Rationale
English has become a vital international language and is a mandatory subject in Vietnamese high schools However, teaching English in my hometown faces significant challenges, particularly in enhancing students' pronunciation skills Many foreigners have noted that while many Vietnamese can speak English, only a few achieve intelligible pronunciation Consequently, effective communication in English often suffers due to poor or incorrect pronunciation Among the various challenges, errors in pronouncing English consonants are the most prevalent among Vietnamese students.
Currently, I am teaching English at a high school in Nam Dinh province, where I have observed that students often struggle with pronouncing English consonants correctly It is essential to identify and address these pronunciation errors promptly Therefore, I initiated a study aimed at improving students' pronunciation of English consonants, hoping to contribute to their overall language proficiency.
English consonants made by grade 10 students at Giao Thuy High School, Nam Dinh”.
Aims of the study
The aims of the study are:
- to identify the most common pronunciation errors of consonants made by ten graders at Giao Thuy High School
- to offer some solutions to help students improve their pronunciation of English consonants.
Scope of the study
Students learning English frequently encounter pronunciation challenges, particularly with consonants This minor thesis specifically examines the common errors in single consonant pronunciation made by students at Giao Thuy High School in Nam Dinh Based on the identified issues, the thesis proposes several solutions to enhance students' pronunciation skills.
Research questions
Question 1: What are the most common pronunciation errors of consonants made by ten graders at Giao Thuy Upper Secondary School?
Question 2: What are possible solutions to those errors?
Methods of the study
In order to fulfil the aims as set above, the study uses two main methods:
- Quantitative method: to find out the most common pronunciation errors
- Error analysis: to analyze the errors collected and to give some possible solutions to those errors
This study aims to identify the pronunciation errors of English consonants frequently made by students at Giao Thuy High School in Nam Dinh To achieve this, the primary research method involves recording the participants' pronunciations of pre-prepared scripts.
Organization of the study
This study is structured into three main parts:
PART A: INTRODUCTION – states the reasons of choosing the topic of the study, the aims, research questions, the scope, the methods and the organization of the study
PART B: DEVELOPMENT – consists of two chapters
Chapter 1 – LITERATURE REVIEW – presents the theoretical background of the research and introduces some basic concepts of phonetics, articulatory phonetics, consonants and pronunciation errors that are relevant to the research
Chapter 2 – METHODOLOY – states the methods employed in the study, research questions, data collection instrument and research procedures, methodology used for data collection, and description of the participants
Chapter 3 – FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS – presents and discusses the findings obtained from the data analysed
PART C: CONCLUSION – provides a summary of the major findings of the study; points out the limitations of the study; and make some suggestions for further studies.
LITERATURE REVIEW
English pronunciation
To gain insight into the study of pronunciation, it is essential to define the term itself Pronunciation encompasses the production of sounds that humans use to communicate, incorporating both segmental and suprasegmental features Segmental features refer to the specific sounds of a language, while suprasegmental features include elements such as intonation, phrasing, stress, timing, and rhythm These various aspects of pronunciation work together harmoniously during speech Jenkins and Setter (2005: 1) offer a comprehensive definition that highlights the interplay between segmental and suprasegmental features in effective communication.
Pronunciation encompasses the production and perception of individual sounds, both in isolation and within continuous speech These sounds undergo various modifications and interact with suprasegmental features, especially stress and intonation.
Phonetics
Phonetics is the study that segments spoken language into individual speech sounds, focusing solely on actual speech performance It encompasses three main branches: articulatory phonetics, which examines how speech sounds are produced; acoustic phonetics, which analyzes the physical properties of sound waves; and auditory phonetics, which explores how speech sounds are perceived by the ear.
Phonetics is a branch of natural science focused on the study of speech sounds, known as phones, which are both concrete and limitless in quantity It examines how these sounds are produced and articulated, how they are perceived by listeners, and their physical characteristics.
There are three main areas of phonetics: articulatory phonetics, acoustic phonetics, auditory phonetics
Phonology is the study of the distinctive sound units, or phonemes, of a language and their interrelationships This field involves analyzing a language to identify its unique sounds and establishing rules that explain how these sounds change in different contexts Key areas of phonology include the examination of sound patterns and the rules governing sound interactions.
- Study of the phonemic system
- Phoneme sequences and syllable structure
As my study takes the Vietnamese learners' problems in pronouncing English consonants into considerations, the review of articulatory phonetics and its features seem to be of direct relevance.
Articulatory phonetics
Articulatory phonetics, a key branch of phonetics, focuses on the study of speech organs and their role in producing speech sounds The term "organs of speech" encompasses various parts of the human body involved in speech production, many of which primarily function in processes like eating, chewing, swallowing, and breathing Notably, the body parts discussed below, excluding the lungs, are integral components of the vocal tract.
The vocal tract is divided into the supraglottal and the subglottal tract according to Davenport and Hannahs (1998) as shown in Figure 1
Figure: The speech organs of articulators
Articulatory phonetics is essential for understanding speech production, encompassing key elements such as the air stream mechanism, vocal cord state, velum position, and the place and manner of articulation (Davenport & Hannahs, 1998) This study specifically examines consonants, highlighting common pronunciation errors made by students and focusing on the three primary features of consonants: manner of articulation, place of articulation, and voicing.
