Pronunciation Accuracy Research Articles

Optimizing Pronunciation Instruction for Vietnamese Learners of English: Applying Optimality Theory and Phonetic Principles in Language Teaching

This study explores the perceived benefits of using phonetic principles in teaching English pronunciation from both teacher and student perspectives. The research examines how incorporating phonetic instruction and Optimality Theory can improve pronunciation accuracy and phonological awareness. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study collected quantitative data through surveys from 57 participants (6 teachers and 51 students) and qualitative insights from focus group interviews with teachers. The results showed that teachers rated the benefits of phonetic instruction higher (mean score of 4.24) compared to students (mean score of 3.31). Teachers highlighted how phonetic principles offer a systematic way to identify and correct pronunciation errors, making teaching more efficient. Students, while recognizing the advantages, faced challenges in grasping some technical aspects, such as using phonetic symbols. However, they acknowledged that their pronunciation and listening skills improved with practice. The study concludes that while phonetic instruction is valuable, more practical and accessible approaches are needed to better support students' learning. These findings provide useful insights for educators looking to enhance pronunciation teaching and suggest areas for further exploration.

Teaching Pronunciation to EFL Learners at the Tertiary Level: Perspectives of Professors at Saudi Universities

This study aimed to provide a novel, focused program for instructing English pronunciation to Saudi EFL university students, grounded upon identified mistake patterns. In addition, to execute the customized curriculum in pronunciation instruction for a group of Saudi EFL students. Furthermore, to evaluate the efficacy of the tailored curriculum by measuring enhancements in pronunciation accuracy. Additionally, to investigate the attitudes and experiences of EFL professors at various Saudi universities regarding the designated pronunciation curriculum using surveys. The researchers adopted the analytical-descriptive research method, utilizing the questionnaire as a tool for collecting data from thirty-three EFL university professors who teach English at different Saudi universities. The main findings of this study were: excessive focus on instructing individual phonemes, prioritization of suprasegmentals; overdependence on standardized evaluations. The significant levels of disagreement suggest that these techniques may not adequately meet the pronunciation requirements of Arabic EFL learners. Allocating time for pronunciation may possess some merit, while its execution necessitates additional investigation. The consensus on communicative instruction suggests potential for this methodology if effectively employed. Technological tools were regarded as beneficial instruments, consistent with studies on computer-assisted pronunciation instruction. The efficacy of customizing curriculum to address faults made by Arabic learners; Emphasis on pronunciation instruction within educational institutions. The main recommendations were adopting communicative instructional methodologies for teaching pronunciation enhances the growth of EFL learners, employing technological equipment acts as advantageous tools in enhancing pronunciation education, and additional comparison investigations and lectures must be undertaken to establish a correlation between the phonological systems of learners' native language and the target language.

A comprehensive review of the application of NLP technology in language learning

The rapid development of Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology has provided new perspectives and tools for the acquisition of second languages. As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, the role of NLP in facilitating language learning has become more prominent. This paper reviews the multifaceted applications of NLP technology in language learning, including auxiliary teaching functions such as reading assistance, writing feedback, oral interaction, and personalized learning. These applications have significantly enhanced language learners' abilities in vocabulary acquisition, grammatical application, pronunciation accuracy, and reading comprehension through real-time feedback, enhanced interactivity, and promotion of cultural understanding. Despite the immense potential of NLP technology in second language learning, challenges such as technical accuracy, cultural adaptability, and data privacy exist. This paper proposes strategies, such as ensuring technical accuracy, curating diverse datasets and safeguarding data privacy to address these challenges. Looking forward, the future development of NLP technology in second language education holds great promise. As NLP continues to evolve, it is expected to contribute to more personalized, effective, and accessible language learning solutions. This paper aims to provide valuable references and insights for educators, technology developers, and policymakers, enabling them to harness the transformative potential of NLP in language education and to navigate the future of educational technology with confidence and foresight.

Linguistic Features of Different Proficiency Learners’ Oral Performance in a Project-Based Learning Context

Project-Based Learning (PBL) can potentially enhance learners’ oral proficiency. However, little evidence supports how PBL improves learners’ complexity, accuracy, and fluency, particularly for learners with different proficiency levels. This study examined the changes and linguistic features of varying proficiency learners’ complexity, accuracy, and fluency within a PBL context. It involved a homogeneous group of 45 Chinese college learners, categorized into high (N=15), medium (N=15), and low proficiency learners (N=15). Their oral complexity, accuracy, and fluency were assessed using speaking tests before and after PBL. The changes in their oral performance were evaluated using objective measures of complexity, accuracy, and fluency. The transcripts were also used to analyze the linguistic features of different proficiency learners. The results indicate that PBL significantly enhances syntactic complexity as learners’ proficiency levels increase. Significant differences were observed in lexical complexity, pronunciation accuracy, and self-repairs between high and low-proficiency learners. However, no significant differences were found in syntactic accuracy and speech rate across high, medium, and low proficiency learners. The findings also indicate that different proficiency learners reveal various linguistic features of syntactic complexity, syntactic accuracy, and self-repairs in their oral performance. This study provides implications for educators to design project-based activities for different proficiency learners to improve their complexity, accuracy, and fluency.

