Adult ESL students' perceived pronunciation errors: An analysis of their actual speech and review of available curricula

Term

Fall 9-3-2014

Capstone

Thesis

Degree Name

MAESL

Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair

Feride Erku

Secondary Advisor/Reader One

Anne DeMuth

Peer-Reviewer/Reader Two

Cliff Huff

Abstract

In this capstone, the students’ awareness of their own pronunciation will be identified as well as their actual pronunciation errors. Then, an analysis of curricula will be conducted to determine which curricula best meet students’ needs in pronunciation instruction. The study consists of a survey, speech analysis, and curriculum analysis. Some key influences in the literature review are Cenoz & Lecumberri (1999), who studied students’ perceptions of their pronunciation and Dlaska & Krekeler (2008) who studied students’ self-awareness in pronunciation. The study shows that students believe that pronunciation is important and they have strategies to improve their own pronunciation. The study also reveals that students are not always aware whether they are pronouncing sounds correctly or not and they cannot always identify their pronunciation errors. The curriculum review revealed that supplemental materials are needed to ensure students get sufficient segmental pronunciation instruction.

Keywords

ESL/ ELLs

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS