INTRODUCTION
RATIONALE
English has become the most important foreign language in Vietnam since
Since the political changes in the former Soviet Union in 1989 and Vietnam's evolving economic relations, English has become a compulsory subject in schools and universities However, most English teachers focus primarily on grammar and vocabulary Following Vietnam's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), there has been an increasing recognition of the need for communicative English, leading to a shift in teaching methods that emphasize speaking and listening skills Despite this, many students struggle with communication in English, often due to difficulties in understanding native speakers and a lack of confidence, which can be attributed to their pronunciation challenges.
Pronunciation is one of the important components of a language so that it plays a crucial role in second language teaching and learning (Fraser, 1999)
“When speaking English, with the poor and little trained pronunciation skills students have problems either making themselves understood and understanding others” (Lin.1995: 1)
Pronunciation plays a crucial role in language acquisition, yet it often receives insufficient focus in the curriculum of many Vietnamese schools, including Quang Trach No 3 High School.
In Binh Province, many teachers overlook the importance of teaching pronunciation, often prioritizing grammatical structures instead, which results in subpar pronunciation instruction The lack of clear guidelines in course materials exacerbates this issue, particularly in teaching challenging consonants and consonant clusters While the English 11 textbook addresses consonant clusters, many students struggle with accurate pronunciation, leading to difficulties in listening and speaking skills This highlights the need for enhanced focus on pronunciation teaching to achieve educational goals Consequently, the researcher aims to investigate the teaching of consonants and consonant clusters in the English 11 curriculum at Quang Trach No3 High School, identifying challenges and proposing effective techniques to improve pronunciation instruction, ultimately benefiting English language education across Vietnam.
THE AIMS OF THE STUDY
- Explore the teachers‟ perception of teaching consonants and consonant clusters at Quang Trach No3 High School in Quang Binh
- Investigate the problems faced by EFL teachers in teaching consonants and consonant clusters in English 11 textbook at Quang Trach no 3 High School
- Find out the causes of the problems experienced by the teachers and students in teaching and learning problematic consonants in English 11 textbook at Quang Trach No 3 High School
- Figure out how teachers actually solve these problems
- Provide some solutions and implications for improving the teaching of consonants and consonant clusters.
THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study focuses on grade 11 students and English teachers at Quang Trach No 3 High School in Quang Binh province, aiming to identify consonants and consonant clusters in the English 11 textbook It also investigates the challenges faced in teaching these sounds and the strategies employed by teachers to address them The research is limited in scope, concentrating solely on Quang Trach No 3 High School during the 2011-2012 academic year, from October 2011 to May 2012, and does not cover other English sounds.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Focusing on grade 11 students at Quang Trach No 3 High School, this research examined the teaching and learning consonants and consonant clusters To achieve this, four research questions were proposed:
1) What is teachers‟ perception of teaching consonants and consonant clusters?
2) What are the problematic consonants and consonant clusters in English 11 textbook?
3) What are the actual problems of teaching consonants and consonant clusters in English 11 textbook?
4) What are the strategies of teaching consonants and consonant clusters in English 11 textbook?
ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
The study is presented in 5 chapters as follows:
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION: introduces the rationale for the research, the aims of the study, the scope, and the organization of the study
Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW: provides a brief literature review and theoretical knowledge for the matters of study
Chapter 3 METHODOLOGY: describes the methodology used in this thesis including research approaches, participants, and data collection and analysis instruments
Chapter 4 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS: reports the findings of the research to answer the research questions The researcher‟s opinions and reflections on them will be presented
Chapter 5 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: summarizes some major findings, provides recommendations for teaching consonant clusters, limitations of the study, as well as suggestions for further research
LITERATURE REVIEW
OVERVIEW
This chapter explores the characteristics of consonants and consonant clusters, highlighting their importance in teaching and learning pronunciation It discusses the significance of effective pronunciation instruction and the various factors influencing the teaching of consonant clusters Additionally, the chapter outlines effective techniques for teaching both consonants and clusters to enhance pronunciation skills.
