Presenter: Dung Thi Nguyen

Date: September 15, 2011

1. Introduction
Problems in pronunciation have been found in
teachers of English.
Their problems result in their miscommunication and
teaching qualification.
The high percentage of the unqualified teachers is the
motivation for the workshop for training teachers
2. Research questions
What are the common pronunciation problems of
these subjects?
Which problems are hard to improve?
If they perceive their mistakes, can they improve their
weaknesses?
3. Method
A. Data collection
Class observation to identify the problems
Workshop: 3 stages
- Input
- Information process, Output: first recordings
- Teachers feedback
Diagnose test after four months: second recordings
Comparison between the two recordings
3. Method (contd)
B. Sites and participants selection
- 58 primary school teachers from seven districts in
Binh Duong Province
20%: BA degree in English
80%: 3-year diploma in English
- Range of age:
40 53: 10%
22 39: 90%
3. Method (contd)
C. Data analysis
- The subjects difficulties in pronunciation is based on
the percentage of their mistakes
- Input Interaction Output (IIO) model developed
by Gass, Schumanns acculturation model , and
Critical Period Hypothesis are applied to the analysis
of the mistakes in pronunciation
4. Findings
Mistakes found in:
Final consonants: monosyllabic language and multisyllabic
language
Challenging consonants:
/s/ in the middle position,
// and // pronounced palatal affricative sounds,
/s/ and // pronounced /s/,
// and // pronounced /d/ and
/ch/, /z/ pronounced /s/, and
// pronounced // are caused by L1 transfer
/p/ v.s /f/
4. Findings (contd)
Stress and intonation: can be improved quickly
But experiencing the process: without stress and
intonation with stress and intonation wrong
stress and intonation (IIO)
4. Findings
High percentage of mistakes fall in:
- /pr/
- final sounds
- stressed syllables
- intonation
- linking sounds
- coalescent assimilation
- Deletion: timing
- Tense and lax vowels
5. Solution
IIO model: attract learners attention to marked
sounds
Schumanns model: social factors and affective
variables affect second language acquisition: learners
friendly environment class
Critical period hypothesis (Piaget): focus on teaching
pronunciation to young learners (primary school
children)
5. Solution (contd)
Teachers should apply wide varieties of pronunciation
practice:
- Incorporate challenging sounds in conversation
practice with pictures
TPR: action and picture accelerate children acquisition
Adults:
- Focusing much more on learning environment
- Analyzing linguistic discrimination
 THANK YOU
QUESTIONS ?