Common English pronunciation problems among Vietnamese learners: A case of non-English majors

Du Thanh Tran

doi:10.31893/multirev.2024227

Keywords:

communicative competence

pronunciation

pronunciation components

speaking skills

teaching strategies

Abstract

This comprehensive study delves into the intricate landscape of English pronunciation challenges faced by 150 non-English major students during their first year at Thu Dau Mot University, Vietnam, while also incorporating the perspectives of 15 experienced English instructors. Employing a mixed-methods approach involving both qualitative interviews and quantitative questionnaires, the research reveals multifaceted insights into the issues plaguing learners’ pronunciation abilities. The findings highlight that 59% of students perceive pronunciation as “very important”, emphasizing its critical role in effective communication. Analysis of the most problematic aspects of pronunciation reveals that word stress, intonation, and troublesome consonant and vowel sounds are key stumbling blocks. To address these challenges, the study recommends several strategies. Integrating technology, such as language learning software and online resources, emerges as a promising solution, with 77% of instructors utilizing various techniques to improve pronunciation during teaching. Incorporating engaging activities like games and music can make pronunciation practice enjoyable and effective, reducing anxiety and enhancing confidence. The study also advocates accepting diverse accents, reflecting the global nature of English. Implicit corrective feedback, comparison of English sounds with those in students’ native languages, and a focus on meaningful communication activities are recommended techniques to foster pronunciation improvement. This research enriches the discourse on English language teaching and learning by shedding light on the centrality of pronunciation. By offering practical recommendations based on empirical data, it empowers educators and students alike to enhance their pronunciation skills, ultimately advancing overall language proficiency and effective communication.
References
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9. Bouchhioua, N. (2019). Epenthesis in the production of English consonant clusters by Tunisian EFL learners. Applied Linguistics Research Journal, 3(4), 33-44. https://doi.org/10.14744/alrj.2019.87487
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31. Lado, R. (1957). Linguistics Across Cultures: Applied Linguistics for Language Teachers. University of Michigan Press ELT.
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37. Ngoan, B. T., & Giang, B. T. H. (2021). The Explicit Instructions on Connected Speech to the First Year English Major Students’ Perception and Production at School of Foreign Languages-Thai Nguyen University. TNU Journal of Science and Technology, 226(03), 72-79.
38. Nguyen, H. D. (2019). Errors in word-final consonant pronunciation in Vietnamese English interlanguage. Proceedings of 15th International Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences,
39. Nguyen, L. T., & Hung, B. P. (2021). Communicative pronunciation teaching: Insights from the Vietnamese tertiary EFL classroom. System, 101, 102573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102573
40. Nguyen, N. (2008). Interlanguage phonology and the pronunciation of English final consonant clusters by native speakers of Vietnamese [Master Thesis, Ohio University].
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43. Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know. Heinle ELT.
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45. Priya, M. L. S., & Kumar, P. (2020). Teaching phonetics to enhance pronunciation in an ESL classroom. Journal of critical reviews, 7(2), 669-672. https://doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.02.121
46. Richards, J. C. (2002). Longman language teaching and applied linguistics. Pearson Education.
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48. Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. W. (2011). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics (4th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315833835
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50. Tram, H. T. A. (2020). Problems of learning speaking skills encountered by English major students at Ba Ria-Vung Tau university, Vietnam. European Journal of English Language Teaching, 5(4), 39-48. https://doi.org/10.46827/ejel.v5i4.3144
51. Trazo, S. P., & Abocejo, F. T. (2019). International phonetic alphabet (IPA) front vowel sound recognition of beginner foreign learners. European Journal of Education Studies, 5(12), 183-195. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2606194
52. Ur, P. (2012). A course in English language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
53. Wright, A., Betteridge, D., & Buckby, M. (2006). Games for language learning. Cambridge university press.
54. Yoshida, M. T. (2016). Beyond Repeat after Me: Teaching Pronunciation to English Learners. TESOL Press.
55. Young, S. S.-C., & Wang, Y.-H. (2014). The game embedded CALL system to facilitate English vocabulary acquisition and pronunciation. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 17(3), 239-251.
56. Yowani, A. A. S. L. D. (2021). Common Pronunciation Problems of Learners of English. Class Conference,
57. Yudha, H. T., & Mandasari, B. (2021). The Analysis of Game Usage for Senior High School Students to Improve Their Vocabulary Mastery. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 2(2), 74-79. https://doi.org/10.33365/jeltl.v2i2.1329
58. Zou, D., Huang, Y., & Xie, H. (2021). Digital game-based vocabulary learning: where are we and where are we going? Computer Assisted Language Learning, 34(5-6), 751-777. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2019.1640745

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Tran, D. T. (2024). Common English pronunciation problems among Vietnamese learners: A case of non-English majors. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 7(9), 2024224. https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2024227

[1] Abdumalikova, F. (2020). Role of self-esteem in second language oral and written performance. International Journal of Innovations in Engineering Research and Technology, 7(12), 29-32.