THEORICAL BACKGROUND OF CONSONANTS AND
According to Kelly (2000), “Consonants are formed by interrupting, restricting or diverting the airflow in a variety of ways” Thornbury (2006) agrees with Kelly
(2000), and suppose that “Consonants are made when the airflow from lungs is obstructed in some ways by articulators.”
According to Kelly (2000), there are three ways of describing the consonant sound
1 The manner of articulation (plosive, affricate, fricative, nasal, lateral, approximant)
2 The place of articulation (bilabial, alveolar, velar, dental…)
3 The force of articulation (fortis, lenis)
In English, consonants can be categorized as voiced or unvoiced, which is crucial for differentiating between sounds that are produced in similar manners, with one utilizing vocal cord vibration and the other not.
2.2.1.3 Contrast between English and Vietnamese consonants
The disparity in consonant systems between English and Vietnamese significantly impacts students' pronunciation of consonants and consonant clusters To illustrate this difference, we will provide a comparison of the consonant charts from both languages.
According to Roach (2001), there are 24 consonants in English Those are p, b, n, m, f, v, t, d, k, ɡ, θ, ð, s, z, l, Ʒ, h, ŋ, r, j, w, ʧ, ʤ, ʃ
Bilab- ial Dental Labio- dental
Palato- alveolar Palatal Velar Glot- tal
(Extracted from Kelly, G (2000), p.07) According to Doan Thien Thuat (1998), meanwhile, there are 22 initial consonants (at initial position of syllable) in Vietnamese consonants Those are b, m, f, v, t, t’, d, n, z, ʐ, s, ş, c, ʈ, ɲ, l, k, χ, ŋ, ɣ, h, ʔ
Table 2.2 Vietnamese initial consonant chart
(Extracted from Lê Quang Thiêm ( 2004).[p.100]) Besides, there are 8 final consonants (end by changing timbre at the last phoneme due to closing of the articulators):
- 6 consonants: p, t, k, m, n, n For example: /n/ chân, /k/ khóc, /t/ suốt
- 2 semi-consonants: /-w, -j/ (which have both features of not only vowels but consonants)
Table 2.3 Vietnamese final consonant chart
Vietnamese consonants differ from English consonants primarily in their categorization as initial and final sounds, a distinction not present in English While English consonants can appear in initial, medial, and final positions, they are classified into fortis (voiceless) and lenis (voiced) categories For instance, plosive consonants such as /b, d, ɡ/ in the final position are considered lenis (weak), whereas /p, t, k/ are categorized as fortis (strong) According to Roach (2001), all consonants in English, with the exception of /h/, can be classified as either fortis or lenis.
Articulation of final consonants is fortis or lenis, which depends on prior vowel is short, long or diphthongs:
- If it is long vowel, final consonant is weak (lenis) For example: heard /hɜ:d/, her /hɜ:z/ rye /rai/ , rise / raiz/
- If it is short vowel, final consonant is strong (fortis) For example: hurt /hɜ:t/ hearse /hɜ:s/, right /rait/, rice /rais/
When comparing the consonant charts of English and Vietnamese, it is evident that Vietnamese features a more intricate categorization of manner of articulation Specifically, Vietnamese distinguishes between nasal and oral stops (plosives) within both stops and fricatives, further classifying them into unaspirated, aspirated, voiced (lenis), and voiceless (fortis) types In contrast, the categorization of place of articulation is less extensive in Vietnamese than in English, which includes nine distinct categories: bilabial, labiodental, dental, alveolar, alveopalatal, palatal, velar, glottal, and labiovelar.
The Vietnamese consonants chart emphasizes tongue position, including flat, retroflex, and dorsal placements, while the English consonants chart focuses more on other articulators, such as dental, alveolar, and palatal alveolar sounds.
