VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE INCORPORATING THE PHONEMIC CHART INTO TEACHING PRONUNCIATION TO YO[.]
Introduction
Background of the study
Research has highlighted the neglect of English pronunciation in both ESL and EFL classrooms, drawing attention from numerous education scholars (Canagarajah, 2005; Hismanoglu, 2006; Isaacs, 2009; Hismanoglu & Hismanoglu, 2010; Gilakjani & Ahmadi, 2011; Hismanoglu & Hismanoglu, 2013; Ketabi & Saeb, 2015) This concern is echoed by many educators (Brown, 1992; Claire, 1993; Fraser, 2000; Yates, 2001), with Gilakjani & Ahmadi (2011) noting the challenges students face in learning pronunciation and the difficulties teachers encounter in instructing it Similarly, Gilbert (1994) emphasized the complexities associated with teaching pronunciation effectively.
Pronunciation remains a neglected area in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs worldwide, often referred to as the "orphan" of language teaching Over 25 years later, this issue persists, with pronunciation instruction receiving the least attention in language curricula, as highlighted by Gilbert (2012) and Fraser (2000).
English language learners continue to struggle with effective oral communication This challenge is particularly evident in Vietnam, where many individuals face similar difficulties in conveying their messages clearly in English.
Traditional pedagogy, as noted by Wright (2002), emphasizes grammar and vocabulary over communicative competence, which is increasingly seen as inadequate for many Vietnamese learners today Liu and Littlewood (1997) highlight that East Asian countries, including Vietnam, have relied on EFL teaching methods that prioritize teachers, textbooks, and translation, leading to a dependency on instructors Consequently, the focus of teaching and learning has been predominantly on reading, writing, and grammar, while speaking skills are often overlooked by both educators and students (Dang et al., 2013; Nguyen et al., 2015; Ha and Murray, 2021).
The primary goal of education in the past was to help students excel in exams and obtain certificates Consequently, while learners might achieve high scores in their assessments, their proficiency in using English in real-life contexts often falls short (Avery & Ehrlich, 2013).
It is crucial for Vietnamese adolescents to receive proper support in learning English, particularly in pronunciation, as this age group learns languages most effectively (Lewis, 2007) My experience as an English teacher over the past eight years has shown that adolescent learners excel in their ability to acquire new knowledge quickly, especially in pronunciation Harmer (2001) also noted that adolescents are the "best language learners" overall This observation aligns with my belief that children struggle with short memory spans, while adults are often too busy with work, making adolescents the most capable learners in this regard.
1.2 Statement of problems/Rationale for the study
Kelly (2007) highlighted that English lesson plans often overlook pronunciation, focusing instead on grammar and vocabulary, which can hinder students' speaking abilities As a result, while learners may excel in reading comprehension and writing, they struggle to communicate effectively due to inadequate pronunciation skills Cunningham (2009) noted that English pronunciation poses particular challenges for Vietnamese learners, a sentiment echoed by other researchers (Nguyen, 2007; Cunningham, 2010; Tweedy, 2012; Lin, 2014).
Despite dedicating countless hours to learning English, Vietnamese students often face misunderstandings from non-Vietnamese speakers Many begin their English education as early as six years old, yet they continue to struggle with pronunciation As they progress to higher education, these pronunciation issues remain a significant concern, impacting both their academic performance and future career opportunities.
Many Vietnamese students, from elementary to university levels, face challenges with English pronunciation (Avery & Ehrlich, 2013) This issue is also prevalent among my students, prompting me to initiate a research project aimed at addressing it through the use of the phonemic chart, which will be detailed in Chapter 2.
As a pronunciation enthusiast responsible for a class of young adolescents with great potential yet struggling with their pronunciation, I embarked on this research to equip my students with tools for autonomous learning The National Research Council (1998) emphasizes the importance of learners understanding the relationship between letters and sounds, which aids in recognizing the internal structure of words My research specifically concentrated on the pronunciation of individual words, as establishing a solid foundation in pronunciation was my primary goal.
