Pronunciation Difficulties Research Articles

Voice‐over anatomy lectures created by AI‐voice cloning technology: A descriptive article

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic revealed the pivotal role of digital learning and online lecture videos, leading a shift toward blended and flipped classrooms in the post‐pandemic era. This shift calls for development and (or) refreshment of novel online educational resources, such as Voice‐Over PowerPoint (VOPPT) presentations, specifically designed for asynchronous or synchronous learning methods. However, resource limitations often impede the timely delivery of high‐quality instructional materials. In this descriptive article, the use of AI‐voice cloning technology to automate the creation of VOPPT presentation has been explored. Descripts' Overdub tool, an AI‐voice cloning program, was trained on the 15‐min voice sample of an anatomy professor, and the synthesized voice was used to narrate presentations on inguinal canal and extrahepatic biliary anatomy. The educational use of this novel approach was evaluated based on the second‐year undergraduate medical students' qualitative feedback. Voice similarity analysis using Resemblyzer, an open‐source Python tool, showed a high similarity score of 0.92 between the cloned and original voices. Despite this, students raised concerns about the robotic voice, quick pace, punctuation problems, pronunciation difficulties, and expressed reservations about AI‐generated lecture narration. While the cloned voice closely matched the original, the AI‐generated narration fell short of capturing the nuanced details needed for an effective anatomy instruction. This uncovers AI's current limitations in the educational contexts but establishes a foundation for future progress in AI‐voice cloning technologies aimed at enhancing online educational resources for anatomy and medical education.

The Pronunciation Problems Encounter EFL Learners in Spoken English at University

This research examines the pronunciation difficulties of EFL undergraduate learners at universities when pronouncing English phonemes. It collects data using recorded speech samples, pronunciation tests and questionnaires as part of a research method for collecting data. The instruments used for this study are collecting data and analyzing them. The test materials are prepared in speech levels. Therefore, the observations of these were based on auditory impressions. The results suggest that the participants had a pronunciation challenge with the phonemes in English. This research gives insights and supports ESL teachers in developing teaching techniques that will lessen or eliminate future issues with Arabic speakers' pronunciation of English phonemes.

Facilitating Students’ Pronunciations on Plosive Consonant Sounds Through Sephonics Software

This research was about facilitating students’ pronunciations on plosive consonant sounds through Sephonics software. It was done at 3rd semester students of ELT Department of Walisongo State Institute for Islamic Studies in the academic year of 2011/2012. The background of this research was the difficulty in learning pronunciation. This research was aimed to responding the following questions; (1) How was the implementation of using sephonics software for teaching pronunciation (plosive consonant sounds) at third semester students of ELT Department, State Islamic Institute of Walisongo, Semarang? (2) Was there any improvement of students’ pronunciation of plosive consonant sounds after being taught using sephonics software? The participant of this research was the 3rd semester students of ELT Department of Education Faculty, Walisongo State Institute for Islamic Studies, Semarang that consisted of 28 students. It was a classroom action research that had two cycles. They were pre-cycle, cycle 1, and cycle 2. The use of sephonics software was used in cycle 1 and cycle 2. The methods of data collection were test and observation in all cycles. The test form was reading aloud that asked students to pronounce some words that contained plosive consonant sounds. Then, the result of test scores was analyzed by using mean to determine whether there was an improvement in each cycle. This study showed that: (1) the first thing that the teacher needed to do to use this software as a teaching aid was that he or she must conduct the class in a language laboratory. If it was not possible, the teacher could conduct the class in a regular classroom by providing several computers or laptops. Then, the students must be grouped based on the number of the computers. The second thing was that this was CALL learning based; the teacher might explain how to use the software in order that the students could practice by themselves outside of class schedule. (2) After collecting data, the result was found that the average (mean) of pre cycle test was 69. Then, it had very significant improvement in cycle 1 and cycle 2. It became 98.7 from cycle 1 test and 99.6 from cycle 2 test. It meant that the research was successful to improve the students’ pronunciation abilities. In conclusion, Sephonics software was successful to facilitate students’ pronunciations on plosive consonant sounds.