In Vietnamese, the manner of articulation for stops includes oral stops such as /t‟/, voiceless stops /ţ, t, c, k/, voiced stops /b, d/, and nasal stops /m, n, ŋ/ In contrast, English plosive consonants consist of oral stops /p, b, t, d, k, ɡ/ and affricates /f, ɡ/ Notably, the English sound /ɡ/ is classified as a plosive, while the Vietnamese sound /γ/ is categorized as a fricative Additionally, both English and Vietnamese share the alveolar lateral /l/ and glottal fricative /h/ in their consonant systems However, English features unique consonants such as /θ, ð, s, z, l, Ʒ, ʧ, ʤ, ʃ/ that differ from those in Vietnamese.
In English, there are some consonants such as bilabial approximant /w/, palatoalveolar approximant /r/ and palatal approximant /j/ that have no in Vietnamese Similarly, the fricatives which consist of the voiceless interdental /θ/
The sounds /ð/, /tʃ/, and /dʒ/ are absent in Vietnamese, presenting challenges for learners The bilabial voiceless stop /p/ is crucial in English as it appears in all positions, whereas in Vietnamese, it mainly occurs at the end of words and initially in some loan words Vietnamese speakers often confuse /p/ with the more familiar voiced /b/ Additionally, Vietnamese lacks consonant clusters, while English features them, as seen in the cluster /spl/ in the word "splits."
These unique sounds in English have caused difficulties for Vietnamese learners They have a tendency to bring their own phonemic habits into English and fail to imitate proper pronunciation
English pronunciation allows for consonant clusters, which are sequences of two or more consonants at the beginning or end of syllables, as noted by Thornbury (2006) For instance, words like “straight” (/streit/) can have three consonants at the start, while “sixths” (/siksθs/) can feature up to four at the end A consonant cluster consists of consonants appearing together without intervening vowels, and each letter in the cluster is pronounced distinctly Different languages have varying rules regarding the length and combination of these clusters, which can pose challenges for learners In contemporary English, many complex final clusters are often simplified by inserting vowels Initial consonant clusters can also impact intelligibility, making them a crucial focus in pronunciation teaching.
2.2.2 The syllable structure of English and Vietnamese
The syllable structure, one of the important things in English and Vietnamese is included in order to realize the components of a syllable
2.2.2.1 The nature of the syllables
According to Tran and Nguyen (2002), a syllable consists of one or more speech sounds that form a word or part of a word, characterized by a single vowel sound and potentially accompanied by consonants Carr (2009) identifies the syllable as a key phonological unit, emphasizing that its existence is essential for understanding phonological generation He further categorizes syllables into two primary components: the onset and the rhyme For instance, in the word "bile," /b/ serves as the onset, while /aɪ/ and /l/ together form the rhyme, which can be further divided into the nucleus and the coda.
In English, syllables can be categorized into two types based on their internal structure: closed syllables and open syllables A closed syllable, such as "bile," includes one or more consonants in the coda position, while an open syllable, exemplified by "buy" /baɪ/, does not contain any consonants at the end.
Morphemes like „bile‟, which contain only one syllable, are monosyllabic
Whereas, morphemes which may contain more than one syllable are polysyllabic, for instance the word „rider‟, „elephant‟
In English phonetics, syllables can be classified based on their structure, with examples including empty onsets like "it" [ɪt] and branching onsets such as "clip" [klɪp] Additionally, codas can also branch, as seen in the word "hunt" [hʌnt] According to Carr (2009), syllables without branching in the rhyme are termed light syllables, while those with branching in any rhyme constituents are classified as heavy syllables (p.76).
Roach (2000) identifies two types of initial two-consonant clusters in English, characterized by an 's' followed by a limited set of consonants, such as in the words "sting" [stɪŋ], "sway" [sweɪ], and "smoke" [sməʊk] In this context, the 's' is referred to as the pre-initial consonant, while the following consonant (t, w, m) is termed the initial consonant These clusters are detailed in Table 2.4.
Table 2.4 Two- consonant clusters with pre-initial„s‟
‘s’ + p t k b d ɡ f θ s ʃ h v ð z ʒ m n ŋ spɪn stɪk skɪn - - - sfɪə - - - smel snəʊ
(Extracted from Roach (2000), p.69]) The other sort is that the syllable has one of about 13 consonants occurring at the beginning, followed by one of the consonants /l, r, w, j/, for example
In phonetics, the terms 'play' [pleɪ], 'try' [traɪ], 'quick' [kwɪk], and 'few' [fju:] illustrate the concept of initial and post-initial consonants Certain consonant combinations are restricted, which can be effectively demonstrated in Table 2.5.
