Luận văn a study on common mistakes made by vietnamese beginners of english pronouncing Θ Δ Ʃ Ʒ ʤ ʧ and possible solutions

UNIVERSITY GF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE LE NGOC HAN A STUDY ON COMMON MISTAKES MADE BY VIETNAMESE BEGINNERS OF ENGLISH IN SOLUTIONS CNghiên cứu về n

UNIVERSITY GF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE

LE NGOC HAN

A STUDY ON COMMON MISTAKES MADE BY

VIETNAMESE BEGINNERS OF ENGLISH IN

SOLUTIONS

CNghiên cứu về những lỗi thường gặp của học viên người Việt khi phát

âm các phụ âm tiếng Anh 6, ö, ƒ, 5, ử, Ý và cách khắc phục khả hữu}

M.A MINOR TIIESIS

Major: English Linguistics

Code: 602215

HA NOI,2011

UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE

LE NGQC IIAN

A STUDY ON COMMON MISTAKES MADE BY

VIETNAMESE BEGINNERS OF ENGLISH IN

PRONOUNCING 6, 6, J,3,6,i AND POSSIBLE

SOLUTIONS

CNghiên cứu về những lỗi thường gặp của học viên người Việt khi phat

âm các phụ âm tiếng Anh 6, ỗ, ƒ, 3, &, ƒ và cách khắc phục khả hữu)

M.A MINOR THESIS

Major: English Linguistics

Code: 602215 Supervisor: Assoc.Prof:VÕ DAI QUANG (PhD)

TIA NOI,2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Candidate's statement

Acknowledgements

Abstract

Table of contents

List of flgure:

Chapter one: Introduction

11 Rationale

1.2, Aims and objectives of the study

1.2.5 Aims

1.2.2 Objectives

1.2.3 Research questions

1.3 Scope of the study

14 Organization of the study

Chapter two : Literature Review

2.1 Theoretical Background

2.1.1 The rote of pronaunciation in language teaching

2.1.2 Factors affecting pronunciation learning

2.1.2.1 The mative language

2.1.2.2 The age factor

2.1.2.4 Motivation and cancern for good pronunciation

2.1.4 Consonants

2.1.4.1 General description of English consonants

2.1.4.2, Articulatory features of 9, 6, f,5,4.0

2.1.4.2.4 Articulatory features of /0,8/and /S,3 /

2.1.4.2.2 Articulatory features øf /ä [/

2.1.5, Mistakes in language learning

“Mistakes in language learning 2.1.5.2 Types of mistakes

2.1.5.3 Possible causes of mistakes im language Icarning

2.1.5.3.1 The interference of the mother tongue

2.1.5.3 2 Canses other than interference by first language

2.2 Previous works

Chapter three: Methodology

3.1 Survey research

3.1.1 Steps for conducting a survey research

3.1.1.1 Delining a population

3.1.1.2 Sampling "¬.-

3.1.1.3 Methods of collecting survey data

3.1.1.4 Data analysis

3.2 Techniques employed in this thesis

3.2.1 Data collection instruments

3.2.1.1 Tape recording

3.2.1.2 Questionnaire

3.2.1.3 Interview

3.2.2 Methods of data analysis,

3.3 Procedure

34 Summary

Chapter four: Findings ani discussia

4.1 Findings from tape recording

4.2 Findings and discussions from the questionnaire

4.2.1 Students’ attitude towards pronunciation

4.2.2 Students’ perceptions of thelr frequency of Pronunciation mistakes 27

4.2.3 Students' perceptions of the causes of those mistakes ene 28 4.2.4 Students’ self-treatment to overcome those mistakes sevens 29 4.2.5 Reflection on teachers’ methods used to help students fo overcome

those mistakes - - - a1 4.3 Findings from the interviews - 32

Chapter five: Conclusion

5.1 Recapitulation

3.2 Concluding rema

5.3 Pedagogical Implications - 36 5.3 Suggestions for further research

Referenees

Appendices

Survey questionnaire

Exercises [or tape recoriling

Interview sheet

CHAPTER ONE: [INTRODUCTION

Chapler one “Introduction” inchides the r

sons of choosing the thesis, the nims, the objectives, the scope, rescarch questions and the organization of the study

1.1 Rationale

English, the most popular foreign language in Vistnamn, bas been taught from the early age (at the age of 7 ot even younger) in most of schools and universities throughout the country as a compulsory subject however, not many of them “have intelligible English pronumciation so thai they can be understood casily in dicot communication with foreigners”, It is the exact thet happening in Bac Ninh Specialized Lligh School Over many years of teaching Lnglish in this school, the writer of the study has observed that there are quite a number of students who Gcquontly make mistakes with English sounds, Being fully aware of the nce

correcting mistakes for students as weil as Vietnamese learners of English, the writer

sily of

of this paper decided to conduct the study entitled “A study on common mistakes xuadc by Victnamesc beginners of English in pronouncing 8, Š, ƒ, 5, ủ, ƒ anẻ possible solutions”

