INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
For over two decades, learning English has become essential in Vietnam, with English being a mandatory subject in most schools While various aspects of the language are taught, pronunciation often receives less focus compared to grammar and vocabulary This imbalance can hinder effective pronunciation teaching in secondary and high schools This study is inspired by the researcher’s experiences teaching pronunciation to first-year students at Thai Nguyen University.
Pronunciation is crucial in language learning, as it enhances communication and minimizes misunderstandings Clear pronunciation allows speakers to understand each other more effortlessly, serving as a catalyst for effective communication Additionally, receiving positive feedback on pronunciation motivates learners to improve their language skills.
As a teacher of pronunciation for first-year students, I have observed numerous pronunciation errors that lead to a foreign accent and occasional misunderstandings in their spoken English.
The researcher identified a challenge and chose to utilize specific Vietnamese consonant sounds to contrast with the English consonant sounds being taught This approach highlights the potential of the Vietnamese language as an effective support tool in language learning.
Teaching pronunciation effectively requires teachers to understand the similarities and differences between Vietnamese and English consonant sound systems For instance, while both languages feature the alveolar voiceless plosive /t/, variations in articulation and aspiration quality exist By leveraging these similarities and differences, teachers can aid learners in distinguishing sounds and mastering foreign pronunciation However, many pronunciation instructors often rely on pre-prepared materials from textbooks, overlooking valuable insights from the students' native language.
This study was carried out to evaluate how some teaching techniques which use Vietnamese consonant sounds in teaching English sounds affect students’ pronunciation.
Objectives of the study
This study aims to identify the most commonly mispronounced consonant sounds and assess the effectiveness of contrasting and substituting techniques in enhancing students' pronunciation of these sounds.
Research question
In order to reach the objective, this study was set up to answer the following question:
To what extent do the contrasting and substituting techniques help learners improve their pronunciation of consonant sounds?
Scope of the study
The research conducted at the School of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University, aims to implement effective techniques for teaching the pronunciation of challenging English consonants to first-year students.
It was carried out with the participation of first year students at the school
This study focuses on a limited selection of English consonant sounds, specifically targeting the six most frequently mispronounced sounds by students Given that the English consonant system comprises 24 distinct sounds, including all of them in the research would be challenging The researcher aims to enhance pronunciation by concentrating on these commonly misarticulated consonants.
Methodology
This study employs the quasi-experimental design The participants are chosen randomly Tests are assigned before and after the intervention The data are collected for analysis.
Significance of the study
This study highlights the importance of utilizing Vietnamese consonant sounds as a supportive tool in teaching English consonant sounds By contrasting and substituting specific English and Vietnamese consonants, participants can better grasp the nuances of English pronunciation This approach not only enhances their ability to pronounce target English sounds accurately but also helps mitigate negative transfer from their native language to English.
Organization of the study
This study consists of three main parts
Part 1 is the introduction This part provides the overview of the study
Part 2 is the development This part consist of 3 chapters
Chapter 1 is the literature review It provides an overview of pronunciation teaching as well as previous related studies It also presents the author’s framework
Chapter 2 deals with methodology It restates the research questions and describes the applied techniques, participants, data collection instrument, data collection procedure, and data analysis
Chapter 3 discusses the results and findings Major research findings and discussion are presented in details in this chapter
Part 3 is the conclusion; this part presents conclusions and implications of the study
DEVELOPMENT
This chapter outlines key methods and approaches for teaching pronunciation, including a comparative analysis of consonant sounds in English and Vietnamese Additionally, it introduces the research framework guiding this study.
1.1 Brief overview of Vietnamese and English consonant sounds
According to Đoàn Thiện Thuật (1999), Vietnamese language has 22 initial consonant sounds and 6 final consonant sounds These sounds are categorized in the following chart:
Stops aspirated voiceless t’ voiced unaspirated voiceless t ʈ c k ʔ voiced b d nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Fricatives voiceless f s ʂ χ h voiced v z ʐ ɣ l Table 1: Vietnamese consonant sounds
LITERATURE REVIEW
Brief overview of Vietnamese and English consonant sounds
According to Đoàn Thiện Thuật (1999), Vietnamese language has 22 initial consonant sounds and 6 final consonant sounds These sounds are categorized in the following chart:
Stops aspirated voiceless t’ voiced unaspirated voiceless t ʈ c k ʔ voiced b d nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Fricatives voiceless f s ʂ χ h voiced v z ʐ ɣ l Table 1: Vietnamese consonant sounds
All these 22 consonant sounds can be in the syllable initial position Six of them which can appear in the syllable final position are /m/, /n/, / ŋ/, /p/, /t/, /k/
The Vietnamese language lacks consonant clusters such as /pl/, /st/, and /kl/, which poses challenges for Vietnamese learners when acquiring foreign languages like English.