Table 2.5 The post consonant clusters with initial„s‟
„s‟ plus initial l r w j p splay spray spew t - string stew k sclerosis screen squeak skewer (Extracted from Roach (2000) p.71])
In English, any consonant may be a final consonant except /h, r, w, j/ There are two sorts of two-consonant final cluster, one being a final consonant preceded
-21- by a pre-final consonant (such as /m, n, ŋ, l, s/), e.g in words „bump‟ [bʌmp],
The word "ask" [ɑ:sk] features a final consonant followed by a post-final consonant, similar to the words "bets" [bets] and "beds" [bedz] These post-final consonants can frequently be recognized as distinct morphemes; however, there are exceptions, such as the word "axe" [ӕks], which is a single morpheme where the final "s" does not convey a separate meaning.
There are two types of final three-consonant clusters; the first is pre-final plus post-final, as in table 2.6 below:
Table 2.6 Final three-consonant clusters: the first is pre-final plus post-final
Pre-final Final Post-final helped he l p t banks bӕ ƞ k s bonds bɒ n d z twelfth twe l f θ
The second type demonstrates that multiple post-final consonants can coexist within a final cluster, specifically in the arrangement of final plus post-final 1 plus post-final 2 Post-final 2 can include consonants such as /s, z, t, d, θ/.
Table 2.7 Final three-consonant clusters: final plus post-final 1 plus post-final 2
Pre-final Final Post-final 1 Post-final 2 fifths fɪ - f θ s next ne - k s t lapsed lӕ - p s t
(Extracted from Roach (2000),p.72) Most four-consonant clusters can be analyzed as consisting of a final consonant preceded by a pre-final and followed by post-final 1 and post-2, as shown below:
Pre-final Final Post-final 1 Post-final 2 twelfths twe l f θ s prompts prɒ m p t s
A small number of cases seem to require a different analysis, as consisting of a final consonant with no pre-final but three post-finals:
Table 2.9 Four-consonant clusters: zero pre-final + 3 post-finals
Pre-final Final Post-final 1 Post-final 2 Post-final 3 sixths si - k s θ s texts te - k s t s
In conclusion, the English syllable is described as having the following maximum phonological structure
Table 2.10 Maximum phonological structure pre- initial initial post- initial VOWEL pre- final final post- final
2.2.2.2 Remarks on the syllable structure of English and Vietnamese
BACKGROUND OF THE PRONUNCIATION TEACHING
Pronunciation is not an optional extra for the language learner, any more than grammar, vocabulary or any other aspect of language Pronunciation is defined as
Pronunciation refers to how a language, word, or sound is articulated, and it poses significant challenges for both learners and teachers Key characteristics of English pronunciation, along with notable distinctions from other languages, often lead to difficulties for learners Despite these challenges, pronunciation remains a vital component of effective communication Achieving reasonable pronunciation is essential for learners who aim to be understood, as it complements grammar, vocabulary, function, and discourse in language use.
Pronunciation encompasses various elements, including sound combinations, sound linkage, word stress, rhythm, weak forms, sentence stress, and intonation (Kenworthy, 1987) Kelly (2000) expands on this by categorizing teaching elements into phonemes, which consist of consonants and vowels, and suprasegmental features like intonation and stress, offering a more comprehensive approach to pronunciation instruction.
Phonemes are the distinct sound segments in a language, where the choice of one sound over another can alter a word's meaning This concept defines the total number of phonemes in any given language Phonemes can be categorized into voiced and unvoiced sounds, encompassing both vowel and consonant sounds.
Vowel sounds are always voiced and can occur as single vowels or in combinations known as diphthongs Additionally, triphthongs represent the blending of three vowel sounds Single vowel sounds can be categorized as either short, such as /ɪ/, or long, like /i:/.