English consonants
Consonants are articulated through two main methods: creating a narrow constriction in the vocal tract that allows air to pass through, or achieving a complete closure that blocks airflow entirely This closing movement can involve the lips, tongue, or throat, resulting in distinct sounds that contrast with the open articulation of vowels In articulatory phonetics, consonants are defined as sounds produced with enough closure or stricture in the vocal tract to generate audible turbulence (Crystal, 2003).
Consonants are sounds produced with closed or nearly closed articulations, which interrupt the flow of speech This creates a perceptual and articulatory boundary for units such as words or syllables that contain one or more vowels.
According to Roach (1983), the English language consists of twenty-four consonants, including sounds such as p, b, t, d, k, and more These consonants are categorized based on three criteria: the degree of vocal cord vibration, the place of articulation, and the manner of articulation.
English dialects feature approximately 24 unique phonemic consonant sounds, categorized based on three criteria: voicing, place of articulation, and manner of articulation, as detailed in Table 1.
Stop Fricative Affricative Nasal Liquid glide
Sounds that are bold are voiced
In order to form consonants, the air-stream through the vocal cords must be obstructed in some way Therefore, consonants can be classified according to 3 types
Voicing refers to the activity of the vocal cords during the production of consonants Voiced consonants, such as b, d, g, v, ð, z, r, ʒ, dʒ, m, n, ŋ, l, w, and j, are created when the vocal cords vibrate In contrast, voiceless consonants, including p, t, k, f, θ, s, ʃ, h, and tʃ, occur when the vocal cords remain still Understanding these distinctions is essential for mastering pronunciation in various languages.
According to place of articulation:
(Where the constriction of airflow takes place)
1 Bilabials: are the sounds made with the two lips pressed together or coming together They include /b/ - /p/ - /m/- /w/
2 Labiodentals: are the sounds which are produced with the lower lip touching the upper front teeth They consist of /f/ - /v/
3 Dentals/ interdentals: are the sounds which are produced with the tip or blade of the tongue touching the upper front teeth They comprise /ð/, /θ/
4 Alveolars: are the sounds which are produced with the tip or blade of the tongue touching or approaching the alveolar ridge They are composed of /t/ - /d/ - /s/ - /z/ - /n/ - /l/
5 Alveo-palatals/Post-alveolar: are the sounds which the front of the tongue moves toward the area between alveolar ridge and hard palate They include /ʃ/- / / - /tʃ/ - /dʒ/ - /r/
6 Palatal: is the sound which is produced with the front of the tongue coming close to the hard palate It is /j/
7 Velars: are the sounds which are produced with the back of the tongue touching the soft palate They comprise /k/ - /g/- /ŋ/
8 Glottals: are the sounds which are produced without the active use of the tongue and other parts of the mouth They are /h/ - //
The places of articulation of English consonants are provided in Table 2
Bilabial Upper lip + lower lip p, b, m
Labio-dental Lower lip + upper teeth f, v
Alveolar ridge + tongue (Tongue at or near the ridge behind the upper front teeth) t, d, n
Retroflex Back of alveolar ridge + tongue r
Palato –alveolar Join of hard palate & alveolar ridge + tongue ʃ, ʒ, tʃ
Table 2: Consonants classified according to the place of articulation
According to the manner of articulation
1 Stops: are the sounds in the production of which there is a complete closure of the articulators involved so that the air-stream can’t escape through the mouth There are two kinds of stops: a Oral stops (Plosives): are the sounds which are produced with the air-stream being stopped in the oral cavity and the soft palate is raised blocking off the nasal cavity Then the two articulators come apart quickly and the air escapes through the oral tract They are /p/ - /d/ - /k/ b Nasal stops (Nasals): they are produced with the air-stream being stopped in the oral cavity but the soft palate is down so that the air can go out through the nose They are: /m/ - /n/ - /ŋ/
2 Fricatives: are the sounds in the production of which two articulators come close together but there is still a small opening between them so the air-stream is partially obstructed and an audible friction noise (a hissing sound) is produced They are /ʃ/ - /f/ - /ʒ/.
3 Affricates: are the sounds which are produced when a stop is immediately followed by a fricative They are /tʃ/ - /dʒ/.
4 Lateral: is the sound which is made when the air-stream is obstructed at a point along the centre of the oral tract, with incomplete closure between one or both sides of the tongue and the roof of the mouth It is /l/
5 Approximants: are the sounds in the production of which two articulators come close together but without the vocal tract being narrowed to such an extent that a friction noise is produced It is /j/
The places of articulation of English consonants are provided in Table 3
Table 3: Consonants classified according to the manner of articulation
Errors and mistakes
Making mistakes is an essential aspect of the learning process, as highlighted by Ancker (2000) In language acquisition, errors are unavoidable and play a crucial role in cognitive development It is impossible to learn a language effectively without first making and addressing these systematic errors.