According to Roach, the classification of English consonant sounds are given in the following chart (Roach, 2000)
English consonant phonemes are characterized by three major characteristics, namely voicing, place of articulation, and manner of articulation
In addition to the consonant sounds listed in the table, the glottal plosive and alveolar flap serve as alternative sounds for the alveolar plosives.
Most of the consonants can be in the initial, medial, and final position of a syllable
1.1.3 Brief comparison between Vietnamese consonant sounds and
After reviewing the consonant sounds in English and Vietnamese, the researcher proposes an overall grouping of English and Vietnamese consonant sounds
The first group includes consonant sounds that are common to both languages, featuring nearly identical pronunciations Key examples of these shared consonants are the nasal sounds (/m/, /n/, /ŋ/) and the labio-dental fricatives (/f/, /v/).
The second group of sounds includes unique phonemes that are exclusive to individual languages For instance, the voiceless uvular fricative /χ/, found in the Vietnamese word "khó khăn," is absent in English Conversely, the voiced dental fricative /ð/, common in English, does not exist in Vietnamese, although some speakers may occasionally substitute it with a sound similar to /z/.
The third group includes consonant pairs that share similar sounds in both languages but exhibit specific differences These variations may arise from sound qualities or regional dialects For instance, the English alveolar voiceless plosive /t/ is distinct from the Vietnamese /t/ due to differences in aspiration quality, while the post-alveolar approximant /r/ also showcases these subtle variations.
The sound of the number 8 is present in both Vietnamese and English, but in Vietnamese, it is often articulated with a slight tongue tip vibration, unlike the English /r/ sound A key distinction between the two languages lies in the pronunciation of consonants at the end of syllables; in English, final consonant sounds are pronounced, whereas in Vietnamese, they are typically unexploded For instance, the final alveolar plosive in the English word "cut" /kʌt/ is released with a strong puff of air, contrasting with the final sound of "cắt" in Vietnamese, which lacks this explosive quality.
Pronunciation challenges primarily arise from consonant sounds in groups two and three, specifically those that are absent in Vietnamese and those that have slight variations from their Vietnamese counterparts.
Review of some pronunciation teaching methods
Pronunciation teaching has evolved over time, showcasing various methods and approaches This section focuses on three key teaching methods that are relevant to the techniques utilized in this study.
The Direct Method, which gained popularity in the late 1800s and early 1900s, emphasizes teaching pronunciation through students' intuition and imitation In this approach, learners are encouraged to replicate the speech patterns of their teacher or audio recordings by engaging in imitation and repetition exercises.
The instructional approach is based on observations of how children acquire their first language and how individuals learn foreign languages in informal environments (Celce-Murcia et al., 1996, p 3) A key technique that emerged from the Direct Method era is listening and imitating, where students actively listen to their teacher.
9 modeling then repeat and imitate it Nowadays, with the development of technology, tape recorders, video recorders, and language labs can be used as support to enhance this technique
The Reform Movement, which began in the 1890s, significantly influenced pronunciation teaching through the efforts of key figures such as Henry Sweet, Wilhelm Vietor, and Paul Passy These phoneticians established the International Phonetic Association and created the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), advocating for a systematic approach to pronunciation education.
The spoken form of a language is primary and should be taught first
The findings of phonetics should be applied to language teaching
Teachers must have solid training in phonetics
Learners should be given phonetics training to establish good speech habits
The phonetic training technique emerged from the Reform Movement, utilizing articulatory descriptions, diagrams, and a phonetic alphabet to effectively teach learners about sound production and transcription.
The third trend was Audiolingualism in the United States in the 1940s and
The 1950 method highlights the crucial role of pronunciation in language learning, advocating for explicit instruction from the beginning Similar to the Direct Method, it encourages learners to imitate the teacher's sounds A distinctive feature of this approach is the use of Minimal Pair drills, which focus on words that vary by just one sound in the same position, enhancing phonetic awareness and pronunciation skills.
This technique is used for both listening practice and guided oral production
It is based on the concept stated by Bloomfield (1933) that a phoneme is a
10 minimally distinctive sound It normally begins with words and then move on to sentence drills Some sample minimal pairs may be as followed:
Sentences: Don’t sit in that seat
Is that a black sheep? vs Is that a black ship?
One effective activity for teaching pronunciation involves helping students differentiate sounds through listening exercises The teacher pronounces pairs of words, such as "seat" and "sit," prompting students to determine if the sounds are the same or different Following this auditory discrimination, the teacher reads a word from one of the lists and asks students to identify the pronounced sound This is followed by guided oral production practice, where students imitate the teacher's model to practice the sounds in isolation and in contrast Finally, individual students are invited to read the lists aloud without a model, reinforcing their learning and pronunciation skills.