This study focuses on two key objectives: first, to evaluate the effectiveness of the phonemic chart in enhancing pronunciation skills, and second, to investigate learners' attitudes towards utilizing the phonemic chart for pronunciation learning.
To achieve my goals, I needed to address two key aspects First, it was essential to identify the factors preventing my students from achieving correct pronunciation, enabling me to create an effective action plan and intervention Second, I had to assess the impact of my intervention, which would help me gauge its effectiveness and improve my support for students in the future The following research questions guide this study.
1 Does the teaching of the English phonemic symbols help improve young adolescent learners’ pronunciation?
2 What are the EFL young adolescents’ attitudes towards employing the phonemic chart in learning pronunciation?
This study is significant as it benefits not only the learner participants and myself as the teacher researcher, but also provides valuable insights for other EFL teachers I plan to utilize the phonemic chart in my future classes to enhance pronunciation instruction for adolescent students The findings will contribute to the field of pronunciation teaching by offering a new resource for EFL teachers, enabling them to effectively use the phonemic chart to improve their students' pronunciation skills.
The research project and findings are presented and discussed in subsequent chapters as follows:
Chapter 1 “Introduction” provides some introductory information on the study including background of the study, rationale for the study, aims of the study, research questions, and significance of the study
Chapter 2 “Literature Review” is dedicated to reviewing theoretical background for my research, namely the phonemic chart, English pronunciation, young adolescents, and previously conducted studies on using the phonemic chart in teaching pronunciation Chapter 3 “Methodology” presents the study’s design, context, participants, instruments, and how data were gathered and analyzed
Chapter 4 “Findings and Discussion” provides readers with detailed information on the Findings of the research and a Discussion of these Findings
Chapter 5 “Conclusion” concludes the research with a summary of the whole study and its Limitations as well as Suggestions for Future Research.
Aims of the study
This study focuses on two key objectives: first, to evaluate the effectiveness of the phonemic chart in enhancing pronunciation skills, and second, to investigate learners' attitudes towards utilizing the phonemic chart for pronunciation learning.
Research questions
To achieve my goals, I needed to address two key aspects First, identifying the factors that hindered my students' pronunciation was essential for creating an effective action plan and intervention Second, evaluating the intervention was crucial to assess its effectiveness, enabling me to better support my students in the future The research questions guiding this study focus on these critical areas.
1 Does the teaching of the English phonemic symbols help improve young adolescent learners’ pronunciation?
2 What are the EFL young adolescents’ attitudes towards employing the phonemic chart in learning pronunciation?
Significance of the study
This study is significant as it benefits not only the learner participants and the researcher but also provides valuable insights for other EFL teachers The application of the phonemic chart in future classes aims to enhance pronunciation teaching for adolescent students The research findings will contribute to the field by offering a new resource for EFL teachers, enabling them to effectively use the phonemic chart to improve their students' pronunciation skills.
Structure of the thesis
The research project and findings are presented and discussed in subsequent chapters as follows:
Chapter 1 “Introduction” provides some introductory information on the study including background of the study, rationale for the study, aims of the study, research questions, and significance of the study
Chapter 2 “Literature Review” is dedicated to reviewing theoretical background for my research, namely the phonemic chart, English pronunciation, young adolescents, and previously conducted studies on using the phonemic chart in teaching pronunciation Chapter 3 “Methodology” presents the study’s design, context, participants, instruments, and how data were gathered and analyzed
Chapter 4 “Findings and Discussion” provides readers with detailed information on the Findings of the research and a Discussion of these Findings
Chapter 5 “Conclusion” concludes the research with a summary of the whole study and its Limitations as well as Suggestions for Future Research
Literature review
The phonemic chart
The phonemic chart, a simplified version of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), was created in 1886 by a group of language teachers led by Paul Passy to provide a standardized set of symbols for representing sounds This chart addresses the challenge of the inconsistent relationship between graphemes and phonemes, making it difficult to pronounce words based solely on their spelling English, in particular, is noted for its confusing grapheme-to-phoneme correspondences, highlighting the importance of phonemic transcription for accurate pronunciation.
Phonemic transcription is an effective tool for reinforcing information that learners may misinterpret by ear, particularly for entry and intermediate English language students who often struggle with spoken messages (Morris-Wilson, 1984) To address these challenges, the use of phonemic transcription is essential (Lintunen, 2004) Recognizing phonemic symbols enables learners to read words independently of prior auditory or visual exposure Furthermore, when students can read these symbols, teachers can integrate various pronunciation activities into their lessons, enhancing students' recognition skills.
The use of the phonemic chart, as noted by Harmer (2005), benefits both teachers and learners by simplifying the explanation of pronunciation mistakes through the application of seven distinct sound symbols.
2.1.2 Phonemic transcription versus phonetic transcription
Phonetic and phonemic transcriptions differ fundamentally in their focus Phonemic transcription represents only the phonemes, which are the units with linguistic function In contrast, phonetic transcription captures sounds based on their articulatory and auditory characteristics, irrespective of their linguistic roles.
Phonetic and phonemic transcriptions differ primarily in the brackets used: phonetic transcription employs square brackets [ ], while phonemic transcription uses forward slashes / / According to Roach (2009), phonemic transcription systematically represents sounds on paper, whereas phonetic transcription provides a more detailed account of sound quality.
Figure 2.1 Example of the phonetic and phonemic transcriptions
Figure 2.1 demonstrates the dual transcription methods of the word "tenth," highlighting the detailed phonetic representation alongside the simpler phonemic version, which aids in understanding and pronunciation.
2.1.3 Sounds in the phonemic chart
This study utilizes a phonemic chart featuring 44 unique sounds of British English, known as phonemes These phonemes are crucial as they can change the meaning of words or phrases when substituted They are often described as the "building blocks" of language (Roach, 1992, p ).
80) or “segments” (Roach, 2009, p 31) of the spoken form of the English language Furthermore, they are introduced in the form of phonemic symbols placed between two forward slashes in order to draw a distinction between them and the letters of the English alphabet
Figure 2.2 The list of all 44 sounds in the phonemic chart
It can be seen from Figure 2.2 that English pronunciation can be deciphered using just the
44 sounds or phonemes in the phonemic chart Most of these sounds are very
The letters of the English alphabet are orthographically similar, as seen with the sound /b/ corresponding to the letter "b" and the phoneme /v/ to the letter "v." Replacing one sound with another can drastically alter a word's meaning; for example, substituting the sound /e/ in "set" with /ɪ/ transforms it into "sit," creating an entirely different word.
Research on teaching phonemic awareness to Vietnamese middle and high school students is lacking, leading to significant challenges in sound production that adversely affect their academic performance Observations indicate that phonetic transcription, akin to phonemic transcription, is not introduced to students below the tertiary level due to its complexity and the meticulous attention it requires Consequently, only students majoring in English linguistics are typically exposed to this form of transcription.
English pronunciation
Pronunciation is defined as the production and reception of speech sounds by a speaker to express thoughts and feelings (Kelly, 2000) Similarly, Dalton & Seidlhofer (1994) describe pronunciation as the creation of sounds that convey specific meanings This encompasses both the distinct sounds of a language, referred to as segmental features, and the elements of speech related to intonation.
Suprasegmental features of language include phrasing, rhythm, timing, and stress, which significantly influence communication Additionally, voice quality and the manner in which voice is produced play a crucial role in conveying meaning Emphasis on expressions and gestures further enhances the spoken language experience.
From the definitions of pronunciation mentioned above, it can be inferred that pronunciation plays a crucial role in successful communication
This study focuses on pronunciation, highlighting two key aspects: segmental and suprasegmental features However, since the analysis is limited to individual words, the discussion will exclusively address segmental features.