1.2 Aims and objectives of the study

1.2.1 Aims

“The research aims at

- improving students’ pronunciation of the six English consonants 6, Š, J3, Š,

t

- providing English teachers with a reference for the pronunciation of @, ô, ƒ,

340

1.2.2 Objectives

To achieve these aims, the following objectives are set forth as tasks of the study

- identity Vietnamese learners’ common mistokes in pronouncing 6, Š, ƒ', 3, Š,

t

- find out causes of mistakes made by Vietnamese leamers in pronouncing 8, 8,

L3G

- find oul solutions to make (aching and learning process belicr so thal mnistakes in pronouncing 0, 6, ƒ, 5 &, if can be avoided

1.2.3, Research questions

‘The above-mentioned objectives can be elaborated info the following research

questions:

Question 1; What common mistakes do Vietnamese learners have in pronouncing the English sounds 6, 6, ƒ, 3, , ƒ?

Question 2: What are the causes of those mistakes?

Question 3: What arc possible solutions lo those mistakes?

1.3 Scope of the study

In thesis we only concentrate on common mistakes made by 30 stndents who ars studying English as major ficld in Bac Ninh Specialized High School in pronouncing

“3, 85,3, 4,97 and causes of those mistakes as well as possible solutions to

eliminate them ‘hese collected mistakes are considered as the common ones made

‘by Vietnam

1.4 Organization of the study

To achieve the aims of the study, this paper is divided into five chapters

Chapter one ; Introduction

Chapter two :Literature Review

Chapter three ‘Methodology

Chapter four ; Findings and discusstons

Chapter five :Conclusion

CITAPTER TWO : LITERATURE REVIEW

Chapter two “Literature Review” is devoted to the presentation of the theoretical

‘backgronnd relevant to the roscarch Firstly, the review of pronunciation as well as factors affecting pronunciation leaming are introduced, Then the terature related to mistakes is given, It includes the notion of mistakes in language leaming, types of mistakes and the main causes of mistakes Lastly, articulatory features of the six

consonants are mentioned.

2.1 Theoretical Background

2.1.1 Lhe role of pronounciation in language teaching

2.1.2 Factors affecting pronunciation Jearning

2.1.2.1 The native Language

2.1.2.2 The age factor

2.1.2.3 Pronunciation ablitty

2.1.2.4 Motivation and concern for good pronunciali

2.1.3, Articulatory phonetics

2.1.4, Consonants

2.1.4.1 General description of English consonants

2.1.4.2, Articulatory features of 9, ô, ƒ, 5, Š,ƒ

2.1.4.2.1 Articulatory features of /0, 5/and /ƒ,5 /

2.1.4.2.2 Articulatory features of /&, I /

2.1.8, Mistakes In language learning

2.1.5.1 Mistakes in language learning

2.1.5.2 Types of mistakes

2.1.5.3 Possible causes of mistakes in language learning 2.1.5.3.1 The interference of the mother Longue

2.1.5.3, 2 Causes other than interference by first language

2.2 Previous works

As monlicned above, there trave been a grzat deal of nolable works abou! pronounciation issues and pronounciation teaching ones but some of them express the writers’ coneern about pronounciation problems especially the learners” difficulties in pronouncing Lnglish sounds Trowever, it can be confirmed that Avery & Thlrich (1992:67) are the two first people mentioning problems Victnamesc learners may facc with when studying English “As the sound systems of English and Vietnamese differ greatly, Vietnamese speakers can have quite serve pronounciation problems?

Recently, an article named Common pronunciation problems of Vietnamese learners of

English by Ha Cam ‘Tam (2005:7) also pointed out some main problems in pronunciation of

Vietnamese leamers, namely sound omission, sound confusion and sound redundancy However, many previous studies found in books, linguistic magazines or on the Internet are only about general pronunciation problems of wide issues, none of them specifies in certain consonants that most impede Viemamese leamers from communication and common mistakes in English pronunciation For this reason, the rescarch is cazricd out to find out th: common mistakes made by the students studying in Bac Ninh Specialized High School in pronouncing some Tinglish consonants and improve their pronunciation

CIIAPTER TIIREE: METIIODOLOGY Chapter three “Methodology” describes in detail the rescarch mothodology which comprises the principles based on which the study is cartied out it also presents techniques employed in this thesis, namely questionnaire, tape recording and interview