In the 1960s, the Cognitive Approach emerged, influenced by scholars like Chomsky and Neisser, who conceptualized language as a governed behavior rather than a simple habit formation This shift in perspective highlighted the significance of pronunciation in language learning and usage.
The belief that achieving native-like pronunciation is unrealistic has led to a shift in focus towards teaching more attainable skills, such as grammar and vocabulary, which are deemed more beneficial for language learners.
In the 1970s, two notable pronunciation teaching methods emerged: the Silent Way, developed by Gattegno in 1972, which emphasizes the accuracy of sound and structure from the outset, and Community Language Learning, created by Charles A Curran in 1976, which adopts an intuitive and imitative approach similar to the Direct Method.
In the late 1970s, the rise of the Communicative Approach to language teaching led educators to prioritize the instruction of suprasegmental features within a discourse context, recognizing it as the most effective method for structuring short-term pronunciation courses for nonnative speakers.
Today, pronunciation teaching seeks to identify the most important aspects of both the segmental and suprasegmental features, and integrate them appropriately to meet every learner’s needs.
Introduction of the contrasting and substituting techniques
Teaching pronunciation to Vietnamese learners presents unique challenges, as educators encounter varied experiences and adapt their methods accordingly Drawing from research and classroom experiences, this article suggests contrasting and substituting techniques to address pronunciation difficulties faced by first-year students at a specific language school.
Vietnamese language shares almost the same letters in the English alphabet and the sounds represented by some of the letters sound quite similar to some
Understanding the 12 English sounds is crucial for accurate pronunciation, as many learners may mistakenly assume that the same letters represent identical sounds This misconception can lead to challenges in mastering English pronunciation To address this, contrasting and substituting techniques are employed, emphasizing the distinctive features of sounds in both English and Vietnamese By highlighting the key characteristics of target English sounds, learners can more easily achieve the desired pronunciation.
The application of sound teaching techniques occurs in two stages Initially, the teacher selects a Vietnamese equivalent for the English consonant sound being taught and highlights the differences between the two sounds In the subsequent stage, students engage in sound substitution drills to reinforce their understanding and pronunciation.
The process of applying the techniques should go through the following steps:
- The teacher introduces the sound being taught This step can be accomplished by using a recording tape
- The teacher explains the mechanism of producing the target sound
- The teacher has students pronounce the target sound This is a listening and repeating drill in which students have to imitate the model pronunciation
The teacher highlights the differences between the target English sound and its Vietnamese equivalent, selecting a Vietnamese sound that closely resembles either its pronunciation or written form This approach emphasizes the distinctions between the two sounds, aiding students in understanding the nuances of English pronunciation.
In an engaging classroom activity, the teacher substitutes Vietnamese sounds with their English counterparts in select Vietnamese words, encouraging students to practice pronunciation This technique may lead to the creation of amusing nonsensical words, but its primary goal is to help learners grasp the fundamental essence of English sounds.
- The teacher has students practice English words containing the sound that is being taught
Effective techniques for teaching English pronunciation can be utilized when there are equivalent sound pairs between English and Vietnamese, such as the English /t/ and the Vietnamese /t/ Additionally, these methods are applicable for sounds that share the same written representation in both languages, like the sounds represented by "th" in English and Vietnamese.
These techniques leverage the strengths of various established methods, including the Direct Method's listening and repetition, the minimal pair drills from Audiolingualism, and the phonetic training advocated by the Reform Movement.
In the second step of phonetic training in the Reform Movement, the teacher explains the mechanism for producing the target sound, highlighting a key aspect of this educational approach.
In the third step of the Direct Method, the teacher presents pronunciation models of the target English sound for students to imitate This crucial feature allows learners to utilize the pronunciation mechanisms they previously learned, enabling them to effectively apply their knowledge in practice.
In the next step, the teacher chooses a Vietnamese sound which is similar to the English sound being taught in either written form or spoken form and
14 helps students compare and contrast the sounds The differences are highlighted so that students who mispronounce the sound in the previous step can now see their problems
The significance of the techniques used in this study lies in the teacher's ability to select Vietnamese words that contain sounds similar to the English sounds being taught By replacing the Vietnamese sounds with the target English sounds, the teacher creates new, often humorous, words that engage students in pronunciation practice This approach, alongside Minimal pair drills, allows students to pronounce both the original and newly-created words, helping them grasp the key features of the English sounds Additionally, these techniques address challenges posed by the differing sound combinations in English and Vietnamese, as well as surrounding sounds that can obstruct learners' pronunciation By isolating the target sounds within the learners' native linguistic context, these methods eliminate distractions and provide an optimal environment for mastering the true qualities of the English sounds.