Complete closure in the mouth, air escapes through nose m, n, ŋ
Fricative Narrowing, resulting in audible friction ʃ, f, ʒ
Affricate Closure, then slow separation tʃ, dʒ
Lateral Closure in centre of mouth, air escapes down sides l
Approximant Slight narrowing, not enough to cause friction J
Linguists have provided various definitions of errors, with Ellis (1994) defining an error as a deviation from the norms of the target language However, identifying the norms of the target language is complex, as what constitutes standard usage in educated Zambian English may differ significantly from the norms found in British or American English.
Dulay et al (1982) define an error as the imperfect aspects of a learner's speech and writing, highlighting the elements of conversation or composition that diverge from established norms.
Errors in language learning often arise from a lack of understanding of grammar and phonetics, leading students to make systematic mistakes repeatedly.
A mistake you do once by accident Students are aware of the grammar but say the wrong things
Mistakes in writing or speaking often stem from factors such as lack of attention, fatigue, or carelessness and can typically be self-corrected In contrast, errors arise from a learner's incomplete understanding of the language.
Adrian (1994: 133) defines a mistake as an "error" occurring when a learner lacks the necessary criteria for correctness, indicating that it involves new information that they cannot independently resolve Researchers have classified errors in various ways, reflecting the diverse perspectives on how to understand and analyze them.
Hendrickson (1980) categorized errors into two main types: local and global, emphasizing that global errors can render a sentence ambiguous or nonsensical In contrast, Duley et al (1982) identified four observable error types: omission, addition, misformation, and misordering, highlighting the different ways errors can manifest in language use.
Abbot (1980: 82) divided errors into competence errors and performance errors Competence errors consist of transfer, interlingual and induced Performance errors include errors of processing problems and errors of communication strategies
In his 2003 PhD thesis, Pham Dang Binh categorized Vietnamese students' language errors into two primary types: common errors and typical errors Common errors are those made by second language learners universally, regardless of their nationality, often occurring early in the learning process These include competence errors related to phonology, vocabulary, and grammar, as well as performance errors, which can be further divided into intralingual and interlingual mistakes Conversely, typical errors are specific to groups of learners sharing the same first language or cultural background, encompassing interlingual errors and errors arising from cultural interference.
Richards (1984) identifies three primary types of language errors: interlingual, intralingual, and developmental errors Interlingual errors occur due to language transfer, which is influenced by the learner's native language.
The classifications presented demonstrated minimal attention to the types of errors, failing to address the processes and underlying causes of errors made by learners.
Ha Cam Tam (2005) identified key pronunciation challenges faced by students at the University of Languages and International Studies Her research highlights that Vietnamese learners commonly struggle with sound omission, sound confusion, and sound redundancy, which are the most prevalent errors in their English pronunciation.
1.5.4 Causes of errors in language learning
Various factors contribute to the pronunciation challenges faced by foreign learners of English, with mother tongue interference being the most significant Research by Kenworthy (1988), Rivers and Temperly (1978), and Chan and Li (2000) highlights the crucial role of a learner's native language in the acquisition of English Specifically, Chan and Li (2000) note that "English sounds which have no counterpart in the native language will at first be difficult for students to distinguish" (p.162).
In conclusion, previous studies have identified common pronunciation errors among Vietnamese learners of English; however, there has been a lack of research focusing specifically on the pronunciation errors of English consonants among school students This gap highlights the need for this study, which aims to investigate the prevalent consonant pronunciation errors made by tenth-grade students at Giao Thuy Upper Secondary School in Nam Dinh province.
METHODOLOGY
The informants of the study
The study involved 15 randomly selected grade 10 students from Giao Thuy Upper Secondary School, specifically from classes 10A1, 10A2, and 10B8 Of the participants, 13 were female and 2 were male All students have been studying English for 8 years, starting from grade 3, and they are utilizing the same textbook in their learning process.
The study was conducted using the English textbook "Tiếng Anh 10" by Hoang Van Van et al (2006/2015), with all participants being students in classes taught by the researcher, facilitating the research process.
Prior to recording their pronunciation, the researcher ensured that informants felt comfortable by avoiding any pressure, such as marks, comments, or criticisms This approach encouraged their participation in the study, which focused on identifying common errors in consonant pronunciation.
One foreign teacher also helped to the research with the collecting of data for the study.
Research method
Recording is the most widely used method for collecting spoken data due to its ability to preserve the complete verbal content for future analysis This technique allows researchers to pause and replay sections, enabling a clearer and more accurate understanding of the data Consequently, recording is employed to gather information on students' consonant pronunciation errors effectively.
The study aimed to assess students' pronunciation by utilizing data from the textbook Tiếng Anh 10 Participants were instructed to read aloud a selection of single words and sentences featuring all twenty-four consonants in various positions: initial, medial, and final The scripts were derived from Units 11 to 16 of the textbook, and the researcher strategically organized the content according to the places of articulation outlined by Roach (1983), beginning with bilabial sounds (/b/, /p/, /m/, /w/) and progressing to labiodental sounds (/f/, /v/).
