First and Second Language Acquisition Commons^™

L2 Acquistion Of Korean: Phonology And Prosody, Angel M. Ray

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Learning Korean as a second language (L2) has many challenges for a native (L1) non-native speaker. There is a new alphabet, word order, and new sounds that English does not have. Additionally, pronunciation and prosody are among the hardest aspects of the language to learn and master. Especially if one's native language is not tonal or does not have similar sounds in their inventory. The new sounds that a new language introduces can be too subtle to pick up when listening, making it difficult for non-native speakers to replicate in their speech. The language's flow of speech and rising and …

Singing And Pronunciation: A Review Of The Literature, Kassidy Joyner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Observed differences exist in the pronunciation abilities of individual language learners, especially adult learners. Musical ability and experience are possible factors that have been attributed to language pronunciation abilities. Although there has been a large amount of research concerning the effects of general musical ability and training on language abilities, very few studies have investigated the musical sub-category of singing. Research on the use of songs in the language classroom has largely tested the effects of song on vocabulary acquisition, while very few studies have explored the effects of song on pronunciation. Given that singing and pronunciation both use similar …

Adding Production To High Variability Phonetic Training, Caleb Crosby

Honors Theses

The effectiveness of adding a production component to a High Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT) regimen to improve native Japanese speaker’s pronunciation of English [b], [v], [f], and [h] was investigated. L1 Japanese-speaking English learners were recruited as participants, and a pretest-posttest procedure was used to evaluate improvement at production of the target consonants. For the pretest and posttest, recordings were taken of participants pronouncing twelve tokens, and the recordings were rated for intelligibility by a phonetically trained native English-speaking rater. Participants were divided into two groups. Group A received only HVPT training, and group B received a regimen of half …

The Effects Of English Pronunciation Instruction On Listening Skills Among Vietnamese Learners, Nguyet Nguyen

Masters Theses

Listening has been a neglected skill in both second language research and teaching practice (Khaghaninejad & Maleki, 2015; Nowrouzi, Tam, Zareian & Nimehchisalem, 2015) and recent research has shown that second language (L2) listening difficulties might relate to phonological problems besides syntactic and lexical knowledge (e.g., Suristro, 2018). There have been some empirical studies examining the effects of phonetic instruction on perceptual skills showing promising results (e.g., Aliaga-Garcia & Mora, 2009; Linebaugh & Roche, 2013). This study contributes to this area with a focus on investigating the impacts of English pronunciation instruction on listening skills among Vietnamese English as a …

Exploring The Use Of Podcasts On Students’ Language Learning And Change Of Students’ Self-Efficacy About The Use Of Podcasts, Silvia Rehulina Ginting

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Similar to other types of mobile technologies, podcasts are believed to provide many advantages for language instruction, including English as a second language (ESL) learners’ listening skills and pronunciation and changes in their self-efficacy from using the podcasts for learning ESL. The convergent parallel mixed methods design used Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning and Bandura’s self-efficacy as foundations. It used 11 different instruments to collect quantitative data and qualitative data from two sections of an upper-intermediate ESL class at one university in Midwest United States. Quantitative data were collected using a pre-test, a post-test, and the note taking quizzes …

Teaching Pronunciation: Is Explicit Phonetics Instruction Beneficial For Fl Learners?, Elizabeth M. Kissling

Latin American, Latino and Iberian Studies Faculty Publications

Pronunciation instruction has been shown to improve learners’ L2 accent in some, though certainly not all, cases. A core component of traditional pronunciation instruction is explicit lessons in L2 phonetics. Studies suggest that Spanish FL learners improve their pronunciation after receiving instruction, but the effect of phonetics instruction has not been directly compared with other pedagogical alternatives. This study reports on the pronunciation gains that first, second, and third year learners (n = 95) made after receiving either explicit instruction in Spanish phonetics or a more implicit treatment with similar input, practice, and feedback. The target phones included a …

Exploratory Learning: The Digital Recorder Project: An Investigation Into A Student Designed Project For Finding And Addressing Esl Students’ Listening And Speaking Needs, Joel Cooke

MA TESOL Collection

The Digital Recorder Project was designed to present students with an opportunity to design and implement, as a class, a project that would address speaking and listening issues they experience as ESL students. Each student was required to observe their own speaking via a self-created digital recording and in conjunction with the class, design a unique, individualized method to work on issues he or she identified. This document will present the observations and conclusions about the nature of such a project from the teacher’s perspective. In addition, the paper will use transcripts of class recordings as a means of placing …

Listen To The Beat: Activities For English Pronunciation, Victor Yevmenov

MA TESOL Collection

Suggested in this work is a set of activities for learners of English as a foreign language developed with a special focus on suprasegmentals of connected speech such as rhythm, stress patterning, weak forms, linking, assimilation and elision of sounds. It is designed to meet the needs of teachers of English working with groups of adult and young adult learners whose native language is syllable-timed.