Pronunciation Difficulties in Cantonese English Learners: A Focus on Segmental Errors

This study investigates the pronunciation difficulties faced by Cantonese-speaking English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, focusing on segmental errors in both vowels and consonants. A production experiment was conducted with 13 Cantonese university students, examining their performance on carefully selected minimal pairs embedded in short sentences. The results revealed common pronunciation errors, including the substitution of /æ/ with /ɛ/, final consonant devoicing, and /v/ substituted with /w/. These errors were analyzed in relation to the functional load (FL) principle, which emphasizes the importance of phonological contrasts that contribute most to intelligibility. The findings highlight that errors with high FL values, such as /æ/-/ɛ/ and /p/-/b/, should be prioritized in pronunciation instruction to enhance learners’ overall intelligibility. The study concludes with pedagogical implications for teaching pronunciation more effectively in Cantonese EFL contexts.

Identifying Pronunciation Challenges for Cantonese EFL Learners: A Focus on Intelligibility

This study investigates the intelligibility of Cantonese-accented English by examining segmental pronunciation errors and their impact on native English listeners’ ability to accurately transcribe spoken sentences. Building on a previous production experiment, this research focuses on identifying which vowel and consonant mispronunciations most hinder intelligibility. Ten native English listeners transcribed 1,000 sentences produced by Cantonese speakers, and transcription accuracy was calculated for each target sound. The results reveal that dark /l/ (e.g., “cold”), final consonants like /g/ (e.g., “bag”), and the vowel /æ/ (e.g., “pan”) had the lowest accuracy rates, while sounds like /n/ (e.g., “no”) and /ʃ/ (e.g., “sheep”) were consistently transcribed correctly. These findings highlight the importance of targeting specific pronunciation difficulties in Cantonese EFL learners to improve intelligibility. The study supports the prioritization of intelligibility over accent reduction in pronunciation instruction, providing practical implications for teaching pronunciation in Cantonese-speaking contexts.

Association between mandibular prognathism and Matrilin-1, bone morphogenic protein, Tyr67Asn, homeobox protein hox-A2, Rho-GTPase activating protein, and Myosin 1H genes in the Indian population.

Mandibular prognathism (MP) patients present with aesthetic concerns and functional issues, including difficulties in mastication and pronunciation. Studies revealed that mandibular prognathism had definitive Mendelian inheritance patterns. This study aimed to ascertain distinct genetic markers associated with mandibular prognathism in individuals of Indian descent, focusing on exploring the prevalent genetic variations associated with certain genes. This study sought to identify the association of the following gene markers with mandibular prognathism: 1) Matrilin-1 (MATN1) (rs1065755), 2) Bone morphogenic protein 3 (BMP-3) (Tyr67Asn), 3) Homeobox protein hox-A2 (HOXA2) (Val327Ile), 4) Rho-GTPase activating protein (ARHGAP 21) (Gly1121Ser), 5) Myosin 1H (MYO1H) (rs10850110).

ESP Students’ Self-Reflection on English Speaking Anxiety: An Investigation on Gender’s Perspectives

Speaking in a foreign language becomes a challenge for many students, including ESP students. In ESP class, the students learn English for specific context related to the professional fields. Thus, having anxiety in the English class could affect their future performance in their future job. The current study seeks for insight on identifying speaking anxiety awareness among ESP students through self-reflection. The students are required to describe on of the tourist attraction in front of the class and have a self-reflection on their performance. With the total of 15 male and 15 female students, the study applied a qualitative study with case study design. The data were collected through classroom observation, questionnaires, and interview. The data were triangulated and analyzed through data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. As a result, the male students tend to have speaking anxiety than the female students. Based on the male students’ perceptions, pronunciation difficulty, lack of grammar comprehension, lack of vocabulary mastery, and lack of confidence become the cause of the speaking anxiety, while the female students have lack of practice, nervousness, and pronunciation difficulty as the problem. Thus, it is suggested the English lecturer to provide more practice on language system, such as grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation to shape students’ comprehensibility on English. Also, the ESP students need to have extensive speaking practice to boost their confidence in speaking in front of the class.