A segment, as defined by Spencer (1996), refers to an individual sound or phoneme in a language Kelly (2000) elaborates that phonemes are distinct sounds that can vary in articulation among speakers Despite these subtle differences, we can accurately describe how each sound is produced Phonemes are crucial as they can alter the meaning of a word when one sound is replaced by another, leading to a specific set of phonemes for each language For example, the word "cat" is represented by the phonemes /kæt/.
Altering the middle phoneme in words can change their meanings, as seen in the examples /kʌt/ (cut) and /kɒt/ (cot) To gain a deeper understanding of phonemes, we should examine their distinct features more closely.
Vowels are produced with an unobstructed airflow from the larynx to the mouth, allowing air to flow freely from the lungs through the oral cavity (Roach, 2009) In English, vowels can be classified as monophthongs, which are single vowel sounds like /e/ in "met," or as diphthongs, where one vowel sound transitions to another, such as /eɪ/ in "mate." Additionally, triphthongs represent a combination of three vowel sounds, exemplified by /eɪə/ in "layer" or "payer."
In contrast to vowels, consonants are sounds that are produced with the obstruction of the air flow (Scarcella & Oxford, 1994) Kelly (2000) stated that there are three ways of
There are 11 consonant sounds categorized into three types: obstructing (/s/, /z/, /f/, and /v/), occluding (/t/, /d/, /k/, /ɡ/, /p/, and /b/), and diverting (/m/, /n/, and /ŋ/) For instance, to correctly pronounce the phoneme /v/, the airflow from the larynx must be obstructed by the upper teeth nearly touching the lower lip.
According to Kelly (2000), sounds are categorized as either voiced or unvoiced, with voiced sounds produced by vibrating vocal cords in the larynx, while unvoiced sounds occur without such vibration To differentiate between the two, one can place fingers on the throat; if vibration is felt, the sound is voiced, and if not, it is unvoiced For instance, the sounds /t/ and /d/ illustrate this distinction Additionally, checking the continuity of airflow by holding a hand in front of the mouth can also help determine if a sound is voiced or unvoiced.
A constant breeze indicates the production of unvoiced sounds, while an abrupt stop in the breeze signifies voiced sounds All vowel sounds are voiced, whereas approximately one third of consonant sounds, including /p/, /t/, /k/, /tʃ/, /f/, /θ/, /s/, and /ʃ/, are voiceless.
According to Kelly (2000), vowel sounds with the symbol /:/ behind them are considered
In phonetics, vowels can be categorized as "long" or "short" based on their pronunciation The distinction is marked by a specific symbol, highlighting the differences in sound For example, the words "book" and "food" share the same vowel spelling but are pronounced differently; "book" features a short vowel sound /ʊ/, while "food" uses a long vowel sound /uː/.
The terms "Long" and "Short" vowels should be understood differently, as they do not dictate the duration of vowel pronunciation For instance, a vowel classified as "Long" does not necessarily require a longer pronunciation time, as noted by House (1961) and Mack.
Research by Tauberer and Evanini (1999) indicates that the duration of a vowel in a word is influenced by the consonant that follows it When a vowel is followed by a voiced consonant, such as /d/ in "lid," the vowel sound is extended, regardless of whether it is classified as "long" or "short." In contrast, when a vowel precedes a voiceless consonant, like /t/ in "lit," the vowel is pronounced shorter This distinction is evident in the comparison of the vowel sound /I/ in "lid" and "lit," where the former is pronounced longer due to the voiced consonant that follows it.
The table below, adapted from Kelly (2000), presents an overview of the 44 phonemes in English, featuring vowel sounds on the left and consonant sounds on the right Each sound is illustrated with sample words that contain at least two phonemes, many of which will be utilized in my upcoming intervention Notably, unvoiced sounds are highlighted in bold.