[2] Agarwal, C., & Chakraborty, P. (2019). A review of tools and techniques for computer aided pronunciation training (CAPT) in English. Education and Information Technologies, 24, 3731-3743. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-019-09955-7

[3] Ahmad, M. F., Abdullah, Z., & Ali, A. (2021). Theatre in Education: The Implementation of Improvisation in Dialogue Pronunciation Technique in Teaching. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(8), 726-735. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v11-i8/10772

[4] Al-Zayed, N. N. (2017). Non-native pronunciation of English: Problems and solutions. American International Journal of Contemporary Research, 7(3), 86-90.

[5] Altun, M., & Khurshid Ahmad, H. (2021). The use of technology in English language teaching: a literature review. International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies, 8(1), 226-232. https://ijsses.tiu.edu.iq/

[6] Anisimova, O. V., Bobodzhanova, L. K., Kolobova, K. S., & Makarova, I. S. (2020). Integration of internet tools to enhance pronunciation skills: Effectiveness of educational content on YouTube. Proceedings of the Conference “Integrating Engineering Education and Humanities for Global Intercultural Perspectives”,

[7] Aufderhaar, C. (2004). Learner views of using authentic audio to aid pronunciation:" You can just grab some feelings". TESOL Quarterly, 38(4), 735-746. https://doi.org/10.2307/3588293

[8] Baker, A., & Burri, M. (2016). Feedback on second language pronunciation: A case study of EAP teachers' beliefs and practices. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 41(6), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2016v41n6.1

[9] Bouchhioua, N. (2019). Epenthesis in the production of English consonant clusters by Tunisian EFL learners. Applied Linguistics Research Journal, 3(4), 33-44. https://doi.org/10.14744/alrj.2019.87487

[10] Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. Pearson Education.

[11] Brown, J. D., & Crowther, D. (2022). Shaping Learners’ Pronunciation: Teaching the Connected Speech of North American English. Taylor & Francis.

[12] Cakir, I. (2012). Promoting Correct Pronunciation through Supported Audio Materials for EFL Learners. Online Submission, 4(3), 1801-1812.

[13] Celce-Murcia, M., Brinton, D., & Goodwin, J. M. (1996). Teaching pronunciation: A reference for teachers of English to speakers of other languages. Cambridge University Press.

[14] Chen, C.-H., Koong, C.-S., & Liao, C. (2022). Influences of integrating dynamic assessment into a speech recognition learning design to support students’ English speaking skills, learning anxiety and cognitive load. Educational Technology & Society, 25(1), 1-14. www.jstor.org/stable/48647026

[15] Derakhshan, A., & Zare, J. (2023). The impact of altruistic teaching on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ emotion regulation: an intervention study. Brain Sciences, 13(3), 458. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13030458

[16] Doff, A. (1988). Teach English trainer's handbook: A training course for teachers (Vol. 2). Cambridge university press.

[17] Du, T. T. (2022). Improve English Speaking Skills for Vietnamese Students Through Teaching Tones and Their Communicative Values: A Case Study at Thu Dau Mot University. Psychology, 12(9), 679-689. https://doi.org/10.17265/2159-5542/2022.09.001

[18] Edwards, J. G. H. (2011). Deletion of/t, d/and the Acquisition of Linguistic Variation by Second Language Learners of English. Language Learning, 61(4), 1256-1301. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9922.2011.00672.x

[19] Ellis, R. (1994). The study of second language acquisition. Oxford University.

[20] Fangzhi, C. (1998). The Teaching of Pronunciation to Chinese Students of English. Forum, China.

[21] Foote, J. A., & McDonough, K. (2017). Using shadowing with mobile technology to improve L2 pronunciation. Journal of Second Language Pronunciation, 3(1), 34-56. https://doi.org/10.1075/jslp.3.1.02foo

[22] Gilakjani, A. P. (2011). A study on the situation of pronunciation instruction in ESL/EFL classrooms. Journal of studies in education, 1(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.5296/jse.v1i1.924

[23] Gilbert, J. B. (2012). Clear speech teacher's resource and assessment book: Pronunciation and listening comprehension in North American English. Cambridge University Press.

[24] Hsieh, C.-N., Zechner, K., & Xi, X. (2019). Features measuring fluency and pronunciation. In Automated Speaking Assessment (pp. 101-122). Routledge.

[25] Hyatt, D., Escott, H., & Bone, R. (2022). ‘Addressing’language deficit: valuing children's variational repertories. Literacy, 56(3), 212-224. https://doi.org/10.1111/lit.12303

[26] Jaelani, A., & Umam, A. (2021). Preparing EFL pre-service teachers for curriculum 2013 through authentic materials and assessment integration. JEES (Journal of English Educators Society), 6(1), 171-177. https://doi.org/10.21070/jees.v6i1.829

[27] Karlina, Y., Rahman, A., & Chowdhury, R. (2020). Designing Phonetic Alphabet for Bahasa Indonesia (PABI) for the teaching of intelligible English pronunciation in Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 9(3), 724-732. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v9i3.23223

[28] Katz, A., Celce-Murcia, M., & Brinton, D. (2014). Assessment in second language classrooms. In Teaching English as a second or foreign language (4th ed., pp. 322-330). National Geographic Learning & Heinle Cengage Learning.

