they cannot, then explicit explanation, along with listening practice can be introduced. Much of the listening practice can be done at home on a website such as English Accent Coach (Thomson, 2021) and students’ scores can be forwarded to the instructor.
This may seem like a daunting undertaking, but it is far less onerous if two or more teachers do it together. To trace their learners’ progress, teachers may want to conduct an informal action research project. Burns (2009) provides guidelines on how classroom teachers can systematically keep track of pronunciation activities, ensuring spiraling for optimal exposure. Burns provides a very clear example of one language teacher’s approach to action research that follows a cycle of “planning, action, observation and reflection” (115). It isn’t necessary to undertake action research, but reading about the process may provide teachers with ideas for structure that hadn’t occurred to them before.
We hope that the chapters here will bridge the gap for teachers who are uncomfortable teaching pronunciation in the language classroom. In the words of Yates and Zielinski, “Give it a go!”
Practical Resources for Pedagogy and Research
Derwing, T. M. & Munro, M. J. (2015). Pronunciation fundamentals: Evidence-based perspectives for L2 teaching and research. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
This book covers the how, why, and when of teaching pronunciation by examining empirical research outcomes and making pedagogical recommendations.
Jones, T. (Ed.) (2016). Pronunciation in the classroom: The overlooked essential. Alexandria, Virginia: TESOL Press.
The chapters in this edited volume are written by well-known experts. They discuss the integration of pronunciation teaching within several other linguistic foci such as vocabulary, listening and speaking, presentations skills, grammar, reading, spelling, and punctuation.
Levis, J. M. (2018). Intelligibility, oral communication, and the teaching of pronunciation. Cambridge University Press.
The field of pronunciation teaching has swung from an unnecessary focus on accuracy to a more reasonable goal of intelligibility. This volume is the most in-depth examination of intelligibility and how it matters to pronunciation.
Journal of Second Language Pronunciation. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
This triannual journal is the go-to site for top pronunciation researchers. The journal welcomes submissions that integrate research and practice.
PSLLT Proceedings
The Proceedings of the Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Conference are freely available: https://apling.engl.iastate.edu/conferences/pronunciation-in-second-language-learning-and-teaching-conference/psllt-archive.
Each Proceedings has a section on Teaching Tips, contributed by expert practitioners, with clear, step-by-step directions for activities, along with the rationale for each. Every issue of the Proceedings also has several short, accessible articles on pronunciation teaching, often with suggestions for activities.
This website is intended to assist language teachers by offering short, accessible essays on key concepts in pronunciation and pointing to several resources and activities that could be incorporated into any language class.
Author Biographies
Tracey M. Derwing is Professor Emeritus, the University of Alberta, and an Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser University. She has researched L2 pronunciation, especially the relationships among intelligibility, comprehensibility, fluency, and accent. She has also examined interventions enhancing native speakers’ comprehension of L2 accented speech. Much of her research concerns the successful social integration of immigrants and refugees.
John M. Levis is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Iowa State University. He is the founding editor of the Journal of Second Language Pronunciation, the founder of the Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Conference, the co-editor of the Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Proceedings, and the co-developer of pronunciationforteachers.com. He is co-editor of several books, including The Handbook of English Pronunciation (2015), Social Dynamics in Second Language Accent (2014), and Critical Concepts in Linguistics: Pronunciation (2017). He is also the author of Intelligibility, Oral Communication, and the Teaching of Pronunciation (2018).
Sinem Sonsaat-Hegelheimer is Assistant Professor at Iowa State University. She is the editorial assistant of Journal of Second Language Pronunciation, the co-developer of pronunciationforteachers.com, and the chair of Speech Pronunciation and Listening Interest Section of TESOL International Association. Sinem’s interests include pronunciation teaching, materials evaluation and development, and computer-assisted language learning. She has published in TESOL Quarterly, CATESOL Journal, and The Routledge Handbook of English Pronunciation.
References
1 Baker, A. (2021). ‘She’ll be right’: Development of a coaching model to clear and fluent pronunciation in Australia. English Australia Journal, 37(1), 27–39.
2 Baker, A., & Murphy, J. (2011). Knowledge base of pronunciation teaching: Staking out the territory. TESL Canada Journal, 28(2), 29–50. doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v28i2.1071
3 Burns, A. (2009). Action research. In J. Heigham & R. Croker (Eds.), Qualitative research in applied linguistics (pp. 112–134). Palgrave Macmillan. doi.org/10.1057/9780230239517_6
4 Darcy, I., Ewert, D., & Lidster, R. (2012). Bringing pronunciation instruction back into the classroom: An ESL teachers’ pronunciation “toolbox”. In J. Levis & K. LeVelle (Eds.), Proceedings of the 3rd Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Conference, September 2011 (pp. 93–108). Iowa State University.
5 Derwing, T. M. (in press). Twelve lessons learned from teaching teachers to teach pronunciation. In V. Sardegna & A. Jarosz (Eds.), English pronunciation teaching: Theory, practice, and research findings. Multilingual Matters.
6 Derwing, T. M., & Munro, M. J. (2015). Pronunciation fundamentals: Evidence-based perspectives for L2 teaching and research. John Benjamins. doi.org/10.1075/lllt.42
7 Derwing, T. M., Waugh, E., & Munro, M. J. (2021). Pragmatically speaking: Preparing adult ESL students for the workplace. Applied Pragmatics, 3(2), 107–135. doi.org/10.1075/ap.20001.der
8 El Majidi, A., de Graaff, R., & Janssen, D. (2018). Students’ perceived effect of in-class debates in second language learning. The European Journal of Applied Linguistics and TEFL, 7(1), 35–57.
9 El Majidi, A., de Graaff, R., & Janssen, D. (2021). Debate
