ERIC Number: EJ1187634
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0026-7902
EISSN: N/A
Exploring the Intersection between Teachers' Beliefs and Research Findings in Pronunciation Instruction
Nagle, Charles; Sachs, Rebecca; Zárate-Sández, Germán
Modern Language Journal, v102 n3 p512-532 Fall 2018
This study explored teachers' beliefs about pronunciation instruction in Spanish as a second language (L2). An online survey was used to collect data from 100 participants, grouped into 4 categories based on their previous training in principles and methods of pronunciation instruction. This article reports results from 15 survey items which covered participants' beliefs regarding 6 major themes: the importance of pronunciation, how pronunciation develops, when to teach it, what to teach, how to teach, and who can teach. Although the results revealed several areas where more methods-related coursework meant greater alignment between Spanish teachers' beliefs and findings of L2 pronunciation research, there were other topics on which instructors with more training were likely to express beliefs contrasting with the state of the art. For instance, respondents with more coursework tended to accord more value to pronunciation instruction, to set more pronunciation-related goals for language instruction, and to reject delaying a focus on pronunciation. Unexpectedly, however, some seemed to uphold the native speaker model, suggesting that teacher training and professional development programs may need to emphasize research-informed practices and the importance of pedagogical expertise over nativelike pronunciation.
Descriptors: Pronunciation, Language Teachers, Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Pronunciation Instruction, Teacher Attitudes, Teaching Methods, Spanish, Teacher Education, Goal Orientation, Native Speakers, Faculty Development
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2429/WileyCDA
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A