Consonant sounds may be voiced or unvoiced It is possible to identify many pairs of consonants which are essentially the same except for the element voicing (For example /f/ and /v/)
Suprasegmental features in speech encompass stress, intonation, and sound changes in connected speech, which are crucial in English communication Word stress can be identified and taught, while intonation and stress patterns in utterances can also be analyzed, though they may be challenging to recognize and describe Stress contributes to the rhythm of speech, whereas intonation refers to the variation in pitch throughout an utterance Both utterance stress and intonation patterns play a significant role in conveying meaning.
2.3.3 Pronunciation and communicative language teaching
Pronunciation is a crucial element of language learning, significantly impacting various aspects of language use (Wong, 1993) Effective pronunciation instruction should be integrated into oral communication classes to enhance learning outcomes (Morley, 1991) The ultimate aim of pronunciation training is to achieve functional intelligibility, improve communicability, boost self-confidence, and develop skills for speech monitoring and modification that extend beyond the classroom (Morley, 1991) Additionally, Wong (1993) emphasizes that pronunciation plays a vital role in enhancing listening comprehension, spelling, grammar, and reading skills, highlighting the importance of addressing pronunciation in language education.
Pronunciation is essential for learners to comprehend spoken English effectively According to Morley (1991), mastering pronunciation is critical within the communicative approach, as inadequate pronunciation skills significantly hinder learners' communication abilities.
Communicative English teaching gives the new views on pronunciation learning and teaching Communicative competence is more concerned than linguistic competence in pronunciation (Brown, 1994)
2.3.4 Why teach and learn consonants and consonant clusters
Pronunciation is the basic unit to achieve other aspects of a language Sounds are really a key to gain full communicative competence (Brown, 1994) Kelly
Teaching and learning pronunciation in the classroom is crucial, as significant pronunciation errors can hinder effective communication According to (2000), a learner who frequently mispronounces phonemes can pose challenges for speakers from different language backgrounds to comprehend Consequently, even if a student excels in grammar and vocabulary, they may struggle to understand and be understood by native speakers.
Pronunciation in English relies on the fundamental sounds of vowels and consonants, which combine to form words Both vowel and consonant sounds are crucial; for instance, swapping consonants can create entirely new words, such as "bit" and "pit." It is essential for learners to accurately memorize and pronounce consonants, as certain pairs may pose challenges due to differences in voicing—whether the vocal cords vibrate or not Additionally, English consonant clusters differ from those in other languages, leading to common pronunciation errors among learners To navigate these challenges, enthusiastic teachers play a vital role in guiding students through the intricacies of English pronunciation, particularly with consonant clusters.
Effective language teaching must prioritize pronunciation, highlighting the significance of consonant clusters Educators should recognize the crucial role that pronunciation plays in language acquisition to teach these consonant clusters successfully.
2.3.5 The factors of teaching and learning consonants and clusters
Six key factors influence pronunciation learning, including native language, age, exposure, phonetic ability, attitude and identity, as well as motivation and concern for accurate pronunciation, according to Kenworthy (1987) and Florez (1998).
Research indicates that a learner's native language significantly impacts their pronunciation of the target language, often leading to foreign accents The greater the differences between English and the learner's first language, the more challenging pronunciation becomes for them.
The impact of age on language acquisition, particularly pronunciation, is a topic of ongoing debate While some researchers, such as Kenworthy (1987), suggest that early childhood is the best time for language learning, others argue that the experiences and self-monitoring skills gained with age can mitigate these early disadvantages.
Advanced language learners often exhibit consistent pronunciation errors that need to be recognized and corrected For those immersed in an English-speaking environment, this constant exposure can significantly enhance their pronunciation abilities Conversely, learners who are not in such settings lack this beneficial advantage.
The debate surrounding individual capacity for language learning highlights differing perspectives: some believe that certain individuals possess a "better ear" for foreign languages, while others argue that all learners have equal potential to acquire a second language, as they have successfully learned their first.