ANALISIS KESULITAN BERBICARA BAHASA INGGRIS PADA SISWA BIMBINGAN BELAJAR FUN ENGLISH

The aim of this research is to determine the difficulties students experience when speaking English and the factors that influence students' difficulty speaking English in Fun English tutoring students. This research was conducted on 11 Fun English tutoring students, using qualitative research methods. Data collection techniques in this research used questionnaires, interviews with students and documentation. The data analysis technique in this research uses data collection, data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. Testing the validity of the data uses the Triangulation technique. The results of the research show that: The difficulties experienced by students in speaking English are difficulties in using grammar, difficulties in using vocabulary and also difficulties in pronunciation. The factors that cause students to have difficulty speaking English are lack of confidence, lack of mastery of vocabulary and also lack of motivation in speaking English.

Examining Foreign Language Learners’ Speaking Anxiety: The Case of English L2 Learners

Examining speaking anxiety in learners of foreign languages is important not only for the learners but also for teachers and curriculum designers. The study aimed to examine foreign language learners’ speaking anxiety in 100 M.A. students at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia. The survey was directed to M.A. students. The study used the PSCAS. The findings demonstrated that a variety of factors, including a limited vocabulary, pronunciation difficulties, social pressure, a lack of confidence, and negative past experiences, might contribute to speaking anxiety. Together, these components create a complex web of worry that keeps students from being open to vocal communication. However, the study also discovered several practical strategies that M.A. candidates could employ to boost their speaking confidence and lessen their speaking anxiety. These strategies included role-playing games, conversations in small groups, the use of technology, group projects involving collaborative speaking, regular constructive criticism, availability of interactive language labs, practical language application, progressively more difficult assignments, cultural immersion programs, and workshops on public speaking. By using these strategies, students can establish a supportive learning environment that promotes language proficiency and confidence. Based on the findings of this study, several recommendations were proposed, such as integration of supportive learning environments, utilization of technology, implementation of practical language application, training in public speaking, gradual complexity in assignments, and promotion of positive thinking.

EFL Students' Challenges in Pronouncing Inflectional Suffixes: A Case Study of Socotri Students of English

This study aims to measure the proficiency level of Socotri EFL students in pronunciation of inflectional suffixes, /d/ and /s/. Quantitative data were collected through a test from a group of 24 English language students from the first and second levels at the College of Education, Humanities and Applied Sciences in Socotra. The results of the study showed that the students scored accepted in the pronunciation test with 61.92%. Results also showed that Socotri students suffer from difficulty in pronunciation, especially in the suffix /d/ more than /s/. The study also found differences in students' scoring in the tests in which male students scored (M=23.37) higher than female students (M=20.12) and second level (M=23.72) scored higher than first level (M=21.07), but they were not significant. The study recommends EFL teachers to focus on the practical aspect rather than the theoretical aspect while teaching pronunciation and speaking and listening skills. We also recommend choosing teachers who are fluent in English language teaching.

Communication Strategies, Difficulties, and Speaking Tasks in Foreign Language Learning

This study explored the communication strategies of college students majoring in one of five modern foreign languages (i.e., English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish) and their relation to communication confidence. It also explored the association between their strategy use and the difficulty regarding the speaking components, and students’ feedback on pedagogical tasks to improve their speaking ability. A questionnaire survey of communication strategy was distributed to 538 college students in Taiwan, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 students. The results showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the majored language and the use of communication strategies. Specifically, a one-way between-groups MANOVA revealed that the participants adopted the message reduction/alteration and fluency-oriented strategies frequently and equally, regardless of the language they studied. English and Spanish learners employed social affective, phonological awareness, and negotiation for meaning while speaking strategies more frequently than German learners. Students who reported difficulties in fluency, lexical resources, grammatical accuracy, and pronunciation while speaking the major language employed social affective strategies less frequently. Finally, students’ preferences for particular tasks reflected the speaking components they wished to foster. It is concluded that lexical and grammatical knowledge should be emphasized first to build communication confidence and strengthen fluency.

