The effect of pronunciation instruction on students' overall speaking skills

Abstract

Pronunciation is neglected in the majority of language classrooms. English teaching practitioners avoid dealing with pronunciation skills for different reasons. Likewise, the lack of attention allotted to pronunciation is also reflected in the amount of research that deals with it. This study aims at finding out whether pronunciation instruction influences students' overall speaking ability. In order to do this, the researchers will give 20 ELT students a pre-test in which they will be asked to tell a picture strip story which elicits problematic sounds for Turkish learners of English. After a 5-week pronunciation instruction, the post-test will be conducted to determine the influence of pronunciation instruction on students' pronunciation skills. Furthermore, in an attempt to reveal students' self-perception of pronunciation, a questionnaire will be administered at the end of the 5-week period. The obtained data will be analyzed via SPSS 15.00. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Huseyin Uzunboylu