Directions for the future of technology in pronunciation research and teaching

ABSTRACTThis article brings to the fore trends in second language (L2) pronunciation research, teaching, and assessment by highlighting the ways in which pronunciation instructional priorities and assessment targets have shifted over time, social dimensions that, although presented in a different guise, appear to have remained static, and principles in need of clearer conceptualization. The reorientation of the pedagogical goal in pronunciation teaching from the traditional focus on accent reduction to the more suitable goal of intelligibility will feed into a discussion of major constructs subsumed under the umbrella term of “pronunciation.” We discuss theoretical gaps, definitional quagmires, and challenges in operationalizing major constructs in assessment instruments, with an emphasis on research findings on which pronunciation features are most consequential for intelligibility and implications for instructional priorities and assessment targets. Considerations related to social judgments of pronunciation, accent familiarity effects, the growth of lingua franca communication, and technological advances, including machine scoring of pronunciation, pervade the discussion, bridging past and present. Recommendations for advancing an ambitious research agenda are proposed to disassociate pronunciation assessment from the neglect of the past, secure its presence as an integral part of the L2 speaking construct, and propel it to the forefront of developments in assessment.

This inaugural issue of the Journal of Second Language Pronunciation, an auspicious step forward in our field, gives us an opportunity to take stock of current trends in pronunciation research with an eye to the future of this evolving field. As longtime researchers, we have learned many lessons by trial and error and wish to share our perspectives on sound methodological practices and on pitfalls to avoid. Our review follows the outline of a traditional experimental investigation, starting with the conceptualization of pronunciation research studies. We then discuss theoretical motivations, choice of constructs, and issues arising from the literature review. Next we compare several research designs and summarize types of data commonly used in pronunciation research. We then move on to consider data collection and analysis, focusing on reliability, effect sizes, and speaker variability, and to offer some caveats regarding the interpretation of results. We conclude by suggesting areas for future second language speech research, in terms of both replications and new studies.

The (non)interaction of research and practice is a common issue in language teaching circles. The disconnect is perhaps nowhere more evident than in teaching and researching L2 pronunciation, where teachers lack an understanding of key concerns that drive pronunciation research and are often inadequately trained to teach pronunciation. This chapter explores influential pronunciation research that is explicitly focused toward pedagogy and encourages non-researching teachers to understand what they can expect from research studies. It will also encourage them to consider how some of the important questions in pronunciation research are intensely practical. Likewise, the chapter suggests what researchers can do to make pedagogical connections of their studies clearer and provides reasons why researchers should pay closer attention to pedagogy.

Comprehensibility, a major concept in second language (L2) pronunciation research that denotes listeners’ perceptions of how easily they understand L2 speech, is central to interlocutors’ communicative success in real-world contexts. Although comprehensibility has been modeled in several L2 oral proficiency scales—for example, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)—shortcomings of existing scales (e.g., vague descriptors) reflect limited empirical evidence as to which linguistic aspects influence listeners’ judgments of L2 comprehensibility at different ability levels. To address this gap, a mixed-methods approach was used in the present study to gain a deeper understanding of the linguistic aspects underlying listeners’ L2 comprehensibility ratings. First, speech samples of 40 native French learners of English were analyzed using 19 quantitative speech measures, including segmental, suprasegmental, fluency, lexical, grammatical, and discourse-level variables. These measures were then correlated with 60 native English listeners’ scalar judgments of the speakers’ comprehensibility. Next, three English as a second language (ESL) teachers provided introspective reports on the linguistic aspects of speech that they attended to when judging L2 comprehensibility. Following data triangulation, five speech measures were identified that clearly distinguished between L2 learners at different comprehensibility levels. Lexical richness and fluency measures differentiated between low-level learners; grammatical and discourse-level measures differentiated between high-level learners; and word stress errors discriminated between learners of all levels.

Inspired by Murray Munro and Tracey Derwing’s 1995 seminal study of intelligibility, comprehensibility, and accentedness, this book revisits the insights of their original research and presents subsequent studies extending this work to new ways of understanding second language speech. By rejecting the nativeness approach upon which previous pronunciation research and teaching were built, Munro and Derwing’s paper became the catalyst for a new paradigm of pronunciation and speech research and teaching. For the first time, pronunciation researchers had an empirically-motivated set of dimensions for assessing L2 speech. Results of many subsequent studies showed that the original insights of three partially-independent measures are indispensable to language teaching, language assessment, social evaluations of speech, and pedagogical priorities. This monograph offers 9 diverse chapters by leading researchers, all of which focus on intelligibility and or comprehensibility. This volume is essential reading for anyone interested in up-to-date coverage of L2 pronunciation matters. Originally published as special issue of Journal of Second Language Pronunciation 6:3 (2020)