Personality as a correlate of pronunciation attainment: The case of formal setting with explicit pronunciation-focused instruction

The paper reports a study examining which Big Five personality traits correlate with pronunciation attainment of students who had been offered systematic long-term explicit pronunciation-focused instruction. The participants were 47 English majors just finishing their one-year course of practical English phonetics at the University of Wrocław, Poland. The five personality traits were measured with the use of a Polish version of Goldberg’s instrument, i.e. IPIP-BFM-50 (Struś, Cieciuch, Rowiński, 2014). The personality traits were then correlated with the students’ pronunciation proficiency represented by their (1) phonological competence, (2) pronunciation of selected vocabulary, and (3) accuracy in pronunciation operationalised as correct production of selected segments, rhythm, and consistency in using a chosen native English accent (RP or GA) when reading aloud a short passage with focus on its meaning. All of the judged aspects of pronunciation were explicitly drawn attention to and practised during the course of phonetics. The results of correlation analyses revealed that Openness to experience and Conscientiousness were significantly and positively linked to pronunciation attainment, with the former showing moderate and large effect sizes, and the latter, small and moderate effect sizes.

Semantic dependency and local convolution for enhancing naturalness and tone in text-to-speech synthesis

Self-attention-based networks have become increasingly popular due to their exceptional performance in parallel training and global context modeling. However, it may fall short of capturing local dependencies, particularly in datasets with strong local correlations. To address this challenge, we propose a novel method that utilizes semantic dependency to extract linguistic information from the original text. The semantic relationship between nodes serves as prior knowledge to refine the self-attention distribution. Additionally, to better fuse local contextual information, we introduce a one-dimensional convolution neural network to generate the query and value matrices in the self-attention mechanism, taking advantage of the strong correlation between input characters. We apply this variant of the self-attention network to text-to-speech tasks and propose a non-autoregressive neural text-to-speech model. To enhance pronunciation accuracy, we separate tones from phonemes as independent features in model training. Experimental results show that our model yields good performance in speech synthesis. Specifically, the proposed method significantly improves the processing of pause, stress, and intonation in speech.

Identifying Pronunciation Errors of the Phoneme Qaf in Al-Qur’an Reading by Non-Native Speakers: A Spectrographic Analysis

The accuracy of pronouncing Hijazi letters is crucial for reading the Qur'an effectively. Incorrect pronunciation not only disrupts the flow of reading but can also change the meaning of words and verses, thus deviating from the intended message. This study aims to identify and analyze the mispronunciation of the [q] phoneme by non-Arabic speakers using spectrography analysis. Spectrography analysis helps visualize the frequency, duration, and intensity of the sound produced when participants pronounce the [q] phoneme. The research utilized Praat Voice Analysis software version 6.3.17 to process voice recordings and identify differences in the pronunciation of the [q] phoneme. The research employed a comparative descriptive qualitative approach with a content analysis design. Data collection involved various techniques, including recording, listening, and transcription. Voice recordings of two 12-year-old participants and an Arabic native speaker were collected to compare the pronunciation of Surah Al-Falaq verses 1-3. The results indicated that common errors in this study included sound changes and the omission of the characteristic [q] phoneme. For instance, students often replaced the [q] phoneme with [k] due to the similarity in the articulation location of these two phonemes. Additionally, participants tended to read too quickly, not allowing sufficient time for accurate pronunciation. The study also revealed a significant difference in the articulation of Hijazi letters between male and female speaker. female speaker demonstrated more consistent pronunciation patterns, while male speaker may require further intervention to address articulation and phonological errors.

Perception Students Taking Pronounciation On English Phonetic

Indonesia in order to be able to produce English pronunciation that is almost the same as native speakers. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore a series of problems that underlie the limitations of learners in producing accurate pronunciation based on their perceptions. This study used descriptive qualitative methods to present the results obtained from two instruments consisting of close-ended questionnaires with the approach of the sampling type used, namely participant in the samples, and semi-structured interviews with the type of sample, namely purposive sampling.