[29] Kelly, G. (2000). How to teach pronunciation. Pearson Education ESL.

[30] Kobilova, N. R. (2022). Importance of pronunciation in english language communication. Academic research in educational sciences, 3(6), 592-597.

[31] Lado, R. (1957). Linguistics Across Cultures: Applied Linguistics for Language Teachers. University of Michigan Press ELT.

[32] Lehiste, I. (1976). Suprasegmental Features of Speech. In N. J. Lass (Ed.), Contemporary issues in experimental phonetics (pp. 225-239). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-437150-7.50013-0

[33] Lu, H.-P., & Ho, H.-C. (2020). Exploring the impact of gamification on users’ engagement for sustainable development: A case study in brand applications. Sustainability, 12(10), 4169. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12104169

[34] McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (1993). Research in Education: A Conceptual Introduction. HarperCollins College Publishers.

[35] Moloney, R., Mansour, F. S., & Moloney, R. (2022). Introduction: Language, Identity and Spirituality. In Language and Spirit: Exploring Languages, Religions and Spirituality in Australia Today (pp. 3-26). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93064-6_1

[36] Newton, J. M., & Nation, I. (2020). Teaching ESL/EFL listening and speaking. Routledge.

[37] Ngoan, B. T., & Giang, B. T. H. (2021). The Explicit Instructions on Connected Speech to the First Year English Major Students’ Perception and Production at School of Foreign Languages-Thai Nguyen University. TNU Journal of Science and Technology, 226(03), 72-79.

[38] Nguyen, H. D. (2019). Errors in word-final consonant pronunciation in Vietnamese English interlanguage. Proceedings of 15th International Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences,

[39] Nguyen, L. T., & Hung, B. P. (2021). Communicative pronunciation teaching: Insights from the Vietnamese tertiary EFL classroom. System, 101, 102573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102573

[40] Nguyen, N. (2008). Interlanguage phonology and the pronunciation of English final consonant clusters by native speakers of Vietnamese [Master Thesis, Ohio University].

[41] Nunan, D., & Carter, R. (2001). The Cambridge guide to teaching English to speakers of other languages. Cambridge university press.

[42] Otlowski, M. (1998). Pronunciation: What are the expectations. The internet TESL journal, 4(1), 115-129.

[43] Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know. Heinle ELT.

[44] Pennington, M. C. (2021). Teaching pronunciation: The state of the art 2021. RELC Journal, 52(1), 3-21. https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882211002283

[45] Priya, M. L. S., & Kumar, P. (2020). Teaching phonetics to enhance pronunciation in an ESL classroom. Journal of critical reviews, 7(2), 669-672. https://doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.02.121

[46] Richards, J. C. (2002). Longman language teaching and applied linguistics. Pearson Education.

[47] Richards, J. C. (2023). Teacher, learner and student-teacher identity in TESOL. RELC Journal, 54(1), 252-266. https://doi.org/10.1177/003368822199130

[48] Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. W. (2011). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics (4th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315833835

[49] Subrahmanyam Vellanki, S., & Bandu, S. (2021). Engaging students online with technology-mediated task-based language teaching. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ), Special Issue on Covid 19 Challenges, 107-126. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/covid.8

[50] Tram, H. T. A. (2020). Problems of learning speaking skills encountered by English major students at Ba Ria-Vung Tau university, Vietnam. European Journal of English Language Teaching, 5(4), 39-48. https://doi.org/10.46827/ejel.v5i4.3144

[51] Trazo, S. P., & Abocejo, F. T. (2019). International phonetic alphabet (IPA) front vowel sound recognition of beginner foreign learners. European Journal of Education Studies, 5(12), 183-195. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2606194

[52] Ur, P. (2012). A course in English language teaching. Cambridge University Press.

[53] Wright, A., Betteridge, D., & Buckby, M. (2006). Games for language learning. Cambridge university press.

[54] Yoshida, M. T. (2016). Beyond Repeat after Me: Teaching Pronunciation to English Learners. TESOL Press.

[55] Young, S. S.-C., & Wang, Y.-H. (2014). The game embedded CALL system to facilitate English vocabulary acquisition and pronunciation. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 17(3), 239-251.

[56] Yowani, A. A. S. L. D. (2021). Common Pronunciation Problems of Learners of English. Class Conference,

[57] Yudha, H. T., & Mandasari, B. (2021). The Analysis of Game Usage for Senior High School Students to Improve Their Vocabulary Mastery. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 2(2), 74-79. https://doi.org/10.33365/jeltl.v2i2.1329

[58] Zou, D., Huang, Y., & Xie, H. (2021). Digital game-based vocabulary learning: where are we and where are we going? Computer Assisted Language Learning, 34(5-6), 751-777. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2019.1640745

Abstract

References

How to cite