Table 2.1 The list of British English phonemes
/i:/ seat /eɪ/ take /f/ fax /s/ sip
/ɪ/ pit /ɔɪ/ boy /v/ vax /z/ zip
/ʊ/ look /aɪ/ lie /θ/ thin /ʃ/ ship
/u:/ rude /ɪə/ here /ð/ them /ʒ/ treasure
/e/ ten /ʊə/ tour /p/ pet /h/ he
/ə/ around /eə/ bear /b/ bet /m/ me
/ɜː/ girl /əʊ/ slow /t/ time /n/ net
/ɔː/ mall /aʊ/ loud /d/ dime /ŋ/ thing
Wei (2009) emphasized the importance of studying pronunciation for achieving communicative competence in language acquisition He argued that even non-native English speakers with strong grammar and vocabulary may struggle in conversations if their pronunciation is inadequate Additionally, he highlighted the connection between pronunciation and listening skills, noting that spoken English follows specific rhythm patterns and intonation, which are crucial for effective communication.
Effective communication in any language requires adherence to specific patterns A mismatch between rhythm and intonation can lead to communication breakdowns Additionally, English language listeners must understand speech organization and the meanings of various intonation patterns to accurately interpret spoken language.
Young adolescents
Early adolescence, defined by Caskey and Anfara (2007) as a unique developmental phase between childhood and adolescence, encompasses individuals aged 10 to 15 who undergo significant changes Lewis (2007) refers to those aged 12 to 14 as young teenagers, suggesting that the terms "young adolescents" and "young teenagers" can be used interchangeably The students involved in this study were in eighth and ninth grade, aligning perfectly with this developmental category.
2.3.2 Characteristics of young adolescent EFL learners
Lewis (2007) described young adolescents as moody, intransigent, restless, undisciplined, difficult, etc Moreover, adolescents’ personality traits are usually portrayed as problematic, violent, and suicidal by mass media (American Psychological Association,
Parenting can be enjoyable and playful, but it often becomes challenging when children reach a tumultuous phase characterized by misbehavior, disrespectful communication, and defiance.
The perception of young adolescents often leans towards their negative traits, leading to the question of whether their flaws overshadow their positive qualities It raises the concern that adults may find it more convenient to focus on the wrongdoings of teenagers rather than recognizing their potential and positive attributes.
Despite the negative stereotypes often associated with adolescents, research shows that most young people are vibrant, perform well academically, maintain strong family connections, and successfully navigate the transition to adulthood Unfortunately, the focus on their negative traits often overshadows these positive attributes (American Psychological Association, 2002).
Lewis (2007) highlights that the very traits that pose challenges in working with adolescents also make the experience engaging and rewarding Teachers benefit from understanding the common characteristics of their teenage students, as this awareness can help unlock their full potential Recognizing the changes that younger students undergo can enhance communication and understanding between teachers and students, ultimately leading to greater success in teaching and learning English.
In order to better understand young adolescents and their mentality, let us look into the following characteristics observed and reported during this stage of development in their lives:
Puberty involves significant changes beyond just physical growth; it also encompasses intellectual or cognitive development This aspect of development reflects an individual's capacity for understanding and reasoning, although it may not be as visibly apparent.
During early adolescence, young teenagers exhibit significant intellectual growth, characterized by enhanced metacognition and independent thought They begin to move away from a simplistic black-and-white perspective, recognizing the complexity and underlying meanings in their experiences This transition from concrete to abstract thinking enables them to analyze situations logically, considering cause and effect Additionally, adolescents start to utilize symbols and metaphors, reflecting their evolving cognitive abilities.
Young adolescents demonstrate significant cognitive development by contemplating the future, evaluating alternatives, and setting personal goals (American Psychological Association, 2002) According to Lewis (2007), they are forming a worldview independent of their parents and are capable of testing hypotheses and critically analyzing abstract concepts Unlike elementary school children, young teenagers can maintain focus on a single task for extended periods, often for an entire lesson (Lewis, 2007).
According to research by Trentacosta et al (2009), as adolescents develop intellectually, they experience a growing desire for autonomy, resulting in increased time spent with peers and decreased time with family This shift leads to a reduction in emotional reliance on parents, often following personal conflicts and a heightened awareness of negative emotions Young adolescents are particularly vulnerable to these negative effects compared to their younger counterparts.
