Action Research on Pronunciation Development in Turkish EFL Learners via Story Reading and Reflection

Abstract

This action research explores the impact of story reading, personalized audio feedback, and student reflection on the pronunciation development of Turkish EFL learners. Conducted with 25 sixth-grade students at a public secondary school in Turkiye, the study involved a seven-week intervention cycle following the action research phases of planning, action, observation, and reflection. Each week, students listened to level-appropriate storybooks, read and recorded a page aloud daily, and received individualized feedback on their pronunciation errors. Pronunciation improvement was measured through pre- and post-tests, while semi-structured interviews with a focus group of six students provided qualitative insights. Findings revealed a significant improvement in students’ pronunciation accuracy, alongside increased self-confidence, autonomy in self-correction, and sustained engagement. Student reflections emphasized the motivational role of regular oral practice, targeted feedback, and personal accountability. The study underscores the pedagogical value of combining reflective learning with technology-mediated feedback in EFL pronunciation instruction, particularly in contexts with limited classroom time and individualized support.

Keywords

• pronunciation
• EFL learners
• action research
• audio feedback
• story reading
• student reflection

Hikâye Okuma ve Yansıtma Yoluyla Türk Öğrenicilerinin İngilizce Telaffuz Gelişimi Üzerine Eylem Araştırması

Abstract

Bu eylem araştırması, hikâye okuma, kişiselleştirilmiş sesli geri bildirim ve öğrenci yansıtmasının Türk EFL (İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğrenen) öğrencilerinin telaffuz gelişimi üzerindeki etkisini incelemektedir. Türkiye’deki bir devlet ortaokulunda 25 altıncı sınıf öğrencisiyle yürütülen çalışmada, planlama, eylem, gözlem ve yansıtma aşamalarını içeren yedi haftalık bir araştırma döngüsü uygulanmıştır. Her hafta öğrenciler seviyelerine uygun hikâye kitabını dinlemiş, her gün bir sayfa yüksek sesle okuyarak kaydetmiş ve telaffuz hataları üzerine bireysel geri bildirim almışlardır. Telaffuz gelişimi ön test ve son testlerle ölçülmüş, altı öğrenciyle yapılan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler nitel veriler sağlamıştır. Bulgular, öğrencilerin telaffuz doğruluğunda önemli bir gelişmenin yanı sıra öz güven artışı, öz-düzeltmede özerklik ve öğrenme sürecine sürekli katılım gösterdiğini ortaya koymuştur. Öğrenci yansıtma metinleri, düzenli sözlü pratiğin, hedefe yönelik geri bildirimin ve kişisel sorumluluğun motivasyon üzerindeki rolünü vurgulamıştır. Çalışma, özellikle sınıf içi sürenin ve bireyselleştirilmiş desteğin sınırlı olduğu bağlamlarda, yansıtıcı öğrenme ile teknoloji destekli geri bildirimin birleştirilmesinin EFL telaffuz öğretiminde pedagojik değerini ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

• Eylem araştırması
• sesli geri bildirim
• yabancı dil olarak ingilizce öğrenenler
• telaffuz
• hikâye okuma
• öğrenci yansıtması

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