Teaching Dari To English Speakers, Sajia Sultany

MA TESOL Collection

This project contains the materials, methods and rationale used in teaching Dari to a group of American Peace Corps Volunteers. Included in the materials covered are the Dari alphabet and the pronunciation of Dari phonemes as well as the basic grammatical structures and vocabulary in the course. The final segment of this project consists of five appendicies outlining specific materials used to teach alphabet, pronunciation and vocabulary.

Teaching English To Japanese, Kayoko Hisano

MA TESOL Collection

This paper aims at offering some information on the background of Japanese students to native teachers of English. Japanese students have a unique background in English education, which it is advisable for teachers of English to know about if they are to be as effective as possible when teaching them.

CHAPTER I touches on why the Japanese learn English, and CHAPTER II examines the kind of English education that is taught at Japanese high schools. CHAPTER II covers linguistic differences between Japanese and English, and CHAPTER IV deals with the psychology of Japanese students.

A Teacher's Pronunciation Manual, Nancy Iglehart Foote

MA TESOL Collection

A Teacher's Pronunciation Manual is a compilation of various techniques, games and technical information to aid the teacher in his work on pronunciation in the classroom. There are several methods for minimal pair drills, sample tongue twisters, diagnostic pronunciation tests and advice on making pronunciation tapes. Each sound in English has a discussion of its production, various minimal pairs, sample sentences and exercises and one or more techniques for the classroom. A bibliography is included for the further reference.

An Intensive Teacher Training Program: 1973 Ict-Tefl Module, Mary Katherine Anzinger

MA TESOL Collection

The following paper is a report describing a TEFL teacher training program taught to the International Career Training students at the School for International Training, Brattleboro, Vermont. It includes : a two-week detailed lesson plan of classroom activities for module participants, a description of their practice-teaching with sample lesson plans and evaluations, participants' evaluations of the course, suggestions for improvement of future modules, and administrative details involved in setting up a course of this type on the SIT campus.

A Report On Teaching Level One Esl To Children And Adults In Orizaba, Mexico, Katherine Bowen Riggs

MA TESOL Collection

No abstract provided.

Japan - An Orientation Handbook For Mat/Esl Student Teachers, Rene Diane Rabideau

MA TESOL Collection

This Orientation Handbook is designed to be a helpful resource for MAT candidates planning to complete student-teaching in Japan, specifically Kyoto, Japan. It contains information on Language Skills, The Educational System of Japan, Teaching Preparation, Teacher/Student Classroom Relationship, The 44 LB. Suitcase, Transportation, Food, Gift Suggestions, and a selection devoted to Recommended Reading.

Teaching A Foreign Language In The Country: The Non-Native Speaker In The Country Where The Language Is Spoken, Georgia Lee Martin

MA TESOL Collection

This project concerns itself with the psychological realities of a non-native teaching a foreign language in the country where the language is spoken. Included are my personal reactions and experiences of eight weeks spent teaching an intensive course of Spanish to North American university students of anthropology in Silvia Cauca, Colombia. Various aspects such as advantages, disadvantages, teaching modifications because of the fact that one is a non-native speaker, personal feelings and student reactions to the fact that they have a non-native teacher are touched upon. The reactions and feelings of other teachers who have been in the same teaching …

Teaching English As A Second Language At Two New York State Hospitals: Rockland State Hospital And Letchworth Village, Donice R. Horton

MA TESOL Collection

No abstract provided.

Max: An Independent Professional Project, Elleen Gillespie

MA TESOL Collection

No abstract provided.

Predicting Pronunciation From Spelling: Applying The Insights Of Transformational Grammar To The Teaching Of English: Tense And Lax Vowels, Barbara Hancock

MA TESOL Collection

No abstract provided.