The Impact of Using Cell Phones on the Pronunciation of English Consonant Clusters among Saudi Female Secondary School Students

Shrowg Alhomaidhi

doi:10.3991/ijim.v15i21.26909

Abstract

<p class="0abstract">This research attempts to find out the impact of using cellphones on the students’ pronunciation with an emphasis on consonant clusters. The sample of the study was 40 female secondary school students divided into two groups control and experimental. The study attempted to answer one question: <span lang="EN-IE">Will the use of pronunciation videos on cell phones help to improve Saudi female secondary students' pronunciation of English consonant clusters occurring in the onset position? To achieve this, the researcher conducted a pre-test and a post-test to test students’ pronunciation of selected vocabulary from the English Inventory of consonant clusters. After the pre-test, the experimental group used video to practice these sounds while the control group practiced that in traditional classes. The findings showed that both groups improved. However, the excremental group, having utilised cell phone videos, made significant improvement by 7.05% in the correct production of consonant clusters.</span></p>

Highlights

Second language (L2) learning has gone through long stages of development and improvement
The focus of this study will be on the role of cell phones in enhancing L2 students’ pronunciation, consonant clusters occurring in the onset position
─ Will the use of pronunciation videos on cell phones help to improve Saudi female secondary students’ pronunciation of English consonant clusters occurring in the onset position?

Summary

Introduction

Second language (L2) learning has gone through long stages of development and improvement. It started with a considerable focus on the acquisition of correct grammar and translation. Writing and listening have been given attention by scholars and language instructors. Accurate pronunciation has not been given enough attention and sometimes looked at as insignificant. Much research has been done on pronunciation teaching and L2 learning in general. Brodkey (1972) [3] and Stuparyk (1996) [14] investigated the importance of teaching pronunciation and its role in speech intelligibility. The focus of this study will be on the role of cell phones in enhancing L2 students’ pronunciation, consonant clusters occurring in the onset position

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion