TEACHING SECOND LANGUAGE PRONUNCIATION: AN OVERVIEW OF THEORETICAL APPROACHES

Abstract

This paper presents a synthesis of theoretical perspectives in the field of L2 pronunciation teaching and learning. The analysis shows that pronunciation as a language skill is scarcely incorporated in the teaching process or even completely neglected. Such state is most likely a result of the opposing views about the status of pronunciation as a language skill, the approaches for L2 teaching pronunciation and the order of speech units being taught. More recent viewpoints draw attention to the necessity of setting realistic teaching and learning goals including raising learners’ phonological awareness, intelligible speech, acquiring communicative skills and developing strategies for self-correction; in line with this, the paper gives an account of various teaching approaches and procedures for achieving these goals. Furthermore, many researchers emphasize the close link between listening and pronunciation as language skills. Also of note are the interdisciplinary attempts to explaining L2 pronunciation, especially those that consider learners’ identity as well as those that explore the potential of computer-assisted pronunciation teaching.