After the learners have accessed the essence of the target sound, it is brought back to its English language environment The teacher provides students with
15 some English words containing the target sound to practice their pronunciation
To mitigate negative transfer in language learning, techniques based on the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis are essential This hypothesis suggests that the influence of a learner's native language on the target language significantly contributes to the development of foreign accents By employing these techniques, learners can effectively compare the distinct qualities of the target sounds with their native sounds, thereby minimizing negative transfer and improving pronunciation.
METHODOLOGY
Participants
The study has the participation of 40 first year students 11 of them are male and the other 29 are female They are from 18 to 20 years old They come from different provinces
Students at the School of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University, come from diverse English learning backgrounds, each having studied the language for at least five years in secondary and high schools However, high school English education often overlooks the significance of proper pronunciation, leading to frequent mistakes, particularly with consonant sounds.
The 40 students are chosen basing on a pretest This test is aimed at deciding the most commonly mispronounced consonants and choosing students to participate in the next step In the test, the participants are required to read out loud a wordlist Their pronunciation errors are noted by the examiner
The study focuses on six commonly mispronounced consonants, selecting 40 students who struggle with these sounds These students are then divided into two groups, each comprising 20 individuals, to analyze their pronunciation challenges.
An American teacher with over five years of experience teaching in Vietnam, who also has basic Vietnamese language skills, supports this study by serving as an examiner for the tests.
Data collection instruments
The study uses tests to collect data There are two tests in this research They are reproduced in the Appendix
The initial assessment is conducted prior to the instructional phase, allowing educators to identify the most commonly mispronounced sounds This evaluation not only guides the teaching process but also helps in pinpointing students who struggle with these specific sounds.
The second test is administered upon the completion of the teaching period to assess student progress This evaluation specifically compares the advancements made by students in each group By analyzing the results from both groups, the effectiveness of the teaching techniques can be determined.
All the tests are scored by the researcher with the help from the American teacher.
Procedures of data collection
The data of this study are collected by using spoken tests, and there are three main steps in the procedure of data collection
The initial stage of the data collection process involves identifying frequently mispronounced consonant sounds and selecting participants To achieve these objectives, a placement test is utilized.
A random selection of 100 freshmen students, aged 18 to 20, from both genders, is chosen to participate in a test at the School of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University The majority of these students hail from rural areas.
Most of the individuals in mountainous regions have a minimum of five years of English education from secondary and high schools, with only a few coming from urban areas such as Hanoi or Thai Nguyen City.
The content of this test consists of a wordlist which covers the consonants in the group 2 and 3 which was mentioned in the earlier parts of this study
During the test, the students are required to read out loud the wordlist one time The examiners underline the mispronounced sound made by the students when listening to them
The study analyzes pronunciation errors to determine the most commonly mispronounced sounds among students Six specific sounds are identified for this analysis: the final /t/, /θ/, /ð/, /ʃ/, /ʤ/, and /j/ A total of 40 students, noted for their frequent mispronunciation of these sounds, are selected to participate in the intervention phase of the study.
The second step is to intervene in the teaching process by implementing the techniques
The 40 chosen students are divided into two groups called group A and group
B Each group consists of 20 students The teacher uses different teaching methods to teach the target sounds to the two groups
The target sounds of the teaching intervention are final /t/, /θ/, /ð/, /ʃ/, /ʤ/, /j/
This intervention includes two class meetings for teaching, two sessions for review, and one session for evaluation, totaling five meetings per group Each teaching session is 40 minutes long, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the material.
19 sounds of /t/, /θ/, /ð/ are taught in the first meeting session, and the other three sounds are taught in the second session
2.3.2.1 Teaching without applying contrasting and substituting techniques
In teaching Group A, the instructor adheres closely to the structured steps outlined in the textbook "Ship or Sheep" by Ann Baker, ensuring a systematic approach to the lesson.
The teacher has students get familiar with the target sound by letting them listen to a short conversation or utterances in which the sound appears many times
The teacher offers an articulatory description of sounds, detailing the positions of the articulators, including the lips, tongue, and teeth, as well as the release of the airstream and the behavior of the vocal cords This explanation is enhanced with diagrams and pictures, and the teacher also demonstrates the process.
The teacher guides students to listen to audio files and imitate the sounds presented Initially, students focus on mimicking the individual sounds before progressing to words that include the target sound This listening and repetition process is repeated multiple times to reinforce learning.
After students practice with audio files, they engage in a minimal pair exercise that highlights the target sound by comparing it to another English sound that differs by just one feature.
The teacher plays an audio tape while students listen and mark the correct words from pairs Following this, students practice pronouncing the pairs to highlight the distinctions between them.
