Why has phonodidactics become “the neglected orphan” of ESL / EFL pedagogy? Explaining methodology- and ELF-related motives behind a reluctance towards pronunciation teaching

Abstract

The post-method reality of ESL/EFL education, in which LT is no longer perceived as a largescale enterprise based on one universal method, has encouraged theoreticians and practitioners to search for more personalised ways of L2/FL teaching. This specifically applies to pronunciation instruction, whose models, priorities and teaching procedures ought to be considered in light of the tenets of the Post-Method Era. Even though there is no disputing the fact that the influences of methodology- and globalisation-driven transformations have been generally positive in the sense that they have individualised approaches to LT and facilitated international communication respectively, they have also lowered the status of phonodidactics, which, in effect, is disparagingly referred to as “the neglected orphan” of ESL/EFL pedagogy.

Tailoring International Pronunciation Activities for Hungarian Learners of English

“…In today's professional discourse, the importance of incorporating pronunciation into the ELT syllabus is strongly advocated (Pennington, 2021;Szpyra-Kozłowska, 2015), and most researchers in the field agree that intelligibility should be prioritised over the nativeness principle (Gajewska, 2021;Jenkins, 2000;Jenkins, 2002;Kenworthy, 1987;Levis, 2005, Levis, 2018Nádasdy, 2006;Pennington, 2021;Szpyra-Kozłowska, 2015). Nevertheless, the question of which features should be integrated into the curriculum is widely debated.…”

“…Dalton and Seidlhofer (1994, pp. 72-73) and Gajewska (2021) emphasise taking into consideration the teachability and the learnability of the features as well when deciding on what to include. Jenkins (2000) compiled a collection of features that are essential for an intelligible pronunciation, also considering the teachability and learnability of the features.…”

“…Instead of prioritising the inclusion of segmental elements over suprasegmental ones (or the other way around), Celce-Murcia et al (2010, p. 11) and Szpyra-Kozłowska (2015) propose a balanced approach and suggest that time should be devoted to segmental and suprasegmental features alike according to the learners' needs. Moreover, when deciding on segmental elements, ones with a higher functional load must be opted for (Gajewska, 2021;Levis, 2018, p. 201). Pairs of phonemes that have a high functional load (e.g., /p/ and /b/, /l/ and /r/, etc.)…”