nonnative-speaking pronunciation teaching models in general. In this study, I analysed the way an experienced NNST implemented explicit pronunciation instruction in a context of English as a foreign language (EFL) to understand both his actual teaching practices and the rationale behind such practices. Using a framework of knowledge base of language teaching, this study demonstrates how factors such as previous teaching and learning experiences, teaching context, and L2 learner characteristics shaped and guided the techniques the teacher implemented in class. These results are discussed in terms of implications for pronunciation teaching and teacher training purposes.

Towards the Contributing Factors for the Inconsistency Between English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teachers’ Equity-Oriented Cognition and Practices

“…Notably, while acknowledging the importance of experiential factors, the study confirms that teachers’ experiences were not the sole source of teachers’ cognition and practices, as Gordon 85 posits, the factors influencing and shaping teachers’ practices are complex and intertwined. The findings mirror those of the previous studies 34 , 58 which have examined the association between context and teachers’ practices.…”

Pronunciation Instruction in Vietnamese Tertiary Settings: Insights From Efl Teachers’ Cognitions and Classroom Practices

“…Meanwhile, the top-down pronunciation instruction begins with suprasegmentals and then systematically progresses 'downwards' to segmental levels (Pennington, 2019). No matter which approach is adopted, numerous techniques can be employed in pronunciation instruction such as phonetic transcriptions, repetition drills, marking stress, listening discrimination or visual identification through dialogues (Celce-Murcia et al, 2010;Quoc et al, 2021) which are provided after the explicit teaching of the target features (Gordon, 2020;Pardede, 2018;Saito, 2011).…”

A Window into the Classroom: How Teachers Integrate Pronunciation Instruction

“…Some evaluate how much pronunciation is taught and what targets are addressed in ‘all-skills’ contexts where pronunciation is not the focus of instruction (Foote et al, 2016; Huensch, 2019a, 2019b; Olson, 2014). Other studies examine pronunciation teaching from a teacher cognition standpoint in the context of a stand-alone pronunciation course (Gordon 2019; 2020), or where pronunciation is an articulated goal of an oral communication course (Baker, 2014). A common finding is that most teachers believe it is important to incorporate pronunciation (90%; in Huensch, 2019b).…”