PREVIOUS STUDIES RELATED TO THE RESEARCH
Numerous studies have examined the pronunciation of consonants and consonant clusters by Vietnamese learners Researchers have conducted contrastive analyses of the English and Vietnamese sound systems to identify common challenges faced by Vietnamese speakers in mastering English pronunciation.
In "An Introduction to the Pronunciation of English," Gimson (1980) provides a detailed analysis of English consonants and explores phonetic developments and transcription variants for both vowels and consonants, focusing on the acoustic features of descriptive consonants Similarly, Đoàn Thiện Thuật's "Ngữ Âm Tiếng Việt" (1998) outlines the Vietnamese sound system, including its vowels, consonants, and final sound distribution rules Additionally, Wong (1987) asserts that students should focus on pronunciation features that significantly impact communicative effectiveness, highlighting the importance of rhythm and intonation in pronunciation instruction.
Avery and Ehrlich (1995) emphasized that effective pronunciation extends beyond individual sounds and words Their research revealed that Vietnamese students face significant challenges in English pronunciation, which they attributed to the contrasting phonetic features between English and Vietnamese.
Hoang (1965) emphasizes the importance for English teachers to understand the phonological systems of both English and Vietnamese This knowledge enables them to assist learners in effectively using their speech organs Ha's research highlights the common challenges faced by Vietnamese learners in mastering these sounds.
In her 2005 research, three main types of pronunciation errors were identified among learners: sound omission, sound confusion, and sound redundancy Sound omission was characterized by the frequent omission of ending sounds, while sound confusion involved common errors such as pronouncing /ʧ/ instead of /t/ Sound redundancy was noted when learners over-pronounced ending sounds, often adding /s/ or /z/ to words, exemplified by the pronunciation of "hobby" as /hɔzbi/ Luu (2011) further examined the challenges faced by Vietnamese EFL learners at Hung Vuong University, highlighting difficulties with English fricatives /∫/, /ʒ/, and affricates /t∫/ and /dʒ/ The study revealed that students often substituted Vietnamese sounds for English ones While these studies provided valuable insights, they did not address the teaching challenges related to consonants and clusters, prompting the need for further exploration in this area.
In this study we did not require the students to produce the sounds sequences with exact pronunciation as native speakers, but in somewhat like native speakers‟ pronunciation and intelligible.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
In summary, the researcher provides an overview of consonant characteristics and contrasts the consonant systems of English and Vietnamese, along with their syllable structures She explores the concept of pronunciation, its essential elements, and the significance of teaching consonants and consonant clusters Various teaching techniques are also reviewed Furthermore, the researcher identifies key factors influencing pronunciation teaching and learning, such as native language, age, exposure, phonetic ability, and motivation Teachers must consider these factors, as they significantly impact pronunciation outcomes Additionally, the study highlights the importance of pronunciation instruction in Vietnam, demonstrating that research in this area is vital for effective teaching of consonants and clusters.
This chapter outlines the research methodologies employed, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative approaches It presents the hypotheses and participant characteristics, alongside a detailed explanation of data collection and analysis methods The survey utilized various tools, including questionnaires, interviews, and diagnostic tests, to address the research questions Additionally, the chapter discusses the validity and reliability of the research findings.
This study employs both qualitative and quantitative research methods to explore the challenges faced by teachers and students in learning consonants and clusters Qualitative research aims to understand social phenomena through the perspectives of participants, capturing their feelings, beliefs, and thoughts (McMillan and Schumacher, 1993: 373) By analyzing open-ended responses and interviews from students and teachers, the researcher offers critical insights into the difficulties encountered in the teaching and learning process The primary data collection tool for this study is interviews, which facilitate a deeper understanding of the issues at hand.
Quantitative research emphasizes numerical data to report findings, estimate reliability, and validate results, guiding researchers in their analysis (Mc Millian and Schumacher, 1993: 191) To substantiate her study on participants' perceptions of teaching challenging consonants and clusters, the researcher utilizes statistical methods This approach involves employing questionnaires and diagnostic tests as key instruments for data collection.
