Language awareness and second language pronunciation: a classroom study

Abstract

We examined the relationship between the quality of second language (L2) learners’ language awareness (as shown through dialogue journal entries) and the quality of their L2 pronunciation (as assessed through listener-based ratings of accentedness, comprehensibility, and fluency). The participants were 10 students enrolled in a 13-week university-level pronunciation course focusing on the suprasegmental aspects of English. We evaluated the students’ pronunciation during week 1 and week 11 of class and examined weekly dialogue journal entries written by the students over 10 weeks for evidence of language awareness. We analysed the comments for aspects of language awareness which were quantitative (language learning as assimilating a set of discrete items) and qualitative (language learning as a meaningful context in which learning occurs). We found a relationship between the students’ pronunciation ratings and the number of qualitative (not quantitative) language awareness comments, such that higher pronunciation ratings were associated with a greater number of qualitative language awareness comments. We also found that the students who produced the most qualitative language awareness comments were those who reported the largest amount of L2 listening done outside of class. We discuss the results in light of the role of language awareness in L2 pronunciation learning.