Rationale
English has become a vital international communication tool and is a mandatory subject in Vietnamese high schools However, in my hometown, teachers face significant challenges in improving students' pronunciation Many foreigners have noted that while numerous Vietnamese can speak English, only a few achieve intelligible pronunciation This often leads to communication difficulties due to poor pronunciation or mispronunciation Among the various factors affecting pronunciation, errors in English consonants are the most prevalent among Vietnamese students.
I am currently teaching English at a high school in Nam Dinh province, where I have observed that students often struggle with pronouncing English consonants correctly This highlights the urgent need to identify and address these pronunciation errors promptly To contribute to enhancing students' pronunciation skills, I have initiated a study focused on the pronunciation errors of specific English consonants.
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
When learning English, students frequently encounter various pronunciation challenges, including difficulties with consonants, vowels, stress, intonation, rhythm, linking, and elision This thesis will specifically address these pronunciation issues.
This article identifies the common pronunciation errors related to single consonants made by students at Giao Thuy High School in Nam Dinh Based on these findings, several solutions are proposed to enhance the 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 pronunciation errors in English consonants made by students at Giao Thuy High School in Nam Dinh To achieve this, the primary research instrument utilized is the recording of participants as they pronounce 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 understand its definition, which encompasses the production of sounds used for communication Pronunciation includes both segmental and suprasegmental aspects; segmental features refer to the specific sounds of a language, while suprasegmental features involve elements such as intonation, phrasing, stress, timing, and rhythm Although these features are distinct, they work together seamlessly during speech Jenkins and Setter (2005) offer a comprehensive definition of pronunciation that highlights the interplay between segmental and suprasegmental elements.
Pronunciation encompasses the creation and understanding of individual sounds, both in isolation and within continuous speech These sounds experience various modifications and interact with suprasegmental features, especially stress and intonation.
Phonetics
Phonetics is primarily focused on segmenting spoken language into individual sounds, emphasizing the actual performance of speech It encompasses three main branches: articulatory phonetics, which studies how speech sounds are produced; acoustic phonetics, which analyzes the physical properties of sound waves; and auditory phonetics, which investigates how 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, known as phonemes, within a language and their interrelationships This field involves analyzing a language to identify its unique sounds and formulating rules that explain how these sounds change when they interact with one another Key areas of phonology include the exploration of sound patterns and the rules governing sound modifications in various contexts.
- 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 is a key branch of phonetics that focuses on the 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 serve functions related to eating, chewing, swallowing, and respiration The components of the vocal tract, excluding the lungs, are particularly important in this process.
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 focuses on the key aspects of speech production, including 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 while discussing the three main features of consonants: manner of articulation, place of articulation, and voicing.
English consonants
Consonants are produced through two main articulatory methods: either by creating a narrow constriction that allows air to pass through, or by completely blocking the airflow This closing movement can involve the lips, tongue, or throat, resulting in distinct sounds that contrast with the more open articulation of vowels (Crystal, 2003) In articulatory phonetics, consonants are defined as sounds used in spoken language.
7 language that is characterized by a closure or stricture of the vocal tract sufficient to cause audible turbulence
Consonants are sounds produced with closed or nearly closed articulations, which interrupt the flow of speech This interruption creates a perceptual and articulatory boundary, marking the edges of units such as words or syllables that contain one or more vowels.
According to Roach (1983), the English language comprises twenty-four consonants, including sounds such as p, b, t, d, k, and others 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 typically feature around 24 unique phonemic consonant sounds, categorized based on three key criteria: voicing, place of articulation, and manner of articulation For a detailed breakdown, refer to 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
According to voicing: (what vocal cords are doing)
8 a Voiced consonants: are produced when the vocal cords are vibrating e.g: b, d, g, v, , z, r, ʒ, dʒ, m, n, ŋ , l, w, j b Voiceless consonants: are produced when the vocal cords are not vibrating e.g: p, t, k, f, θ, s, ʃ, h, tʃ
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 a fundamental aspect of the learning process, as highlighted by Ancker (2000), and is essential to cognition In the context of language acquisition, errors are unavoidable; individuals must systematically make mistakes to effectively learn a new language.
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, determining what constitutes the norms of a target language can be complex, as an utterance considered standard in educated Zambian English may differ from those in British or American English.
According to Dulay et al (1982), an error is defined as the flawed aspect of a learner's speech and writing, representing those elements in conversation or composition that diverge from a specific standard.
Errors in language learning often arise from a lack of understanding of grammar and phonetics, leading students to make systematic mistakes These repeated errors can hinder their progress and comprehension.
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" made by a learner who lacks the criteria for correctness, indicating that it involves a concept they have not yet mastered Researchers have classified errors in various ways, reflecting the diverse perspectives on how to understand and analyze them.
Hendrickson (1980) categorized errors into local and global types, 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.