Tn order to fulfill the study, a combination of survey questionnaire, Lape tocording and interview is employed,

3.1 Survey research

Among the research methods, survey research is one of the most important areas of measurement in applied social research ‘the broad area of survey research encompasses any imeasurcinent procedures that involve asking questions of respondents A “survey” can bz anything form a short paper-and- pencil feedback from to an intensive ono-on-onc in-depth

interview

Survey esearch can be also defined in lenms of the type of information gathered or the purposes for which the information is collected Alreck and Settle (1995-98) contended that the reasons for conducting survey include influencing a selected audience, modifying a service or product, and understanding or prodicling human bchaviour, Rea and Paker (1997/88) added understanding people’s interests and concems as motivations for using surveys, with data reflecting desoriptive, bahavioural or preferential characteristics of respondents

3.1.1 Steps for conducting a survey rescarch

In this process of conducting a survey research, the researcher mist make a series of careful

ds

determining the purpose of the study; stating the research questions; specifying the population

isious about how the study will be carricd out These includz a great deal of stcps such as:

and drawing a sample from the population; deciding on the methods of data collection; developing instruments, and training data collectors or interviewers ; collecting data ; analyzing the data, and addressing non response Understanding these steps will help researchers assess and construct their own meaning from reports of surveys that they read

3.1.1.1 Defining a population

After stating the research questions, it is advisable to define a population ‘The population is the entire group of entilics or pongle ta which the results of'a sludy arc infended lo apply The

13

population can vary widely depending on the research questions and the purpose of the study

Tt can be a sel of schools, a graup af people such as sturlents or teachers ar a scl ef instances

of language uses

3.1.1.2 Sampling

Sample is a crucial factor in the survcy rescarch as it is not possible to survey the entire group

of interest (the population) but a subgroup (a sample) ‘The selected sample must be sumilar to the population of interes|-in important ways if the results of the study are intended to apply lo (be representative of) that population,

3.1.1.3 Methods of collecting survey data

While conducting the research, the most prevalent data-collection methods are questionnaires, interviews and direct observations of language use In addition, many other types of information can be gathered including test results, compositions, or reactions to L2 oral or +written language data,

Questionnaire is the most common methods of data collection L2 survey research It can range from short itams to long documents which require one or two honrs to complete Items

in the questionnaire can be opsn-cnded format (allowing respondents to reply in their own words) or closed one, requiring the respondent to select one fiom among a limited number of responses

3.1.1.4 Data analysis

Descriptive Analyses of the results of a survey are often reported in frequency and

percentages ‘These descriptive statistics are numbers thaf summarize the data

Corrclational Analyses can be applicd along wilh the descriptive 10 analyz: relationships among variables

3.2 Techniques employed in this thesis

3.2.1 Data collection instruments

In order to complete this minor thesis, both quantitative and qualitative methods have been conducted to collect data They include: tape recording, questionnaire and interview

3.2.1.1 Tape recording

A task was designed to record the students’ pronounciation including two main parts: In part one, students road aloud sounds and wards which the sounds appear In part lwo, thore is a

short passage for students to read aloud, this passage has many words with the sounds studznls always mispronounec

4.2.1.2 Questionnaire

Questionnaire was used as the first taol to collect data for this study This kind of method has proved fo be cffcctive and time-saving since it could yeild a varicty of data ranging from factual, behavorial to attitudinal from numerous respondents in different situations

In this

research, 2 greal number of question types calegarized by Youngrim (1986, as cited in Nunan, 1992; 144) including tiequency, list, category and ranking questions had been applied

In that way, some serious limitations of questionnaites as cited in Dornyei (2003:10), which

wc simplicity and superlicialily of answers, unrclisble and unmotivatod respondents, respondent literacy problems and fatigue effects, seemed to have been solved

a Aims of the questionnaire

‘The questionnaire is designed to clarify:

-Students’ attitude toward promunciation (question 4)

-Students” perception about their pronounciation mistakes (questions 5,6)

-Students’ perception abont causes of their misiakes in pronouncing some consonants (question 7)

-Students’ self-treatment to oversome those mistakes (question 9)

-Reflection on teachers’ methods to help students eliminate their mistakes in pronouncing some English consonants (question 11)

b Selection of participations

‘rinrty students from Linglish Department of Bac Ninh Specialized Lligh School participated

All of the students arc studying English as major fickd and 100% of the students taking part in the study spent 7 years and more studying English,

3.2.1.3 Interview

Interview is one kind of questionnaire, it is the vocal questionnaires and it has basn used by second lmguage acquisition researchers secking data on slages and processes of acquisition (Johnson,1985: 44), and also by language testers, who use the oral interview as a mean of

assessing proficiency (Ingram, 1984: 24)