In this stage, students engage in a dialogue featuring the target sound, which they repeat in unison Following a modeled demonstration, they practice the dialogue in pairs to reinforce their learning This approach effectively incorporates various teaching techniques to enhance language acquisition.
In group B, the teacher employs contrasting and substituting methods to teach target sounds, sharing similarities with the first group while emphasizing the differences between English and Vietnamese sounds This approach highlights the distinctive features of the target sound, enhancing students' articulation mechanisms The implementation of these techniques follows a structured set of steps to ensure effective learning.
To help students become acquainted with the target sound, the teacher plays a short conversation or utterances that feature the sound repeatedly This initial exposure allows learners to form their first impression of the sound, including its characteristics and how it is pronounced.
The teacher emphasizes the key aspects of sound articulation, including place, manner, and voicing For instance, when teaching the pronunciation of /t/, students learn to position their tongue at the alveolar ridge, completely obstructing the airstream before releasing it forcefully while keeping their vocal cords still Similarly, for the sound /θ/, the teacher highlights the importance of tongue placement, instructing students to keep their tongue positioned between the upper and lower teeth throughout the pronunciation process.
The teacher employs a contrasting technique to highlight differences between English and Vietnamese sounds, focusing on articulation, manner, and voicing For instance, when teaching the English sound /t/, the teacher emphasizes its aspirated quality compared to the non-aspirated Vietnamese /t/, helping students avoid mispronunciation influenced by their mother tongue A practical method involves having students place their hand in front of their mouth to feel the air puff Similarly, when addressing the pronunciation of /θ/, the teacher contrasts its articulation with the Vietnamese /t’/, which is a voiceless aspirated stop, as noted by Vietnamese phonetician Đoàn Thiện Thuật The lesson includes comparing tongue positions and the release of air to aid comprehension and proper pronunciation.
Procedure of data analysis
The analysis of the collected data reveals the frequency of mispronounced sounds in both the placement and evaluation tests, indicating a notable similarity in their results.
The placement test aims to identify the most commonly mispronounced sounds by analyzing the frequency of mispronunciations among students This data is quantified by counting the number of students mispronouncing each sound, which is then converted into percentages for clearer visualization Specifically, the count of mispronouncing students is divided by the total number of students, typically 100, and multiplied by 100 to express the results as a percentage.
The data analysis process for the evaluation test involves several key steps Initially, the total count of students mispronouncing a specific sound is determined from their test results This figure is then converted into a percentage by dividing it by the total number of students in the group, which is 20, and multiplying the result by 100.
RESULTS AND FINDINGS
Results of the placement test
A total of 100 students are participating in the initial test, which aims to identify specific sounds for teaching and to select students for two separate groups.
The test results indicate that the primary pronunciation errors among these students include the omission of final consonants like /s/, /z/, /t/, and /v/ Additionally, there is confusion between sounds such as /ð/ and /d/ or /z/, /ʃ/ and /s/, as well as /θ/ and /t/ or /s/, which may resemble the Vietnamese /t’/ Furthermore, students often confuse /ʤ/ with /z/ or /ʒ/, and /j/ with /ʒ/.
A significant 66% of students tend to omit final sounds such as /s/, /z/, /t/, and /v/, leading to mispronunciations of plural forms and third-person singular verbs For instance, words like "go" and "goes" or "table" and "tables" are pronounced the same due to this omission Commonly omitted sounds include /t/ and /v/, with examples like "fight" and "five" both pronounced as /fai/ This issue is particularly notable because not all final consonants are present in Vietnamese, making it challenging to incorporate them into the study The focus is on the sound /t/, which does occur in final positions in Vietnamese words and can be effectively contrasted with the Vietnamese sound /t/.
65% of the students (65 out of 80) confuse /ð/ for /d/ or /z/ Most of the time, the sound /ð/ is mispronounced as /z/, but there are some students pronounce
27 it like the sound /d/ For example, the word weather and then are pronounced / 'wezə/ and /zen/ by these students
59% of the students (59 out of 100) confuse the palate-alveolar sound /ʃ / for the alveolar /s/ Words such as shower / ʃaʊə/ or sheep / ʃɪːp/ are pronounced as / saʊə/ and / sɪːp/
Many students struggle with the dental voiceless fricative /θ/, confusing it with /t/ or /s/ For instance, words like "math" /mɑθ/ and "thick" /θɪk/ are often mispronounced as /mɑt/ or /tɪk/, and "thick" may even be pronounced as /sɪk/, leading to entirely different meanings This confusion arises because the initial /θ/ is frequently pronounced as /t’/, causing "thick" to sound like /t’ɪk/, which closely resembles the Vietnamese word "thích" (to like).