A Review of Research on Mother Tongue Transfer During English as a Second Language Acquisition

In the process of second language acquisition, learners are often influenced by native language transfer. The effect can be both positive and negative. That is, the impact of positive and negative migrations. This paper is aimed at learners who speak English as a second language. This paper mainly summarizes the influence of mother tongue transfer on grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary. Mother tongue transfer may be challenging for English as a second language learners in terms of grammatical morphological changes, word order, virtual word functions, and syntactic component correspondence. The sentence structure in English is more complex than in Chinese. This makes it easy for learners to have difficulties in mastering English tenses, voice, singular and plural, etc. The second is the impact of native language transfer on English pronunciation. Native Chinese speakers are influenced by Chinese tones when learning English pronunciation. This results in a lack of fluency and accuracy in pronunciation. Finally, there is the impact of mother tongue transfer on English vocabulary. Since each language will have similarities, it indirectly enriches the vocabulary of the second language, and it is faster for us to learn and memorize. Learners should be aware to avoid the adverse effects of negative transfer of mother tongue.

The Negative Transfer of Shanghai Dialect on English Vowel Phonology Acquisition of Shanghai High School Students

With the accerleration of globalisation, the importance of English as an international common language has become more and more prominent. This study investigated the negative transfer effect of Shanghai dialect on English vowel acquisition in Shanghai high school students. Through the analysis of formant data of English vowel pronunciation in 49 Shanghai high school students, it is found that there is no significant change in tongue position when students pronounce some long and short vowels, the overall tongue position is low, and the distinction between long and short vowels is not obvious. The results show that the specific vowel phonemes in Shanghai dialect have a negative transfer effect on English pronunciation, which affects the accuracy of students' English pronunciation. Based on this, this study puts forward a variety of methods to improve English pronunciation teaching, including strengthening tongue position and oral shape training, using multimedia technology to assist teaching and providing personalized tutoring to help students overcome pronunciation barriers caused by dialects.

Coronal underspecification as an emerging property in the development of speech processing.

Is the developing lexicon phonologically detailed or are representations underspecified? Experimental results from toddlers suggest phonological specificity. By contrast, the featurally underspecified lexicon theory (Lahiri, 2018; Lahiri & Reetz, 2010), motivated by evidence such as the cross-linguistic prevalence of phenomena such as coronal assimilation (rainbow → rai[m]bow), proposes that coronal sounds are unspecified for place of articulation even in the adult lexicon. The featurally underspecified lexicon, therefore, predicts that asymmetries in mispronunciation sensitivity are also present in the developing lexicon. Recent research (Ren et al., 2019) has rejected this, reporting similar sensitivity to mispronunciation of coronals and noncoronals at 19 months. Using a more sensitive experimental paradigm, we provide new evidence demonstrating a lack of asymmetries at 18 months, but mispronunciation sensitivity for coronals disappears by 24 months. In an intermodal preferential looking study, growth curve analysis shows that 18-month-olds are sensitive to mispronunciations of words with a coronal (e.g., duck vs. *buck) and noncoronal (e.g., bird vs. *dird) onset. At 24 months, mispronunciations of coronal-onset words were treated just like the accurate pronunciations. We conclude that coronals are underspecified in the developing lexicon at 24 months. We propose a model under which initial representations are phonetic in nature and require exact acoustic input, whereas phonological coronal underspecification at the lexical level emerges gradually as a result of exposure to variation in the input such as coronal assimilations that only become detectable patterns with growing lexical and segmentation skills. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

ANALYZING STUDENTS’ ENGLISH-SPEAKING SKILLS USING SPEECHACE: INSIGHTS FROM AN AI-POWERED ASSESSMENT TOOL

AI technology has increasingly integrated into language learning and assessment, offering efficient and engaging environment. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Speechace, an AI powered language assessment tool, in improving speaking skills among first semester students through a mixed-method approach. The findings revealed an average overall performance score of 5.69 out of 9, with female students consistently outperforming males students in pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary, grammar and overall speaking competence. The question-specific analysis showed that students performed better on personal topics, exhibiting higher fluency and fewer pauses. Speechace provided valuable feedback, particularly in evaluating fluency-including the report of word per minute and bad pauses-as well as pronunciation accuracy via color-coded feedback. These findings highlight the potential use of AI tools in language education and offer insight for educators on integrating technology into English language instruction, more specifically in speaking skills.