대조언어학적 관점을 통한 베트남어권 한국어 학습자를 위한 비음화 오류양상 고찰과 시사점

Objectives The purpose of this study is to obtain educational implications by examining the patterns of nasalization errors (correct and incorrect answers) that appear in each environment among Vietnamese Korean language learners. Methods In order to proceed with this discussion, we first reviewed previous research and theoretical background, and then established standards to analyze the nasalization error rate by environment. After that, from January 30, 2023 to January 30, 2024, in Korea, 19 to 30-year-olds After a basic survey, 15 Vietnamese Korean language learners (5 men and 10 women each) met 1:1 via Zoom and were asked to utter pre-prepared words related to nasal pronunciation. Then, by determining whether the answer was incorrect or correct, more detailed error types and their characteristics according to the overall results and characteristics of each environment were extracted. Results As a result of the analysis, through a review of previous research related to contrastive linguistics, it was possible to understand the fundamental cause of nasalization through differences in syllable structure between the two languages, and through a basic survey, despite the high demand for nasalization education, there was no awareness due to lack of educational experience. I could see that it was lacking. In addition, the results of error patterns by environment showed that the highest rate was in the case of ‘nasalization after adding ‘ㄴ’ or ‘nasalization after consonant group simplification.’ It was found that this was caused by a lack of awareness of nasalization by environment among the nasalization rules of Korean, the standard language. In addition, the higher error rate at ‘word boundaries’ rather than ‘word interior’ showed that nasalization education should be done ‘by phrase’. Lastly, as a result of examining error patterns by region, grade, and gender in an environment that previously showed a high error rate, all grades showed similar difficulties in pronunciation of bar consonants, but by region, it was more common in the south than in the north and central regions, and by gender, more than in women. A high error rate was observed in men. Conclusions In this way, this study identified the actual status of nasalization errors (total error rate by environment and error rate by word interior/boundary) of Vietnamese learners in more diverse environments and, unlike existing previous studies, provided basic data and implications for preparing educational measures. It was a meaningful study in that it was able to obtain results.

Error Analysis of Consonant Pronunciation in Arabic Language among Fifth-Grade Students

Language teaching and error analysis are integral in Arabic language education, particularly evident among fifth-grade students at SD Tunas Harapan Ar-Raudhah, who face challenges in mastering Arabic pronunciation. These errors occur due to differences between the Indonesian and Arabic sound systems, which cause difficulties. This study included a total of 9 students as its sample group and focuses on analyzing pronunciation errors made by fifth-grade students of SD Tunas Harapan Ar-Raudhah to find out what letters often have errors in pronunciation and find out the factors that cause these errors, as well as finding and providing specific treatments to overcome and reduce the percentage of student errors. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative with simak catat technique. The results showed 116 errors in Arabic consonant pronunciation (75.8%) during the pre-test, with the highest errors in three letters: dza, qaf, and 'ain. During the post-test, there were 37 errors (24.2%); this shows that the percentage of student errors decreased. The findings underscore the importance of tailored interventions in addressing pronunciation difficulties and contribute to refining language teaching strategies. Future research should explore alternative methodologies and replicate the study with larger student cohorts to enhance generalizability across diverse educational settings, further advancing effective Arabic language instruction

Exploring Iranian ESP teachers’ language-related critical incidents

English for specific purposes (ESP) practitioners who are content experts experience different types of critical incident (CI). Although CIs can influence the success or failure of ESP courses and impact on ESP practitioners’ professional lives significantly, they have received only scanty attention in the ESP literature. This study investigates language-related CIs experienced by ESP instructors who are content experts. Twenty-seven CIs were identified via narrative frames (n = 17) and interviews with Iranian ESP instructors (n = 10). Of them, the ten language-related CIs were analyzed in terms of their nature, the strategies and tactics that the ESP practitioners utilized to tackle them, and the lessons that they learned from them. The language-related CIs centered on pronunciation difficulty, weak grammar, insufficient skills in teaching reading and writing, low competence in language testing, and unfamiliarity with research on academic genres. In their response to the CIs, the ESP instructors deployed three types of coping strategy: admitting ignorance, avoidance, and risk-taking. They utilized different tactics to manage their CIs and reported different lessons learned. These findings have important implications for ESP teachers’ professional development and ESP teacher education.

