Abstract
One of the useful ways of teaching English pronunciation is the application of pronunciation software. Pronunciation software supplies a personal and stress-free setting for both teachers and learners through which they can have infinite input, exercise at their own pace, and get feedback through the automatic speech recognition. This study investigated the Iranian teachers’ beliefs towards utilizing pronunciation software in English pronunciation instruction. The researchers applied a qualitative method to investigate the impact of pronunciation software on teachers’ pronunciation instruction. The researchers used a belief questionnaire to choose teachers for the semi-structured interview and distributed it to 28 teachers at the two Islamic Azad Universities of Iran. The researchers chose 14 of them based on their answers to the belief questionnaire. Therefore, these 14 teachers participated in the qualitative aspect of this study. The researchers collected data and analyzed them. Qualitative data analysis was done through reducing and displaying the collected data and drawing conclusions from the collected data. The findings obtained from the qualitative research demonstrated that Iranian university teachers held positive beliefs towards the application of pronunciation software in pronunciation instruction. These positive beliefs provided teaching and learning opportunities and appropriate resources for teachers, met their teaching needs, and solved some of their pronunciation difficulties.
Highlights
Courses and materials should be provided for English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to improve the impact of their pronunciation instruction
ESL/EFL learners’ pronunciation can be affected by the high quality materials and computer-based materials and teachers need these materials in their classes to improve the quality of their instruction (Fraser, 2000)
Iranian teachers believed that pronunciation software was a good technology that made their pronunciation instruction very easy and interesting
Summary
Courses and materials should be provided for English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to improve the impact of their pronunciation instruction. ESL/EFL learners’ pronunciation can be affected by the high quality materials and computer-based materials and teachers need these materials in their classes to improve the quality of their instruction (Fraser, 2000). Hayati (2010) says that Iranian EFL teachers and learners do not pay close attention to pronunciation because they do not have sufficient time for its teaching and overcrowded classes do not allow them to teach it and effectively. Some Iranian teachers have great difficulties in the teaching of English pronunciation. They are challenging with the serious problems they face with pronunciation instruction
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