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Article published In:
Journal of Second Language Pronunciation
Vol. 8:2 (2022) ► pp.168–195

Teaching segmentals and suprasegmentals

Effects of explicit pronunciation instruction on comprehensibility, fluency, and accentedness

ORCID logo | University of Northern Iowa,
| Indiana UniversityBloomington,
This study reports the results of a pronunciation intervention to enhance the comprehensibility, fluency, and accentedness of three groups of second language (L2) learners in an English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) context. Three groups of first-semester EFL students at a small university in Costa Rica underwent a 10-week pronunciation intervention for segmentals, suprasegmentals, or a combination of both using explicit phonetic and phonological instruction and communicative tasks. Spontaneous-speech samples from a pretest and posttest were presented to L1 speakers of English to be rated for comprehensibility, fluency, and accentedness. The group trained on suprasegmentals significantly improved comprehensibility and fluency, as opposed to the other two groups that did not improve. No groups improved in accentedness. Analyses of participants’ speech production revealed key differences that may have contributed to the perception of comprehensibility and fluency in their speech. Pedagogical implications are discussed for the implementation of explicit pronunciation instruction in intact L2 classes.
Keywords: explicit instruction, comprehensibility, segmentals, suprasegmentals, fluency, accentedness, classroom research
Article outline
  • Second language pronunciation learning
  • Explicit pronunciation instruction
  • Segmentals and suprasegmentals in L2 pronunciation instruction
  • The current study
  • Method
    • Pronunciation instruction: Segmental group
    • Pronunciation instruction: Suprasegmental group
    • Pronunciation instruction: Mixed group
    • Rating tasks: Comprehensibility, fluency, accentedness
      • Speech samples
      • Screening
      • Rating task
  • Results
    • Comprehensibility
    • Fluency
    • Accentedness
  • Individual analyses
  • Discussion
    • Limitations and pedagogical implications
      • Implement explicit pronunciation instruction
      • Focus on suprasegmentals (without eliminating segmental instruction)
  • Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 1 November 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jslp.21042.gor
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