/ post-alveolar (/ʃ/-/ʒ/-/tʃ/-/dʒ/-/r/) palatal (/j/) velar (/k/-/g/-/ŋ/) This arrangement aimed to help the researcher to identify students’ errors more easily with logical data
The researcher created a table featuring 24 single words, each containing various consonants, and involved 15 students identified by numbers from S1 to S15 The study concentrated on one specific consonant within each word to assess the students' error rates.
During the analysis, the researcher marked errors made by students in the recording by placing a cross (x) in the designated blanks These errors were then counted manually and quantified for further analysis and discussion, as detailed in Table 5.
The words that contain English consonants for students to read aloud are presented in Table 3
Table 3 Words that contain 24 English consonants
No Words Transcription No Words Transcription
1 bad /bổd/ 13 provide /prəˈvaɪd/
8 television /ˈtelɪˈvɪʒn/ 20 Shop /ʃɒp/
The sentences that contain 24 English consonants are presented in Table 4
In these sentences each consonant appears at least 4 times The sounds in point are in bold
Table 4 Sentences that contain 24 English consonants
1 Pat buys Bill a big pad of paper /pổt baɪz bɪl ə bɪɡ pổd əv ˈpeɪpə/
2 A black bee is picking some pollen /ə blổk biː ɪz ˈpɪkɪŋ səm ˈpɒlən/
3 I remember meeting him on a nice summer afternoon
/ˈaɪ rɪˈmembə ˈmiːtɪŋ hɪm ɒn ə naɪs ˈsʌmər ˌɑːftəˈnuːn/
4 We went for a walk in the woods near the railway
/wi ˈwent fər ə wɔːk ɪn ðə wʊdz nɪə ðə ˈreɪlweɪ/
5 I want a photograph for myself and my wife
/aɪ wɒnt ə ˈfəʊtəɡrɑːf fə maɪˈself ənd maɪ waɪf/
6 Stephen is driving a van full of vines /ˈstiːvnz ˈdraɪvɪŋ ə ˈvổn ˈfʊl əv ˈvaɪnz/
7 I thought Mr Smith was thirty-three /ˈaɪ ˈθɔːt ˈmɪstə | smɪθ wəz ˈθɜːti θriː/
8 Something about him makes me think he is like my brother
/ˈsʌmθɪŋ əˈbaʊt ɪm ˈmeɪks miː ˈθɪŋk hi z ˈlaɪk maɪ ˈbrʌðə/
9 It’s exactly twenty- two minutes to ten
/ɪts ɪɡˈzổktli ˈtwenti ˈtuː ˈmɪnɪts tə ten/
10 They stayed at home and played cards with the children
/ðeɪ steɪd ət həʊm ənd ˈpleɪd kɑːdz wɪð ðə ˈtʃɪldrən/
11 My aunt likes to watch the film “The
/maɪ ɑːnt ˈlaɪks tə wɒtʃ ðə fɪlm ðθ ˈsaʊnd əv ˈmjuːzɪk/
12 He's won the first prize for singing folk songs
/hiz wʌn ðə ˈfɜːst praɪz fə ˈsɪŋɪŋ fəʊk sɒŋz/
13 We have a nice apartment in
/wi həv ə naɪs əˈpɑːtmənt ɪn ˈnɔːðənd ˈổvənjuː/
14 Laura is a really pretty librarian in the public library
/ˈlɔː.rə iz ə ˈrɪəli ˈprɪti laɪˈbreərɪən ɪn ðə ˈpʌblɪk ˈlaɪbrəri/
15 A massage can be a good measure to help you relax
/ə ˈmổsɑːʒ kən bi ə ɡʊd ˈmeʒə tə help ju rɪˈlổks/
16 Does this shop sell washing machines?
/dəz ðɪs ʃɒp sel ˈwɒʃɪŋ məˈʃiːnz/
17 The child wants to make changes in his behavior?
/ðə ˈtʃaɪld ˈwɑːnts tə ˈmeɪk ˈtʃeɪndʒəz ɪn ɪz bəˈheɪvjər/
18 Two jeeps went over the edge of the bridge
/ˈtuː dʒiːps went ˈəʊvə ði edʒ əv ðə brɪdʒ/
19 My father is a breadwinner and supporter in my family
/maɪ ˈfɑːðəz ə ˈbredwɪnər ənd səˈpɔːtər ɪn maɪ ˈfổməli/
20 Did you use to be a tutor at the
/ˈtuː dɪd ju ˈjuːz tə bi ə ˈtjuːtər ət ðə juːnɪˈvɜːsɪti/
21 He can't kick the ball because he’s too weak
/hi kɑːnt ˈkɪk ðə bɔːl bɪˈkɒz hiz tuː wiːk/
22 Margaret took the dog and the cat for a walk
/ˈmɑːɡrɪt tʊk ðə dɒɡ ənd ðə kổt fər ə wɔːk/
23 Mr King is singing next door /ˈmɪstə kɪŋ iz ˈsɪŋɪŋ nekst dɔː/
24 There’s been a horrible accident A helicopter hit Helen’s house
/ðeəz biːn ə ˈhɒrəbl̩ ˈổksɪdənt ə ˈhelɪkɒptə hɪt ˈhelənz ˈhaʊs/
25 Could you wait for him? /kəd juː weɪʔ fər hɪm/
The data collection was conducted following three steps discussed below
The study involved respondents reading prepared scripts aloud, with their pronunciations recorded for analysis A foreign English teacher reviewed the recordings multiple times to identify consonant pronunciation errors, while the researcher conducted independent checks for accuracy The researcher then compared each student's pronunciation against standard narrow transcriptions and native speakers' pronunciations This analysis, grounded in articulatory phonetics, aimed to highlight common consonant pronunciation errors and the challenges students face The findings are detailed in Chapter 3.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
Findings and discussions
Errors often occur frequently among participants facing difficulties, and the way students produce these errors significantly differs from native speakers, potentially hindering listeners' comprehension The researcher identified several common consonant deviations among the subjects, as detailed in Tables 5 and 6, which summarize the consensus between the native teacher and the researcher.
Table 5: Students’ pronunciation errors on 24 single consonants
7 /tʃ/- voiceless palatal alveolar affricative 122 102 7.2%
Table 6: Error percentage on each consonant sound
At Giao Thuy High School, ten graders frequently mispronounce twelve out of twenty-four single consonants, with the most common errors involving sounds such as /θ/, /ð/, /dʒ/, /t/, /ʃ/, /f/, /tʃ/, /s/, /d/, /p/, /ʒ/, and /l/ The analysis of these mispronunciations, based on recorded samples, revealed a ranking of errors from the highest to the lowest percentage for each sound.
The voiceless interdental fricative /θ/ is the most prevalent single consonant in English, accounting for 10.7% of its usage This sound is unique to English and is absent in other languages, such as Vietnamese In recorded data, students often substituted the Vietnamese sound /ť/ (th) for /θ/, likely due to the influence of their mother tongue and a reluctance to mimic native speakers' pronunciation.
Sentence: I thought Mr Smith was thirty-three
/ˈaɪ ˈθɔːt ˈmɪstə | smɪθ wəz ˈθɜːti θriː/
Deviation think /θɪŋk/ /thɪŋk/ /θ/ /ť/ (th) in
Vietnamese something /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/ /ˈsʌmthɪŋ/ /θ/ /ť/ (th) in
Vietnamese mouth /maʊθ/ /maʊth/ /θ/ /ť/ (th) in
Table 7: Errors in pronouncing consonant /θ/
Among the consonant pronunciation errors made by my 10th grade students, the voiced interdental fricative /ð/, found in words like "they," "those," "then," and "brother," ranked second, accounting for 10.3% of errors This particular sound is absent in the Vietnamese phonetic system, leading students to substitute it with /ʒ/, /z/, or /d/ Consequently, the influence of their mother tongue negatively impacts their pronunciation skills.
Sentence: Something about him makes me think he is like my brother
/ˈsʌmθɪŋ əˈbaʊt ɪm ˈmeɪks miː ˈθɪŋk hi z ˈlaɪk maɪ ˈbrʌðə/
Deviation they /ðeɪ/ /zeɪ/ /ð/ /z/ brother /ˈbrʌðə/ /ˈbrʌzə/ /ð/ /z/ with /wɪð/ /wɪ/ /ð/ //
Table 8: Errors in pronouncing consonant /ð/
The voiced palatal affricate /dʒ/ accounts for 9.2% of errors among Vietnamese learners of English, primarily due to the absence of affricates in the Vietnamese consonant system This lack of familiarity makes the pronunciation of /ʤ/ particularly challenging, as learners must quickly produce a plosive /d/ and then adjust the tongue position to create the fricative /ʒ/ Consequently, many students substitute /ʤ/ with the sound /z/, despite the significant differences in articulation between /ʒ/ and /z/ For instance, the word "job" /dʒɒb/ may be incorrectly pronounced as /zɒb/, and "gender" /ˈdʒendə(r)/ can be misarticulated as /ˈzendə(r)/.
Sentence: Two jeeps went over the edge of the bridge
/ˈtuː dʒiːps went ˈəʊvə ði edʒ əv ðə brɪdʒ/
Deviation jam /dʒổm/ /zổm/ /dʒ/ /z/ suggest səgˈdʒest səgˈzest /dʒ/ /z/ village ˈvɪlɪdʒ ˈvɪlɪz /dʒ/ /z/
Table 9: Errors in pronouncing consonant /ʤ/
Students made errors in pronouncing the consonant sound /t/, ranking fourth with a frequency of 8.6% In English, /t/ is classified as a voiceless alveolar plosive, and while both Vietnamese and English include this sound, the articulation differs In English, /t/ is articulated with the tip or blade of the tongue against the alveolar ridge, whereas in Vietnamese, it is produced with the tongue and upper teeth This sound appears in all positions of words, as seen in examples like "teach," "titan," and "tit." The study revealed no significant differences in students' errors when producing /t/ across the three positions in words.
