Abstract

Can pronunciation instruction account for the improvement of intelligibility and comprehensibility in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) settingα Does having a strong foreign accent affect the understanding of a speakerα The present study seeks for these answers by adapting Derwing, T., Munro, M. and Wiebe, G. (1998) study in an EFL setting, who showed that a group of ESL learners receiving explicit pronunciation training improved in terms of comprehensibility. In order to answer the second question, the current study is also adapted from Munro, M, and Derwing. T. (1999) who found supporting evidence to show that having a foreign accent does not affect the speakers´ comprehensibility.

I had 8 native English-speakers (NESs) listening to the effects of two types of instruction (explicit pronunciation and no specific pronunciation instruction) on the speech of 2 groups of EFL learners. Extemporaneously produced narratives were recorded at the beginning (time 1) and the end of a 12-week (time 2) course of instruction. 8 NES listeners judged the EFL learners´ speech productions and rated them in terms of intelligibility, comprehensibility and foreign accent. After analyzing the scores obtained from both groups at time 1 and time 2, I found that none of the groups showed any improvement in terms of intelligibility and comprehensibility. Contrary to my expectations, I also found a positive correlation between foreign accent and comprehensibility, which means that it is likely that a person with strong foreign accent would be very difficult to understand. I argue that the amount of time and input are some of the issues account for these findings.

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Table of content

Dedicatorias

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Literature Review

Chapter 3. Methodology

Chapter 4. Results

Chapter 5. Discussion And Conclusions

References

Appendix A. Sample class focusing on the teaching of the voiced and voiceless sound of theta

Appendix B. Transcription Conventions

Appendix C. Questionnaires for Speakers

Appendix D. Questionnaire for Listener-Raters

Appendix E. Controlled Reading

Appendix F. Prompts for Extemporaneous Speech

Appendix G. Likert Scale for Comprehensibility Ratings

Appendix H. Intelligibility Rating Format

Appendix I. Likert Scale for Foreign Accent Rating

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Amieva Palacios, V. 2009. Pronunciation Instruction: Improving the Intelligibility and Comprehensibility of EFL learners in Mexico and the Relationship between Comprehensibility and Foreign Accent. Tesis Maestría. Lingüística Aplicada. Departamento de Lenguas, Escuela de Artes y Humanidades, Universidad de las Américas Puebla. Mayo. Derechos Reservados © 2009.