26 negative effects often subside during their high school years (Trentacosta, Hyde, Shaw & Cheong, 2009)
During adolescence, individuals actively seek their unique identities and adult acceptance while also valuing peer approval Identity formation is crucial as it influences their transition to adulthood; those who commit to a family-supported identity tend to experience lower anxiety and familial conflict Conversely, adolescents who do not explore their identity often exhibit low motivation and apathy, leading to less fulfilling friendships and increased vulnerability to mental health issues Furthermore, young adults with a strong sense of self are generally more empathetic and better at emotional regulation However, the intense changes during this stage can result in moodiness, restlessness, and erratic behavior, as many adolescents struggle with the stress that accompanies this developmental period.
During adolescence, young individuals become increasingly aware of the opposite gender while still prioritizing friendships with their same-gender peers (Lewis, 2007) A significant shift occurs as their focus transitions from family to friends, leading to more time spent in peer relationships.
27 with their family, that does not equate to their family not playing the most significant part in their lives (American Psychological Association, 2002).
Friendships and positive peer relationships significantly enhance young adolescents' self-esteem, as noted by Manning (2003) Socializing with friends offers numerous benefits, including fostering independence from parents, according to the American Psychological Association.
Adolescents who spend more time with their peers tend to develop greater self-reliance, as this reduces their time with parents Surrounding themselves with equals allows them to establish their identity, moral judgment, and values When parents are absent, teens strive to prove their independence, leading to a deeper self-understanding Additionally, group membership fosters self-confidence and a sense of belonging, which is essential for their journey toward self-realization However, it is important to recognize the potential downsides of group dynamics, such as peer pressure and bullying.
Almost everyone, including adolescents, seeks a confidante or soulmate—someone to rely on during tough times, share joyful moments, and enjoy companionship.
Not all teenagers are lucky enough to have friends, and many face exclusion from their peers This social isolation can lead some adolescents to engage in delinquent behaviors, substance abuse, or aggression, while others may choose to drop out of school as a perceived solution to their challenges (American Psychological Association, 2002).
Previous studies
In this section of the chapter, I will discuss previously done research on employing the phonemic chart to teach pronunciation
Kuutti (2009) investigated the significance of proper pronunciation in language learning, the role of phonemic transcription in enhancing pronunciation for better learning outcomes, the extent of prior experience with phonemic transcription as a teaching method, and the recommended frequency of its use by teachers in the classroom.
To investigate the research questions, an empirical study was conducted involving a comparative analysis of two groups of 15 students aged 10 to 11 at a Finnish secondary school, both of whom had no prior exposure to the phonemic chart The experimental group received 45-minute lessons on the phonemic chart and its symbols over two weeks, while the control group did not receive any instruction Following the lessons, a test was administered to the experimental group to validate the hypothesis that they would perform better than the control group.
In the study, the experimental group engaged with a chart by listening to and repeating speech models, while the teacher-researcher highlighted commonly confused sounds for Finnish learners on the board, guiding students in recognizing and correcting their mistakes To enhance their auditory discrimination, minimal pairs were utilized to illustrate the subtle differences between challenging sounds such as /s/ and /z/ or /p/ and /b/ After two weeks of preparation, both groups took a test, with the experimental group feeling equipped for the assessment, in contrast to the control group, which anticipated a test similar to their previous ones that focused primarily on meaning and spelling.
The test involved a pre-recorded audio that both groups listened to, where they circled words from a provided list of 16 The experimental group significantly outperformed the control group, recording only 20 incorrect answers compared to 31 from the control group This clearly indicates that the experimental group greatly benefited from learning to read phonemic symbols, while the control group continued to struggle with sound recognition.
This study focused on enhancing students' pronunciation to improve their classroom performance, involving participants of a similar age group, which ensured comparable characteristics and learning abilities However, the test's design restricted the subjects to demonstrating only their receptive skills, ultimately limiting their overall progress in pronunciation improvement.