A Need Analysis on English Teaching Materials for Midwifery Department Students at the Muslim University of Indonesia (UMI)

There are two research objectives in this research, they are to find out the target needs of the Midwifery department at the Muslim University of Indonesia (UMI); and to find out the obstacles faced by the students of midwifery department of Muslim University of Indonesia (UMI) in learning English. The research design is mixed-method research. There was 1 lecturer and 27 students at the Muslim University of Indonesia (UMI) that was taken as the subject of the research. The researcher used a questionnaire as the research instrument. The result of the research revealed that emphasizing midwifery terminology, effective communication skills, and written proficiency, the findings underscore the necessity of adjusted English language education for this group. Challenges identified include difficulties in vocabulary acquisition, comprehension, pronunciation, and confidence in speaking and writing. Addressing these obstacles requires targeted interventions such as refined instructional methods, confidence-building measures, vocabulary-focused interventions, and effective reading strategies. These findings align with the theory's emphasis on understanding learners' needs and implementing tailored solutions to facilitate language acquisition.

Common Pronunciation Errors among Vietnamese Learners of English from Phonological Perspectives

This study investigates the phonological challenges encountered by Vietnamese learners of English and explores the strategies employed to address these challenges. A mixed-methods approach was employed, comprising a quantitative survey administered to 152 participants and semi-structured interviews conducted with a subset of 7 participants. Quantitative analysis of survey data revealed perceived difficulty levels for various phonological aspects of English pronunciation, with reconciling spelling and pronunciation emerging as the most challenging aspect. Qualitative interviews provided deeper insights into learners' experiences, highlighting additional phonological challenges such as distinguishing between vowel sounds and mastering intonation patterns. Participants reported employing a range of strategies, including regular practice, utilization of resources, and participation in interactive learning experiences, to address pronunciation difficulties. The implications of this research are twofold. Firstly, it contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the complexities surrounding English pronunciation learning among Vietnamese learners. Secondly, the identified strategies offer valuable insights for language teaching and support. Educators can tailor their teaching approaches to address the specific phonological challenges highlighted in this study, fostering more effective English pronunciation acquisition among Vietnamese learners. Additionally, the findings underscore the importance of providing diverse learning resources and opportunities for interactive practice to enhance pronunciation skills. These implications not only enrich our understanding of language acquisition processes but also have practical implications for educators, curriculum developers, and language learners alike.

An English Teacher’s Perception on Students’ Difficulties in Pronunciation

This research aims to determine teachers’ perception on students’ difficulties in pronunciation. The researcher used a qualitative approach and conducted with a semi-structure interview for this research. The data resource in this research was an English teacher that teach grade 7,8, and 9 SMP Sanur Makassar. It was obtained from interview with 9 questions and the English teacher as the respondent. The result of the research concluded that: teachers perceive that on average students have low pronunciation skills, this is influenced by the fact that English is a different language from students' everyday language, students' lack of self-confidence, and students believe that English is the most difficult language. With this challenge, teachers overcome it by giving students motivation, giving students pronunciation practice with friends or groups so that students can be directly involved in activities to improve pronunciation skills. In addition, teachers provide media such as videos and songs in English, so that students can imitate the correct pronunciation of native speakers. The media used by the teacher have a positive impact on the students' pronunciation. difficulties in pronunciation of English can be caused by interference from the student's first language. In addition, in the context of English learning, teachers who understand students' difficulties in understanding and pronouncing sounds can influence the teaching methods they apply. This shows that teachers' perceptions of students' pronunciation abilities can influence the learning approaches they use. Assessing students' pronunciation skills is an important aspect of language education. Furthermore, research has shown that teachers' observations and interactions with students on a daily basis can provide reliable information about students' pronunciation abilities and students demonstrated varying levels of improvement in their pronunciation when speaking English. In conclusion, the data collected by the researcher and the findings are influence of teachers' perceptions on their learning approaches and emphasize the importance of understanding students' pronunciation abilities. This highlights the need for effective pronunciation instruction and assessment methods in language education.Keywords: Teachers’ Perception, Pronunciation.