Sentence: It’s exactly twenty- two minutes to ten
/ɪts ɪɡˈzổktli ˈtwenti ˈtuː ˈmɪnɪts tə ten/
Deviation topic /ˈtɒpɪk/ /ˈtɒpɪk/ different place of articulation contain /kənˈteɪn/ /kənˈteɪn/ different place of articulation plant /plɑːnt/ /plɑːn/ omission-/t/
The pronunciation error identified was the voiceless palate-alveolar fricative /ʃ/, with a percentage of 7.9% Students confused the /ʃ/ sound with the Vietnamese /s/ sound, as /ʃ/ is relatively new to them This confusion led to the influence of their native pronunciation of /s/, which is a voiceless alveolar fricative, while /ʃ/ is classified as a voiceless alveo-palatal fricative.
Learners often make errors with the /ʃ/ sound because they do not articulate it as palatal The distinction between /ʃ/ and /s/ lies in the positioning of the tongue and the airflow; /ʃ/ is produced with the tongue touching the area behind the lower front teeth and the upper teeth, allowing air to escape through a narrower passage along the center of the tongue This sound is classified as alveo-palatal, with a place of articulation that is both partially palatal and partially alveolar The tongue's position for /ʃ/ is slightly further back than for /s/, resulting in a wider airflow passage This error may stem from the absence of the /ʃ/ sound in the Vietnamese phonetic system.
Sentence: Does this shop sell washing machines?
/dəz ðɪs ʃɒp sel ˈwɒʃɪŋ məˈʃiːnz/
Deviation shop /ʃɒp/ /sɒp/ /ʃ/ /s/ wash /ˈwɔːʃ/ /ˈwɔːs/ /ʃ/ /s/
Table 11 highlights the pronunciation errors associated with the consonant /ʃ/, revealing that the voiceless labiodental fricative /f/ has a significant error rate of 7.4% Many students incorrectly substitute /f/ with the voiced labiodental fricative /v/ or omit it, particularly in final positions While both sounds share the same place and manner of articulation as labiodental fricatives, they differ in vocal cord usage; /v/ is voiced, whereas /f/ is voiceless Understanding these distinctions is crucial for improving pronunciation accuracy in English.
Sentence: I want a photograph for myself and my wife
/aɪ wɒnt ə ˈfəʊtəɡrɑːf fə maɪˈself ənd maɪ waɪf/
Deviation laugh /lɑːf/ /lɑːv/ /f/ /v/ photograph /ˈfəʊtəɡrɑːf/ /ˈfəʊtəɡrɑː/ omission-/f/
Table 12: Errors in pronouncing consonant /f/
The pronunciation error of /tʃ/ was noted at a rate of 7.2% This sound can be characterized by three key features: the state of the vocal cords, the place of articulation, and the manner of articulation Students often substituted /tʃ/ with the "ch" sound from Vietnamese, as found in words like cheese, chair, reach, and catch In English, /tʃ/ is a voiceless palatal affricate, whereas the Vietnamese "ch" is produced by the blade of the tongue contacting the front part of the hard palate, being voiceless and aspirated To simplify pronunciation, students frequently replaced /tʃ/ with "ch" from their native language, leading to errors, especially when this sound appeared in the final position.
In this case, the sound might disappear or be deviated into /s/
Sentence: The child wants to make changes in his behavior?
/ðə ˈtʃaɪld ˈwɑːnts tə ˈmeɪk ˈtʃeɪndʒəz ɪn ɪz bəˈheɪvjər/
Deviation children /ˈtʃɪldrən/ /ˈtʃɪldrən/ /tʃ/ /ch/ watch /wɔːtʃ/ /wɔː/ /tʃ/ - omission watch /wɔːtʃ/ /wɔːs/ /tʃ/ /s/
Table 13 highlights an error in pronouncing the consonant /tʃ/, with an additional error rate of 7.1% for the /s/ sound among students The /s/ sound, classified as a voiceless alveolar fricative in English, is also present in the Vietnamese phonetic system Despite its existence in both languages, students still encounter challenges in accurately pronouncing this sound, leading to noticeable errors.
Many students struggle with the pronunciation of the /s/ sound, particularly when it appears as a suffix at the end of words This often results in the omission of the /s/ sound, especially in plural nouns and grammatical endings Such errors may stem from a lack of awareness regarding plural forms and grammatical rules among students.
Sentence: My aunt likes to watch the film “The Sound of Music”
/maɪ ɑːnt ˈlaɪks tə wɒtʃ ðə fɪlm ðθ ˈsaʊnd əv ˈmjuːzɪk/
Deviation piece /piːs/ /piː/ omission-/s/ sister /ˈsɪstə/ /ˈsɪtə/ omission-/s/ stops /stɒps/ /stɒp/ omission-/s/
Table 14: Errors in pronouncing consonant /s/
Grade 10 students exhibited a 6.9% error rate with the voiced alveolar plosive /d/ The recorded data revealed a common tendency among students to substitute the /d/ sound with the /t/ sound, particularly in final positions For example, the word "mud" was often pronounced as "mut."