The voiced affricate /ʤ/ poses significant challenges for students, with 69% mistakenly pronouncing it as /ʒ/ or /z/ Common examples include the words "job" and "June," which are frequently articulated incorrectly as /ʒɒb/ and /ʒu:n/, or even /zɒb/ and /zu:n/.
A notable pronunciation challenge for students involves the sound /j/, with 63% mispronouncing it For instance, the word "young" is often incorrectly pronounced as either /zʌŋ/ or /ʒʌŋ/, while "your" may be articulated as /zɔː/ or /ʒɔː/.
The results of the first test can be illustrated in the following chart
Diagram 1: Pronunciation errors from the results of the placement test
Discussion of the placement test findings
The initial assessment revealed numerous pronunciation errors among students, with six prevalent mispronounced sounds identified This test also enables the researcher to analyze the specific challenges students face in pronouncing these sounds correctly.
The most frequent error in pronunciation among students is the sound /θ/, which is often confused with sounds like /t/ or /s/, particularly the Vietnamese sound /t’/ This confusion arises from the place of articulation and the force of the airstream; some students produce a strong airstream resulting in /t/, while others mimic a hissing sound, leading to /s/ Additionally, the written representation of /θ/ as "th" complicates matters, as it resembles the Vietnamese sound /t’/ found in words like "thích thú" and "thanh thản." According to Vietnamese phonetician Đoàn Thiện Thuật, when producing /t’/, the tip of the tongue remains straight.
72% dropped final sounds mispronounced /ð/ confused /ʃ / mispronounced
29 that it would touch the tooth ridge Also, this sound is a plosive, which means that the airstream is totally obstructed in the mouth and then it is pushed out
The Vietnamese sound differs significantly from the English sound /θ/, leading to confusion among students due to their similar written forms Consequently, many learners pronounce "thick" in a way that resembles the Vietnamese word "thích," which translates to "to like."
The voiced affricate /ʤ/ is the second most mispronounced sound, particularly challenging for first-year students due to its complexity This sound combines the alveolar plosive /d/ and the post-alveolar fricative /ʒ/, requiring simultaneous production of both components while the vocal cords vibrate Notably, /ʤ/ is absent in the Vietnamese sound system, complicating teaching techniques Similar to /θ/, the /ʤ/ sound lacks a direct counterpart in Vietnamese, although some Vietnamese sounds, like /d/ and the retroflex fricative /ʐ/, share similarities with its components Consequently, many learners attempt to replicate the sound by producing a mix that resembles either the Vietnamese /ʐ/ or the English /ʒ/, with some even resorting to the sound /z/.
30 alternative because of their laziness to raise their tongue blade to the post- alveolar position
Dropping final consonant sounds, such as /s/, /z/, /t/, and /v/, is a significant error in verbal communication that can lead to misunderstandings For instance, omitting the final sound in "six" transforms it into "sick," altering its meaning entirely, while dropping the final sound in "light" changes it to "lie," which conveys negative implications.
Students often struggle to pronounce final consonants in English due to negative transfer from Vietnamese, where such sounds are typically omitted This challenge is compounded by a lack of instruction on proper pronunciation of these final consonants While English does have instances of omitted final sounds in connected speech, greater emphasis on pronunciation in high school English classes could help students better understand and articulate these sounds, preventing them from taking dropped consonants for granted.
The /ð/ sound, a voiced dental fricative, is often mispronounced by Vietnamese learners due to its unfamiliarity To correctly produce this sound, speakers must place their tongues between their upper and lower teeth, similar to the /θ/ sound; however, the key distinction lies in the use of vocal cords Many students find the tongue placement awkward, leading them to incorrectly position their tongues at the alveolar ridge before pronouncing the syllable's center.
The sound /z/ is articulated similarly to /ð/ in terms of vocal cord behavior, but differs in its place of articulation, specifically being alveolar This distinction makes it easy to identify the sound as /z/, highlighting a common error in pronunciation.
A study found that 63% of participants struggled with the pronunciation of the /j/ sound, indicating its complexity This sound is frequently mistaken for /ʒ/, leading to mispronunciations of words such as "young" (/jʌŋ/) and "your" (/jɔː/), which were often pronounced as /ʒʌŋ/ and /jɔː/.
The confusion between the sounds /ʃ/ and /s/ is a prevalent issue for students, with 59% of participants making this pronunciation error This mispronunciation is particularly concerning when it affects common words such as "nation" and "shirt," where the /ʃ/ sound is often incorrectly replaced by /s/.
Minor pronunciation errors in consonant sounds include the substitution of the final consonant /f/ with /p/ and the confusion of the consonant cluster /tr/ with /tʃ/ Nevertheless, the six primary errors previously discussed are the most prevalent and will be the focus of the teaching intervention.