Analisis Kesalahan Penulisan Hamzah dalam Abstrak Skripsi Mahasiswa PBA UIN Jakarta

The lack of accuracy of PBA students causes deviations in imla' rules in writing Arabic scientific papers. In fact, after studying for 4 years, students should be able to minimize errors in writing. Arabic has become an international language that is studied by various groups. For foreign speakers of Arabic may experience difficulties both in pronunciation and writing. This research is an error analysis research that aims to identify hamzah writing errors in the thesis abstracts of Arabic Language Education Study Program students of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. This research was conducted by using descriptive qualitative method in data processing. The findings of this study reveal the fact that there are still some common mistakes made by PBA students in writing hamzah in an Arabic word. Based on the research that has been conducted using 25 sample data, 42 errors were found which are divided into 7 categories. The most mistakes are found in the 4th category, namely the use of hamzah in isim mashdar from fi'il khumasi and sudasi. With the discovery of many errors in the writing of hamzah, it is necessary to further explore the rules of imla', especially in the writing of hamzah.

Implementation of Teaching Speaking Using Task-Based Approach in Indonesian Secondary School EFL Classes: The State of The Art

The demand for English proficiency in global communication has led to a heightened focus on language skills, particularly speaking. This study explores the implementation of Task-Based approach in Indonesian secondary school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes, specifically emphasizing speaking skills. Drawing from a systematic literature review, the study addresses three key aspects: the practice of teaching speaking using the task-based approach, perceptions of students and teachers towards task-based approach, and the development and evaluation of task-based speaking materials. The findings indicate widespread adoption of task-based approach in various school contexts, showcasing its effectiveness in enhancing students' speaking skills. However, challenges such as time constraints, pronunciation difficulties, and occasional boredom have been noted. Students generally hold positive perceptions, noting improvements in pronunciation, vocabulary, and overall interest in English learning. Teachers, while acknowledging the positive impact, face challenges in finding suitable tasks for diverse student backgrounds and express a need for adequate training. The study also highlights the development of task-based speaking materials, catering to diverse learning styles and instructional goals. Continuous adaptation, teacher training, and the development of contextually relevant materials are essential for its sustained success. The study provides valuable insights for English teachers, curriculum developers, and policymakers seeking to optimize language education in the Indonesian context.

“Speak Up Please!” Teachers’ Strategies in Teaching Speaking Skills at Vocational High School in Sidoarjo

Teaching speaking skills is an important part of foreign language learning. This study aims to find out the student difficulties that teachers find when teaching speaking and to find what strategies teachers use in teaching speaking at a vocational high school in Sidoarjo. This research uses a qualitative method with a case study approach. The subjects of this research were two English teachers at the vocational high school. Data were collected by conducting observations, interviews, and learning documentation during and after class. The results showed that teacher 1 found difficulties due to lack of motivation, lack of practice, lack of vocabulary, nervousness, low grammar mastery, and pronunciation challenges. To overcome these difficulties, teacher 1 used 9 strategies including role-playing, presentations, describing pictures, telling pictures, discussions, word walls, brainstorming, interviews, and storytelling. Similarly, teacher 2 found lack of motivation, lack of practice, lack of vocabulary, nervousness, low grammar mastery, and pronunciation difficulties to be the causes of difficulties. Teacher 2 also used 9 strategies, with some strategies different from teacher 1. They are role-playing, discussion, storytelling, interview, reporting, playing cards, describing pictures, telling pictures, and brainstorming. Thus, teachers can overcome students' difficulties in speaking by using the strategies used.