Examining the impact of multimodal task design on English oral communicative competence in fourth-grade content-language integrated social studies: A quasi-experimental study

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is increasingly adopted globally, including in Taiwan’s educational initiatives, yet challenges remain in implementing effective CLIL practices, such as pedagogy and curriculum design. This study investigated the effectiveness of multimodal task designs, combining hands-on learning with poster presentations, in enhancing oral communicative competence within CLIL contexts. Employing a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design with a comparative case study framework, the study assessed English oral communicative competence in four intact fourth-grade Taiwanese CLIL Social Studies classes. The hands-on learning group (EG, n = 40) engaged in activities like Chinese Dumpling Making, Bird’s Nest Building, and Succulent Pot Designing, while the non-hands-on learning group (CG, n = 34) used traditional worksheets on the same topics. Both groups proceeded to poster presentations within their multimodal task design, where students’ oral communicative competence was assessed using rubrics developed based on Coyle’s 4Cs dimensions, focusing on Content, Communication, and Cognition. Additionally, students’ cultural knowledge related to the hands-on topics was evaluated through written tests. To complement the quantitative data, qualitative data from self-reported reflections and video recordings documenting interventions were collected for the assessment of oral communicative competence within a CLIL framework. Results demonstrate that integrating hands-on activities significantly enhanced procedural content, communication (i.e., sentence complexity, pronunciation accuracy for target vocabulary, presentation fluency), and cognitive abilities, confirming the efficacy of multimodal learning approaches in fostering linguistic and cognitive engagement. Post-test comparisons show the EG’s superiority in cultural knowledge acquisition across all three hands-on topics. Student reflections endorsed the enrichment of learning experiences through multimodal task design. Video analysis of both groups’ interventions revealed that despite significant engagement and autonomy, EG students commonly utilized general English rather than target vocabulary, a pattern similar to that observed in the CG. These findings highlight the potential of diverse modalities in CLIL to enhance English content learning and oral skills, shaping future pedagogy and language strategies in Taiwan. The study also emphasizes the role of embodied learning, the interplay between physical actions and cognitive processes, to facilitate deeper understanding and engagement with subject matter within CLIL settings.

Evaluasi Pembelajaran Membaca di Kelas Tinggi

Evaluation of reading learning in higher grades is a process to find out how many students are able to understand information, receive information, categorize, analyze and conclude information, accuracy of pronunciation and intonation when reading language texts. This research aims to determine the purpose of evaluating reading learning and the types of evaluation of reading learning in higher grades. The research method used is a qualitative research method with literature study. The research results show that the evaluation of reading learning aims to gain knowledge (information), foster the development of compassion and beauty, and fill free time. The types of evaluation of reading learning in higher grades are diagnostic evaluation, selective evaluation, formative evaluation, and summative evaluation.

Peningkatan Keterampilan Berbicara Siswa Menggunakan Metode Role Playing pada Pembelajaran Bahasa Indonesia di Kelas IV SDN 2 Cibanteng

This study aims to improve students' speaking skills through the implementation of the role-playing method in Indonesian language learning. The research method used is classroom action research (CAR), which consists of planning, action, observation, and reflection in each cycle. The subjects of this study are 32 students, consisting of 17 female and 15 male students. Based on the research results, the students' speaking skills are still low; students tend to be shy, less expressive, hesitant, and confused about what to say. Students have not mastered linguistic factors such as pronunciation accuracy, intonation, and word choice. The role-playing learning method involves students extensively in speaking through drama activities. The results of this study indicate that students' speaking skills improved using the role-playing method. In the first cycle, the average score was 76.6, with 23 students passing and 9 students not passing, resulting in a percentage of 71.88% categorized as high. There was an improvement in the second cycle, with an average score of 87.96, where 30 students passed and 2 students did not, resulting in a percentage of 93.75% categorized as very high

IMPLEMENTASI METODE SPEECH RECOGNITION DALAM AL QURAN DIGITAL UNTUK MENINGKATKAN PELAFALAN

Enhancing the pronunciation proficiency of the Quran is of paramount importance in comprehending its content. Pronunciation errors can alter the meaning of Quranic verses, making accurate pronunciation a key to the correct understanding of Islamic teachings, particularly the Quran. Through the implementation of speech recognition methods in a digital Quranic application, individuals are aided in correctly reciting Quranic verses, thus providing an interactive learning medium. In this research, the author developed data using Neural Networks algorithms that mimic the way the human brain processes and retains information. The results of this study demonstrate that the utilization of speech recognition technology in Quranic learning can significantly improve pronunciation skills. It is hoped that this application can serve as a supportive system facilitating Quranic education.