Results of the evaluation test
After the completion of the teaching intervention, a placement test is administered to assess the effectiveness of the instruction in both groups The results for Group A are as follows.
In Group A, the teacher employs traditional methods from the textbook "Ship or Sheep" to instruct students on target sounds Instead of using contrasting and substituting techniques, the teacher focuses on listening and imitating, as well as drills, to enhance learning.
There are 20 students in this group, so there are 20 participants in this test
The results of the first group are summarized in the following table and figure:
Table 3: Number of errors made by the students in group A
Diagram 2: Pronunciation errors in group A in percentage
P e rc en ta ge o f m is p ro n o u n ci n g st u d en ts
The results indicate that 10 students, representing 45% of the total, struggle with the sound /ʤ/ Following closely, the sounds /θ/ and the final consonant sound /t/ each account for 8 mistakes, affecting 40% of the students Additionally, 7 instances of mispronunciation were noted for both /j/ and /ð/, indicating that 35% of the students have difficulties with these sounds Lastly, 5 students mispronounced /ʃ/, which corresponds to 25% of the total student population.
In Group B, the teacher employs contrasting and substituting methods to effectively teach target sounds, engaging a total of 20 students who are all subjected to testing.
The results of this test can be illustrated in the following table and diagram:
Table 4: Number of errors made by the students in group B
Diagram 3: Pronunciation errors in group B in percentage
The study reveals that the sound /ʤ/ poses the greatest challenge for students, with 9 individuals mispronouncing it, accounting for 45% of all test takers Following closely, the sound /θ/ ranks second, being mispronounced 6 times Notably, the final /t/ sound, occurring 3 times, is the least frequently mispronounced sound among the participants.
Discussion of the results of the evaluation test
The pronunciation errors students in the two groups make are contrasted in the following table and diagram
Table 5: Number of pronunciation errors made by the students in the two groups
Diagram 4: Pronunciation errors in the two groups in percentage
The table 5 and the diagram 4 show us how students in each group make pronunciation mistakes, and it also tells which sound is the most problematic
In general, group B has a better result with 31 pronunciation errors in comparison with 42 errors made by group A Also, the results show that students make different progress with different sounds
The /ʤ/ sound poses the greatest challenge for students in both groups, with Group A having 10 students and Group B having 9 students mispronouncing it, representing 50% and 45% of each group, respectively This indicates that the performance difference between the two groups is minimal, as Group B has only one student mispronouncing the sound.
60% sound /t/ sound /ð/ sound /ʃ / sound /θ/ sound /ʤ/ sound /j/ group A group B
The pronunciation of this sound in Group B is notably less effective compared to Group A, indicating that the teaching techniques employed have limited impact This is primarily due to the unique features of the sound that are not present in any Vietnamese consonants Consequently, the teacher's focus must primarily be on the mechanics of producing this sound Since no Vietnamese sound matches this particular combination, the instructor must resort to using alternative sounds, such as the fricative retroflex /ʐ/ found in words like "giòn giã," to aid in teaching.
The voiceless dental fricative /θ/ was previously a challenging sound for students in the placement test However, following an initial intervention, a significant improvement was noted, with 70% of students in group B, who utilized contrasting and substituting techniques, able to pronounce the sound correctly, compared to 60% in group A Among the six students in group B who still mispronounced /θ/, five demonstrated the correct inter-dental tongue position but struggled with the airstream release, resulting in a plosive sound This suggests that the techniques employed have shown some effectiveness in enhancing students' pronunciation regarding the place of articulation.
The pronunciation of the final sound /t/ highlights a notable distinction between two student groups, with 70 percent of group A successfully pronouncing it compared to 85 percent in group B A significant portion of group A continues to omit this sound, reflecting a common characteristic of the Vietnamese language This 15 percent difference in successful pronunciation is quite pronounced.
37 that the substituting drills help the students in group B form the habit of pronouncing the final sound
The voiced dental fricative /ð/ reveals varying performance levels among two student groups, with 65 percent of group A successfully producing the sound compared to 75 percent in group B A notable error among group A is the confusion between /ð/ and /z/, and while the 10 percent difference may not meet the researcher’s expectations, it suggests a positive trend in students’ phonetic acquisition Additionally, observations indicate that students in group A who mispronounced the voiced dental fricative also struggled with the voiceless dental sound, highlighting a potential correlation in their pronunciation challenges.
The palatal sound /j/ also shows a difference in the performances of the two groups 20 percent of the students in group B fail to produce this sound, while
In a recent study, it was found that 35 percent of students in group A struggle to produce the palatal approximant sound correctly, as they mistakenly allow their tongues to touch the upper palate, similar to the pronunciation of /z/ or /ʒ/ While both groups were taught the mechanics of producing this sound, only group B received instruction on the contrast and substitution with /z/, which facilitated their understanding and improved their pronunciation Consequently, many students in group B were able to correct long-standing misconceptions from their previous studies.