Students often struggle with the pronunciation of the /d/ sound, particularly when it appears in consonant clusters at the end of words A common mistake is seen in the word "find," which should be pronounced as /faɪnd/, but many students attempt to pronounce it as /faɪn/, omitting the final /d/ This highlights the need for focused practice on consonant clusters to improve pronunciation skills.
Sentence: They stayed at home and played cards with the children
/ðeɪ steɪd ət həʊm ənd ˈpleɪd kɑːdz wɪð ðə ˈtʃɪldrən/
Deviation stayed /steɪd/ /steɪt/ /d/ /t/ provide /prəˈvaɪd/ /prəˈvaɪt/ /d/ /t/ find /faɪnd/ /faɪn/ omission-/d/
Table 15: Errors in pronouncing consonant /d/
A prevalent error among students at Giao Thuy Upper Secondary School is the mispronunciation of the voiceless bilabial plosive /p/, accounting for 6.8% of errors across various word positions This mistake arises because the sounds /b/ and /p/ share the same place and manner of articulation, differing only in vocal cord vibration; /b/ is voiced while /p/ is voiceless Additionally, the influence of the Vietnamese language, which lacks the /b/ sound in final positions, contributes to this issue For example, words like "pen," "pet," and "jump" may be incorrectly pronounced as /ben/, /bet/, and /dʒʌm/ The /p/ sound is produced by closing the lips and releasing a burst of air, classifying it as a plosive sound formed by halting airflow before releasing it explosively.
Sentence: Pat buys Bill a big pad of paper
/pổt baɪz bɪl ə bɪɡ pổd əv ˈpeɪpə/
Deviation provide /prəˈvaɪd/ /brəˈvaɪd/ /p/ /b/ jump /dʒʌmp/ /dʒʌm/ omission-/p/
Table 16: Errors in pronouncing consonant /p/
Some possible solutions to those errors
In accordance with the above findings, the followings will be some suggestions for English pronunciation teaching for Upper Secondary School teachers of English
To effectively teach consonant sounds, it is essential to begin with a clear articulation description, followed by a progression of exercises from simple to complex Utilizing techniques such as minimal pairs, information gap activities, tongue twisters, matching exercises, missing words, sounds bingo, and sounds discrimination exercises can significantly enhance students' learning experience These methods not only improve students' ability to learn consonants and individual sounds but also foster a motivating learning atmosphere By incorporating these techniques, educators can create a comprehensive and engaging approach to teaching consonant sounds, ultimately leading to improved student outcomes.
Technique 1: Minimal pairs: (T Bowen, and J Marks, 1992)
This activity is ideal for monolingual classes, allowing students to explore contrasts between English and their native language The technique involves displaying a list of minimal pairs on the board, with Vietnamese sounds in one column and corresponding English sounds in another The teacher reads from the list, selecting one word from each pair—either in English or Vietnamese—and prompts students to identify the language by shouting "Vietnamese" or "English."
You can also use this technique to contrast two similar sounds in English
Minimal pairs are pairs of words that differ by only one phoneme, such as "let" and "lit" or "leave" and "live." Utilizing these pairs can significantly enhance students' ability to identify subtle differences in English muted vowel sounds, ultimately improving both their pronunciation and comprehension skills.
The teacher introduces the concept of "minimal pairs" by displaying a list on the board After reading one word from a minimal pair, the teacher engages students by asking them to identify the word by responding with “first” or “second.”
For example: if the aim is to teach the two sounds /p/ and /b/, the minimal pairs can be:
/p/ /b/ pan ban pay bay pet bet park bark
If the aim is to teach the two contrast sounds “f’ and “v”, the words included in the minimal pairs can be:
/f/ /v/ fan van fine vine file vile fat vat fast vast
Then teacher reads out one word in a minimal pair, asking students to recognize the word
Teachers can utilize this technique to help students practice distinguishing between sounds that may cause confusion due to their similar pronunciation This method is effective for contrasting two similar sounds in English or for comparing one English sound with a similar Vietnamese sound By focusing on these contrasts, students can improve their phonetic awareness and pronunciation skills.
Vietnamese sound and an English sound that have nearly similar pronunciation, we call the technique “bilingual minimal pairs”
Tongue twisters are an effective method for teaching pronunciation, enabling students to practice language skills confidently and enhance their fluency These playful phrases often feature similar-sounding words with distinct meanings, encouraging learners to engage with challenging sounds in a fun way As students tackle these amusing challenges, they not only improve their pronunciation but also enjoy the process, making learning both effective and entertaining.
For example, we give students some sentences containing sounds then ask them to read aloud them
/s/ and /ʃ/ She sells sea shells on the shore
/dʒ / and / t∫/ Joy to see your chin, “jaw and cheek”
/h/ Harry Hunt hunts heavy hairy hares
Technique 3: Matching exercises: (P Avery and S Erhlich, 1992)
An effective method for teaching English consonants involves using matching exercises in the classroom The teacher can split the class into two groups: Group A receives written descriptions of various individuals, while Group B has corresponding pictures of those individuals The goal is for students to match the descriptions with the correct images For instance, to practice the sounds /b/ and /p/, students might work with pictures of Beckham and Peter, describing them accordingly.