L2 prosody effects on pronunciation teaching and oral communication: updated

Pronunciation accuracy in a foreign language requires mastering production of both segmental (consonants and vowels) and prosody (features that operate from the syllable domain, such as lexical/phrasal stress, pitch accent, rhythm, intonation, and voice quality) of speech. This study aims to elucidate the significance of instruction in pronunciation, with a focus on L2 prosody as a pivotal component in the enhancement of oral communication skills. The objective is to reduce pronunciation discrepancies and augment conversational interactions in spoken communication. The theoretical review of our research is based on studies such as, Munro and Derwing (2020 [1999]) Derwing and Munro (2015), Levis (2018), which underscore the role of prosody in the context of pronunciation instruction and in L2 oral communication. We also have supported in studies such as, Ortega-Lebaria et al. (2023), Silva Jr. (2023), for the selection of techniques and guidelines for extracting both durational and melodic parameters from L2 prosody-focused research. Regarding the methodology, we gathered data from Brazilian English speakers and native speakers of English from the USA. Each participant read a passage, from which we selected ten utterances for subsequent analysis. The acoustic analysis was conducted based on the duration of phonetic syllables (V-V units) and the fundamental frequency (F0), both normalized using Lobanov’s z-score. We also employed ANOVA statistical tests to examine the group effect for both duration and F0 parameters. Our findings indicate notable differences between native and Brazilian English speakers’ productions for both duration and F0. We conclude, even on a preliminary basis, that the application of L2 prosody is relevant in improving pronunciation instruction and enhancing oral communication.

Phonetic Learning Strategies for Chinese as a Second Language

In the process of international Chinese teaching, pronunciation is the key and difficult point of second language learners, due to the lack of real language environment, learners are affected by factors such as negative transfer of their mother tongue, and the phenomenon of foreign accents is common when learning pronunciation. Based on the characteristics of modern Chinese pronunciation, this paper aims to explore the factors influencing foreign learners' acquisition of Chinese phonetics, and to find ways to improve learners' pronunciation accuracy and fluency.

Improving Elementary School Students’ Wudu Ablution Skills With The Use of Images and Audio-Visual Props

This research aims to evaluate the ablution proficiency of second-grade students at 24 Biaro State Elementary School during the academic year 2023/2024 and to explore the effectiveness of using visual and audio-visual media in enhancing this skill. Previously, ablution instruction at this school primarily relied on lecture-based methods that often failed to actively engage students, resulting in suboptimal learning outcomes. However, with the introduction of visual and audio-visual aids as a new innovation in ablution instruction, the learning environment has become more stimulating and interactive. The use of these media provides students with the opportunity to actively participate in the learning process. They can clearly observe the correct sequence and techniques for performing ablution, both in physical movements and in reciting relevant verses. The importance of accurate pronunciation in ablution recitations is also emphasized, prompting the researcher to adopt a method of reciting the verses aloud to swiftly detect and correct pronunciation errors. Data collected from this study were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. The results indicate a significant improvement in ablution proficiency when visual and audio-visual media are employed in instruction. Comparisons of students' practical test results from pre-cycle to cycle II show consistent improvement, with the highest scores achieved in cycle II. This confirms the hypothesis that the use of visual and audio-visual aids can enhance ablution proficiency among second-grade students at 24 Biaro State Elementary School.

Deep Learning Backward Recognition Model to Improve Pronunciation Accuracy in the Teaching of Spoken English

The advent of speech recognition algorithms has opened new avenues for enhancing pronunciation accuracy in the teaching of spoken English. As English continues to be a global lingua franca, proficiency in spoken communication holds paramount importance for individuals across diverse professional and academic domains. This paper introduces Forward Backward Recognition Deep Learning (FBRDL), a novel approach aimed at leveraging speech recognition algorithms to enhance pronunciation accuracy in the teaching of spoken English. FBRDL incorporates advanced deep learning techniques such as recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and transformers, which excel in modeling sequential data and capturing long-range dependencies. By leveraging these powerful architectures, FBRDL can effectively handle the inherent variability and complexity of speech signals, enabling robust and accurate recognition even in noisy or adverse environments. Moreover, FBRDL is characterized by its adaptability and scalability, making it well-suited for a wide range of applications across industries. Whether in the realm of virtual assistants, automatic transcription, or voice-controlled devices, FBRDL offers a versatile solution capable of meeting the demands of modern speech recognition tasks. FBRDL integrates principles from deep learning with advanced speech recognition techniques to provide learners with real-time feedback and guidance on their pronunciation. By analyzing spoken English inputs and identifying phonetic discrepancies, FBRDL offers targeted interventions tailored to individual learners' needs. FBRDL achieves an average increase in pronunciation accuracy of 20% compared to traditional teaching methods. Moreover, qualitative assessments underscore the effectiveness of FBRDL in facilitating more precise and efficient acquisition of spoken English skills.