Intelligibility has been widely regarded as an appropriate goal for second language pronunciation teaching. Yet there are few empirical studies that focus on the intelligibility of Korean learners` pronunciation. Therefore, this mixed-methods study examined the relationship among native-like pronunciation, intelligible pronunciation, phonological fluency and comprehensibility. Furthermore, this study investigated how native-like pronunciation and intelligible pronunciation are measured differently in terms of actual pronunciation skills. In addition, this study examined how these two pronunciation styles mutually influence each other. The results of this study show that achieving native-like pronunciation is a much more difficult goal than achieving intelligible pronunciation. It further shows that foreign accented pronunciation has little to do with comprehensibility while better intelligibility is needed for clearer comprehensibility. To achieve better intelligibility, this study recommends pronunciation teaching based on segments, suprasegmentals and fluency as the focus on suprasegmentals and fluency teaching are more important to achieve a native-like pronunciation. Besides the focus on phonology, there are other social factors which could influence the evaluation of native-like pronunciation, but are not part of this study. These findings are expected to contribute not only to a better understanding of pronunciation, but also to a more comprehensive reevaluation and informed direction of pronunciation teaching and research. (George Mason University)

The current chapter presents an overview of how developments in automatic speech recognition (ASR) have been brought to bear on second language (L2) pronunciation training in the last two decades. The aim is to bridge the gap between speech technology and L2 pronunciation research with the ultimate goal of stimulating cooperation, which would benefit both research and practice. Since there are numerous publications on this topic, only a selection of illustrative studies is presented. The overview is mainly focused on studies that employ ASR prior to further analysis of pronunciation errors and is limited to research that addresses pronunciation training at segmental level. Although pronunciation assessment and pronunciation error detection are both mentioned and explained, the latter constitutes the central topic of this chapter. After a brief historical perspective and a discussion of critical issues, various ASR-based pronunciation training systems are discussed regarding the extent to which these are in line with theoretical insights from pronunciation research. The advantages of ASR-based pronunciation training systems for practice are considered, as well as the challenges that still need to be addressed. Finally, current limitations and possible future directions are discussed.

The Journal of Second Language Pronunciation, after 10 years, plays a central role in the field of L2 pronunciation. It remains the only professional journal specializing in research and evidence-based pedagogy for L2 pronunciation for all additional languages. This editorial looks back at the main themes that have been repeatedly seen in the journal, including questions highlighting the role of accentedness, comprehensibility, and intelligibility; acquisition and development; the effects of formal instruction; perception and production; approaches to pronunciation research; and the role of technology and visualizations in L2 pronunciation learning.

Instructed second language acquisition (ISLA) inquiry emphasizes the ways in which systematic manipulation of learning conditions may facilitate second language (L2) acquisition. ISLA research has tended to prioritize grammar and vocabulary over pronunciation. However, an increase in classroom‐based pronunciation research has begun to address this oversight. Within ISLA inquiry, themes of interest include (a) the extent to which instruction effectively promotes pronunciation development, (b) the types of instruction that may be more effective than others, and (c) the elements of pronunciation that may be more amenable to instruction than others. In the current paper, we first provide a state‐of‐the‐art review of existing L2 pronunciation‐based ISLA research. We next highlight avenues of future research we believe will benefit our understanding of the interaction between instructional approaches and L2 pronunciation development. Finally, in support of calls for increased research‐pedagogy dialogue, we provide a set of research‐informed teaching tips for L2 pronunciation instructors to consider.

This paper presents the current evidence with regard to English pronunciation teaching and learning in the Malaysian context. A systematic literature review (SLR) of empirical studies was conducted with a focus on examining the degree to which pronunciation research is conducted in the context of English as a second language (ESL) in Malaysia. Results showed that teachers’ and learners’ beliefs are critical factors that may improve or impede the pronunciation instruction of the target language. In addition, there are also some criteria that need to be considered in order to ensure the effectiveness of pronunciation teaching for ESL learners. The issue of whether or not Received Pronunciation (RP) can be adopted as the pronunciation model in the Malaysian education system should also be addressed appropriately. These results are significant because they call for a reevaluation of pronunciation instruction in Malaysia. Finally, the findings of this SLR uncovered one of the real challenges in English language teaching, which is to bridge the gap between theory and practice, given the disconnection between research-based models and the actual practices in the ESL classroom

Two pivotal constructs, intelligibility (listeners’ actual understanding) and comprehensibility (listeners’ perceived difficulty of understanding), have dominated second language (L2) pronunciation research, marking a shift away from an emphasis on nativeness. The 2020 Companion Volume to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR-CV) presented a revised phonological competence scale, integrating both dimensions into a new definition of intelligibility. However, effective measurements to assess this refined construct are still lacking. This study explores the potential of Adaptive Comparative Judgement (ACJ) in measuring intelligibility as conceptualised by the CEFR-CV. ACJ employs judges who evaluate two stimuli based on a holistic criterion, selecting the better one. Through a collection of such binary decisions, judges’ evaluations are statistically analysed, producing standardised estimates for each stimulus. Twelve judges assessed speech samples in English produced by 30 Mandarin first language speakers on four sentence repetition tasks. Incorporating Think Aloud Protocol (TAP) into the judgement process, the study combined quantitative and qualitative analyses, providing evidence for the efficacy of ACJ in measuring L2 speech. The results, discussed in reference to existing literature on intelligibility and comprehensibility, reveal potential future research pathways on the use of ACJ in L2 pronunciation assessment to further elucidate CEFR-CV’s intelligibility construct.