This research aimed to determine whether university students consider it essential and beneficial to invest time in learning English, particularly regarding their pronunciation skills.
The study revealed that exposure to phonemic transcription significantly improved students' pronunciation skills Additionally, the researcher aimed to assess the importance students placed on correct pronunciation as a measure of language proficiency Furthermore, the research sought to gather students' opinions on the effectiveness of phonemic transcription as a teaching tool for their future careers as English teachers.
To conduct the study, Nyyssửnen employed an online survey application called
The "webropol" application, developed by the University of Jyvaskyla, facilitated a survey examining students' prior experiences with phonemic transcription, both within and outside their English teaching major An online questionnaire was utilized, requiring a minimum of twenty-five responses The survey aimed to assess students' attitudes towards phonemic transcription, its application in English teaching, and its effectiveness in enhancing pronunciation instruction.
Nyyssürnen found that most students had positive experiences with phonemic transcription, recognizing that poor pronunciation could undermine their credibility as future English teachers They acknowledged that learning phonemic transcription significantly enhanced their English pronunciation skills and expressed their intention to utilize phonemic transcription as a teaching tool in their future careers.
What I found useful about this study was that it confirmed my belief that phonemic transcription has a reputation of being a practical tool for teaching pronunciation and that it is a worth teaching aspect of the English language In addition, this study brought some new perspectives and useful ideas to my own research, particularly in constructing my questionnaire and formulating the right questions However, due to the fact that the only source of data was the students’ attitudes towards phonemic transcription, the validity of the research was very multifaceted
A study at a Finnish university investigated the impact of simultaneous instruction in pronunciation skills and phonemic symbols on students' pronunciation improvement.
The study involved 34 Finnish university freshmen enrolled in an English pronunciation course, where data was collected through three distinct tests assessing pronunciation and transcription skills These tests aimed to evaluate the students' progress in these areas, with transcription tests comprising 111 to 130 words (432 to 484 phonemes) based on accepted standards from Wells (2001) and Roach and Hartman (1997) For the pronunciation assessments, participants read a short English passage of 279 to 361 words, accompanied by a word list of 8 or 9 individual words The pronunciation tests were evaluated quantitatively by three judges.
A comparative analysis of transcription and pronunciation tests revealed that phonemic symbols serve as an effective teaching tool for English language learners The findings indicated a strong qualitative and quantitative correlation between the subjects' performances in both tests Notably, the best transcribers demonstrated the most significant improvement in pronunciation throughout the testing period.
From the conclusion above, it can be inferred that phonemic transcription is directly proportional to pronunciation If one can transcribe a word phonemically accurately, he or
40 she can produce the correct pronunciation of it To put it another way, phonemic transcription and pronunciation work hand in glove with each other
This study provided valuable insights for improving data collection methods in my research It also affirmed that speakers of Vietnamese, or any language with a strong phoneme-grapheme relationship, are more likely to achieve accurate English pronunciation.
Conceptual framework of the study
The summary of the literature reviewed highlights the essential aspects for improving students' pronunciation As a teacher-researcher, it is crucial to understand the specific approaches and skills necessary for teaching pronunciation, particularly for young adolescent learners (YAL), as each learner type demands tailored instructional strategies.
To enhance YAL's pronunciation learning, it is essential to understand the factors influencing this process and to identify effective teaching methods that can address shortcomings while maximizing positive outcomes Recognizing the characteristics of young adolescents is crucial, as these traits significantly affect their classroom performance and interactions during group activities Additionally, being aware of common mistakes made by Vietnamese learners of English will allow me to focus on the most pressing issues With this knowledge, I will implement the phonemic chart as a central teaching tool throughout my research, integrating it into every classroom activity For example, I will utilize the Sounds of Speech software to introduce sounds at the start of each session, and I will design games and activities aimed at correcting mispronunciations using the phonemic chart At the end of each meeting, students will complete homework assignments using Google API Sound-to-Text, which will require a solid understanding of the phonemic chart.