Beckham is playing in the park
Peter is carrying a big bag
Students generated their own descriptors to match with the appropriate individuals, enhancing their communicative practice with consonants through collaborative group work.
An effective method for teaching consonants is through the use of missing words In this technique, the teacher presents short, simple sentences with one word omitted and asks students to provide the missing word For instance, to teach the sound "g," students can fill in the gaps with words like "girl" in "A boy and a ," "glass" in "This is a of wine," "gifts" in "They give each other at Christmas," "good" as the antonym of "bad," and "golden" in "Brazil won a _ medal for winning in the final." This interactive approach enhances learning and reinforces consonant sounds effectively.
Technique 5: Sounds bingo: (T Bowen, and J Marks, 1992)
This technique aids beginner-level students in associating sounds with their spellings The teacher distributes a Sounds Bingo worksheet and randomly pronounces sounds from the phonemic chart, such as /e/ for number 1 and /m/ for number 2 Students must listen carefully and write the corresponding number next to the sounds they hear on their cards The first student to correctly number all the sounds on their card wins the game.
Technique 6: Sounds discrimination exercise: (T Bowen, and J Marks, 1992)
This activity can help to sensitize learners to minimal differences between individual phonemes and enable them to recognize them in context
The teacher distributes worksheets to each student and explains that he will read contrasting sounds or words aloud Students must identify the sound being pronounced and mark the corresponding column on their worksheets This method shares similarities with the minimal pair technique.
This technique has been commonly used by most teachers in teaching pronunciation and shown some effectiveness The activities are often arranged from easy to difficult ones:
- Listen and repeat individual words containing consonant clusters
- Listen and repeat the phrases containing consonant clusters
- Listen and repeat conversation containing consonant clusters
In short, there are many ways of teaching English consonants; the above are just some main ones They are very useful in teaching consonants in a very communicative way
While various techniques exist for teaching English pronunciation, I recommend a select few that are particularly suitable for the students at Giao Thuy Upper Secondary School These methods are not only easy to implement but also engaging enough to inspire students to learn It’s essential to choose techniques that align with the individual learning styles and strategies of our students Although there are many other effective techniques available, I have focused on a few key ones due to time and space constraints.
Summary
Learning a foreign language involves making mistakes, as it is a natural part of the process This research utilized recordings of students’ pronunciation to gather data The findings revealed that students at Giao Thuy Upper Secondary School frequently struggle with specific consonant sounds, including /θ/, /ð/, /dʒ/, /t/, /ʃ/, /f/, /tʃ/, /s/, /d/, /p/, /ʒ/, and /l/.
To address common pronunciation errors in language learning, the study suggests practical techniques such as minimal pairs, information gap activities, tongue twisters, matching exercises, missing words, sounds bingo, sound discrimination exercises, and listen-and-repeat practices Mastering a foreign language is a long-term endeavor that demands significant effort from learners to achieve success and proper pronunciation It is crucial for both teachers and students to recognize the importance of these strategies and to explore innovative methods to overcome challenges and enhance their language skills.
Pedagogical implication
Teaching a foreign language, particularly English, poses significant challenges due to differences in sound systems between English and Vietnamese This study focuses on school students' errors in English consonant pronunciation and serves as a valuable resource for teachers It provides foundational knowledge on pronunciation, its importance in language education, and the factors influencing pronunciation learning Additionally, the study identifies common pronunciation errors among students, explores their causes, and suggests potential solutions, enabling teachers to gain deeper insights into the challenges faced by Vietnamese learners.
English pronunciation so that they can find out the way to help their students pronounce English sounds correctly
3 Limitations and suggestions for further research
Despite significant efforts in conducting this study, certain limitations persist Primarily, the research has a narrow focus, concentrating exclusively on the most prevalent pronunciation errors made by 15 upper high school students when articulating English consonants This examination is confined to two structured contexts: words and sentences derived from Tiếng Anh, due to time constraints.
10 The conclusions, therefore, are suggestive rather than conclusive Secondly, the suggested solutions are based only on the opinions of the researcher and some teachers It would be more appropriate if a bigger research size on this matter could be conducted
Future research in the field of pronunciation should focus on areas such as vowels, stress, and intonation, allowing for the identification and resolution of students' challenges in these aspects By employing various techniques, researchers can gain a comprehensive understanding of how to address learners' pronunciation issues effectively Additionally, it is essential to conduct further studies to validate the practical impact of the proposed solutions.
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In her 2014 unpublished MA thesis, Dương Thu Thảo conducted an investigation into the common pronunciation errors of English consonants made by students aged 6 to 10 at Linkinworld English Skills Similarly, Đào Thị Mỹ Hạnh's 2007 unpublished MA thesis focused on the pronunciation of six specific English consonants—/T, ð, ʃ, ʒ, tʃ, and dʒ/—among students at Haiphong Medical University Both studies highlight the challenges faced by young learners in mastering English consonant sounds.