Held at the Association canadienne de linguistique appliquée/Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics Conference, Ottawa, Canada; 27 May 2009.Over the past few decades perspectives on second language (L2) pronunciation have evolved from pessimistic appraisals of the capabilities of L2 learners and doubts about the value of instruction to a view of pronunciation teaching as an effective and important part of language pedagogy. Earlier research on the teaching of pronunciation dwelt extensively on the identification of learners' errors (mainly consonants and vowels) through comparative analyses. Until recently, little had been established about the effectiveness of pronunciation teaching, and pedagogical techniques were based more on speculation and theoretical notions than on empirically well-justified principles. More recent work addresses a broader range of issues relating not only to L2 phonological acquisition, but to the social implications of speaking with an accent and engaging with interlocutors, both native and non-native speakers of the L2. Among these are the relationship between accent and intelligibility, cognitive processes underlying phonological learning, the evaluation of L2 speech using impressionistic and acoustic techniques, prosodic influences on perception of accented speech, the role of ethnic affiliation and identity in L2 speakers' oral production, and the identification of misguided applications of knowledge about pronunciation by businesses and governments. These lines of work, along with empirical investigations of pronunciation instruction, engender a more sophisticated view of L2 phonological learning and teaching. Though further research remains to be done, important achievements have been made in identifying reasonable, achievable goals in the pronunciation classroom, establishing appropriate instructional foci, and evaluating outcomes. The presenters in this colloquium highlighted the major achievements of recent years and identified some of the important problems that remain.

The field of second language (L2) pronunciation is attracting researchers with many interests, as well as the teachers who have always been interested in the field. Evidence is growing that pronunciation teaching is successful at promoting greater intelligibility, and that pronunciation learning is not strongly constrained by the age at which learning takes place. The importance of pronunciation in current approaches to language means that L2 pronunciation has a strong teaching-research connection, in which teaching practices are influenced by research, and research agendas are explicitly influenced by practical questions. This growing interest is visible in the field’s dedicated conferences, in growing numbers of scholarly books, and in increasing kinds of other scholarly and pedagogically oriented publications. This article suggests that the interface of research and practice with pronunciation learning is seen in attention to 6 areas: teachers, learners, pronunciation features, teaching and learning contexts, pronunciation materials, and types of pedagogical practices.

Second language (L2) pronunciation research has measured speech comprehensibility by asking listeners to assess L2 learners’ speaking performance with rating scales. While some studies have provided validity evidence for these rating scales, few studies have examined the extent to which those scales effectively distinguish among L2 speakers. To fill this gap, the present study examines the 9-point scale used in Saito et al. (2020: Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 40 , 9–25.) and the 100-point scale in Huensch and Nagle (2023: Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 45 (2), 571–585.) from a Rasch measurement perspective and showcases post hoc score category collapsing as a potential countermeasure against suboptimal rating scale functioning. Findings suggested that different score categories represented the same ability level and were therefore interchangeable. Collapsing these score categories yielded shorter but more functional scales without compromising the psychometric qualities of the original scales. These findings suggest that researchers need to empirically refine their scale lengths rather than uncritically following their conventional measurement practices.

This paper shares the results of a multiinstitutional study examining the teaching goals andpractices of engineering instructors. Through both a survey and a set of interviews, engineering instructors at four institutions in Ontario were invited to share their key teaching and learning goals, teaching philosophy, and the use of teaching and learning activities in the teaching of undergraduate engineering students. Engineering instructors shared a surprising diversity of teaching goals and practices, and through a discussion of powerful teaching activities, a set of conceptualizations around student learning emerged, ordered in decreasingprominence: Students learn through: (1) making realworld connections; (2) application of concepts; (3) interaction with the instructor; (4) interaction between students; (5) independence and ownership and (6) listening to what the professor says and does. These views are all reflected in the diversity of learning theories available in the literature, and in particular situated learning theory, but an understanding of these specific conceptualizations, articulated by engineering instructors, can be used to better support engineering instructors in their teaching, and in the development of new curricular initiatives in undergraduate engineering education. This work expands on the existing literature on teaching in higher education and teaching practices in engineering.