The experimental group demonstrates superior results compared to group A, although the pronunciation of /ʃ/ deviates from this trend, with four students in each group exhibiting unexpected outcomes.
Approximately 20% of students mispronounce the /ʃ/ sound, particularly in the final position of words like "cash." This mispronunciation is more evident in group B, who benefit from specific teaching techniques It's important to note that not all words with the /ʃ/ sound are mispronounced, suggesting that these errors may stem from pronunciation habits rather than the mechanics of speech.
In summary, implementing effective teaching techniques can significantly enhance students' pronunciation skills, although certain sounds, such as /ʤ/ and /ʃ/, may still present challenges despite these methods.
CONCLUSIONS
Recapitulation of major findings
A study conducted at the School of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University, evaluates the effectiveness of substituting and contrasting techniques in teaching English consonant sounds The aim is to enhance English pronunciation instruction, and the research reveals two significant findings.
A recent study identified the consonants most commonly mispronounced by students, including /θ/, /ð/, /ʃ/, /ʤ/, /j/, /t/, and several omitted final consonants This finding emerged from a placement test involving 100 randomly selected freshmen.
The study reveals that students in the experimental group (Group B), who utilized specific teaching techniques, demonstrated superior pronunciation of target sounds compared to those in the control group (Group A) This conclusion is supported by the results of an evaluation test, where both groups, consisting of 20 students each, were tasked with reading a wordlist aloud.
The test results indicate that group A made a total of 42 pronunciation errors, whereas group B recorded only 31 errors Furthermore, when analyzing individual sounds, students in group B demonstrated a greater improvement in the pronunciation of most target sounds compared to their counterparts in group A.
In conclusion, the study identified the six most commonly mispronounced consonant sounds and demonstrated that students who are taught using contrasting and substituting techniques show improved learning outcomes.
Concluding remarks
This study evaluates the effectiveness of contrasting and substituting techniques in teaching pronunciation Based on the earlier findings, key conclusions can be drawn regarding the impact of these methods on pronunciation skills.
The study demonstrates that utilizing Vietnamese sounds in teaching English pronunciation enhances students' understanding of target English sounds By contrasting English sounds with Vietnamese, learners can improve their pronunciation and minimize negative transfer from their native language Results from the evaluation test of the experimental group (group B) indicate a significant reduction in pronunciation errors linked to Vietnamese consonant influences These techniques offer a viable solution for Vietnamese learners aiming to diminish their native accent while speaking English.
The study highlights the effectiveness of incorporating specific techniques into classroom activities to enhance English consonant pronunciation Notably, there is a lack of teaching methods that leverage learners' first language in pronunciation instruction An engaging classroom activity involves contrasting English target sounds with Vietnamese sounds and substituting Vietnamese sounds with English ones in familiar words, which students find amusing and helps maintain their attention Additionally, isolating the target English sounds from surrounding language sounds can alleviate pronunciation challenges, particularly with vowel sounds.
In a study comparing two groups of students, those in the experimental group demonstrated superior performance on evaluation tests, highlighting the impact of targeted sound focus in learning The presence of 41 other consonants in the words may distract learners from concentrating on the desired sound.
In conclusion, the contrasting and substituting techniques can be used in pronunciation classroom to improve both teaching and learning.
Limitations of the study
This study is carried out in a local setting, with a group of local students As a result, it has some limitations
The study's participant size is relatively small, with only 40 students divided into two groups of 20 each This limited sample may restrict the effectiveness of the teaching techniques used, as one individual's performance can significantly influence the overall test results.
This study demonstrates local validity, showing that the techniques are effective within the specific population examined However, their effectiveness across diverse learner groups in various settings remains uncertain Therefore, additional research is necessary to evaluate these techniques with different types of learners in alternative environments.
External factors significantly influence students' test results, including the amount of time they engage with English outside the classroom and the various English dialects they encounter.
42 following Although the researcher managed to minimize impacts of these factors, they still affect the data collected in the study to some extent
In summary, this study acknowledges limitations, including the population size and external factors affecting the classroom environment Therefore, further research on the teaching techniques examined is highly recommended to enhance these methods and improve learners' pronunciation skills.
The techniques in this study have both strength and weaknesses, which means there can be further studies related to them
This study focuses on techniques for teaching the pronunciation of specific consonants Future research could expand to include additional consonants and potentially explore vowel sounds as well.
Also, the settings of this study can be changed Researchers can seek for students at high school or lower levels to see if the techniques still work
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