The researcher will analyze data from questionnaires, interviews, and diagnostic tests to explore teachers' perceptions of the challenges in teaching consonants and clusters, as well as potential solutions to these issues This analysis aims to address the research questions outlined in the study's objectives.
Based on the English teaching experience and the initial comparison of the phonetic systems of English and Vietnamese discussed in Chapter Two, this study formulates the following hypotheses.
Differences in articulation locations and manners between English and Vietnamese can lead to pronunciation errors in individual sounds, particularly at the beginning and end of words.
Due to the absence of consonant clusters in Vietnamese, Vietnamese students may make errors in producing English consonant clusters
Many students struggle with speaking English due to their low proficiency and the teachers' neglect of consonant clusters in their lessons, leading to confusion among students regarding these important phonetic elements.
Due to the pressure of the examinations and the limited time, teachers do not take into the appropriate consideration of solving the problems of teaching pronunciation
The study focuses on participants from Quang Trach No3 High School in Quang Binh province, chosen to allow for an in-depth exploration of specific issues As the researcher is also a teacher at this institution, she aims to significantly contribute to addressing the challenges teachers face in teaching consonants.
The participants of this study consist of two groups: EFL teachers and eleventh form students at Quang Trach No3 High School in Quang Binh province
The research involved six female English teachers at Quang Trach No3 High School, aged between 23 and 35, with teaching experience ranging from 3 to 13 years All teachers participated in interviews for the study.
A study was conducted with 150 eleventh-grade students from Quang Trach No 3 High School in Quang Binh province, aged approximately 16 years These students hail from various areas within Quang Trach district and utilize "Tieng Anh 11" as their primary English textbook Randomly selected from six classes, all participants completed questionnaires They have previously learned to pronounce vowels and certain consonants in the language focus of "Tieng Anh 10" and are currently advancing their studies on consonants and consonant clusters.
To provide the main data for this study, researcher used questionnaires Informal interviews and discussion with teachers were conducted to collect more data
Questionnaires are an efficient and cost-effective method for gathering specific information, provided that participants focus on relevant questions (Bell, 1993) This approach enables researchers to collect data from a large sample size, facilitating a deeper understanding of participants' responses to teaching consonants and clusters.
A survey was conducted with 150 eleventh-grade students at Quang Trach No 3 High School, where the researcher clarified all questions to eliminate any confusion regarding the instructions Students were given ample time to thoughtfully consider their options and provide feedback on open-ended questions For more details, refer to Appendix A, which includes the questionnaire design.
The diagnostic test consisted of 2 parts Part 1 was designed for testing the students‟ perception of the consonants and consonant clusters This part consisted of
15 sentences, each of which contained consonants and consonant clusters in initial or final position in words, which may cause potential problems
Part 2 of the diagnostic test includes 3 sections designed for testing the students‟ actual performance of producing sounds Section 1 contains a word list to test students‟ performance of English consonants in syllable-initial position or in syllable-final position in isolated words A word list to test their performance in consonant clusters at different positions in monosyllabic words and polysyllabic words was included in section 2 Section 3 contained a sentence list to test their performance of the consonants and clusters in question in connected speech 30 eleventh form students as representative informants of the random class were chosen to involve in the diagnostic test
The article outlines a diagnostic test consisting of three sections designed to assess students' pronunciation of consonants and consonant clusters Section 1 Part 2 features a word list of 32 words, split evenly between those with initial consonants and those with medial or final consonants Section 2 includes 46 words organized into 23 pairs, each containing the same consonant clusters to identify common pronunciation errors among students Section 3 presents 12 sentences that incorporate these consonants and clusters, all sourced from the reliable English 11 textbook used at Quang Trach No 3 High School Students were instructed to read the words and sentences aloud for recording purposes, with the identified issues from the diagnostic test summarized in the accompanying table.
Table 3.1 Problems of English consonants in Vietnamese students‟ performance
2-consonant cluster [kw, kl, sp, st, sk, pt, ps, bd, bz, ʧt, ʤt, ft, fs, vd, vz] initial, W-medial
3-consonant cluster [skr, str, spr, spl] initial, W-medial