Pre-Service English Language Teachers’ Problematic Sounds

Year 2020, Volume: 4 Issue: 7, 1 - 26, 04.12.2019

Arda Arıkan , Ahmet Fatih Yılmaz

https://doi.org/10.31458/iejes.594715

Cited By: 4

Abstract

Today, pronunciation is one of the least researched areas in the EFL
context. The available studies focus on learner errors and aim to generalise
the sound problems in differing contexts and L1 backgrounds. Studies reveal
that some of the learner errors are caused by the input they receive at their
learning environment. With the belief that the primary input in an EFL
classroom is the teacher, this study analysed the sound problems of senior
pre-service EFL teachers. The study was carried out in three universities in
Turkey within the bounds of accessibility. A total of 66 pre-service English
language teachers were randomly selected. “Please Call Stella” accent
elicitation text was adapted to delineate the sound problems of the language
segmentally. The analysis of the descriptive data revealed the major sound
problems conforming to the previously mentioned literature in the field.
Although the participants had completed their formal education in ELT, they
committed errors with devoicing of word-final consonants, vowel insertion,
vowel shortening, gemination and individual sounds /ɾ/, /ð/, /w/, /θ/, /ŋ/, /oʊ/,
/ə/ and /æ/. It was assumed that mother tongue interference, fossilization of
mistakes in language classrooms and non-existent sounds in L1 form the basis
for errors in pronunciation.

Keywords

Sound problems, Pronunciation, Pre-service English teachers, l1 interference, error analysis

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