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
Pham Dang Binh (2003) identified two primary types of errors in his PhD thesis on Vietnamese students' language learning: common errors and typical errors Common errors are mistakes made by second language learners universally, regardless of their nationality, and typically occur early in the learning process These include competence errors related to phonology, vocabulary, and grammar, as well as performance errors, which encompass both intralingual and interlingual mistakes In contrast, typical errors are specific to particular groups of learners sharing the same first language or cultural background, and they primarily consist of interlingual errors and cultural interference errors.
Richards (1984) identifies three primary types of errors in language learning: interlingual, intralingual, and developmental errors Interlingual errors arise from the influence of a learner's native language, leading to language transfer issues.
Despite their classifications, there was minimal attention given to the types of errors, nor did they adequately address the processes and causes of errors made by learners.
In her 2005 study, Ha Cam Tam identified key pronunciation challenges faced by students in the English Department at the University of Languages and International Studies The research revealed that Vietnamese learners frequently encounter issues such as sound omission, sound confusion, and sound redundancy in their English pronunciation.
1.5.4 Causes of errors in language learning
A variety of factors have been investigated to account for the problems related to English pronunciation faced to foreign learners Considered the most
Research has extensively examined the influential role of mother tongue inference in language acquisition Studies by Kenworthy (1988), Rivers and Temperly (1978), and Chan and Li (2000) highlight that learners' native languages significantly impact their ability to acquire English Notably, Rivers and Temperly emphasize 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, research focusing specifically on school students' consonant pronunciation errors is lacking This study aims to address this gap by examining the prevalent consonant pronunciation errors among tenth-grade students at Giao Thuy Upper Secondary School in Nam Dinh province.
METHODOLOGY
The informants of the study
This study involves 15 randomly selected students from three 10th-grade classes at Giao Thuy Upper Secondary School (10A1, 10A2, 10B8), consisting of 13 females and 2 males All participants have been studying English for eight years, beginning in grade 3, and are utilizing the same textbook for their learning.
The study utilized the "Tiếng Anh 10" textbook by Hoang Van Van et al (2006/2015) and involved participants who were learners 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 or criticism This approach encouraged their participation in the study 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 entire verbal content for future analysis This technique allows researchers to pause and replay sections, enabling a clearer and more precise understanding of the data Consequently, recording is an effective tool for gathering information on students' consonant pronunciation errors.
The task was designed to record the students’ pronunciation based on the data extracted from the textbook Tiếng Anh 10 Students were asked to read aloud
The study includes 16 single words and sentences that incorporate all 24 consonants, distributed across various positions within the words—initial, middle, and final These examples were extracted from Units 11 to 16 of the textbook The researcher systematically organized the words and sentences according to their places of articulation, following the framework established by Roach (1983), starting with bilabial sounds (/b/, /p/, /m/, /w/) and progressing to labiodental sounds (/f/ and /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 codes from S1 to S15 The study specifically concentrated on one consonant in each word to assess the students' error rates.
The researcher marked errors made by students by placing a cross (x) in the designated blanks while listening to the recording 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
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, which were recorded for analysis A foreign English teacher meticulously listened to the recordings multiple times to identify consonant pronunciation errors, while the researcher independently cross-checked these findings The researcher then compared each student's pronunciation against standard narrow transcriptions and native speakers' pronunciations The analysis, grounded in articulatory phonetics, aimed to highlight common consonant pronunciation errors and the challenges students face with these sounds, with detailed findings presented in Chapter 3.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
Findings and discussions
Errors frequently occur among participants facing challenges, often differing significantly from native speakers, which can hinder listeners' comprehension The research identified common consonant deviations made by the subjects, with Table 5 and Table 6 showcasing the consensus between the native teacher and the researcher on these findings.
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 occurring in the sounds /θ/, /ð/, /dʒ/, /t/, /ʃ/, /f/, /tʃ/, /s/, /d/, /p/, /ʒ/, and /l/ The mispronunciation rates for these sounds were analyzed and presented in tables, ranked from the highest to the lowest percentage of errors across various sections.
The voiceless interdental fricative /θ/ is the most prevalent single consonant in English, comprising 10.7% of its usage This particular sound is characteristic of English and is absent in the phonetic systems of other languages, such as Vietnamese In recorded data, students often replaced the /θ/ sound with the Vietnamese /ť/ (th), likely due to the influence of their mother tongue and a reluctance to mimic native speakers' pronunciation accurately.
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/, as found in words like "they," "those," "then," and "brother," ranked second, accounting for 10.3% of mistakes This particular sound does not exist in the Vietnamese phonetic system, leading students to substitute /ð/ with /ʒ/, /z/, or /d/ from their native language Consequently, the influence of their mother tongue negatively impacts their pronunciation of this English consonant sound.
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/ accounted for 9.2% of errors, posing a significant challenge for Vietnamese learners of English due to the absence of affricates in their native consonant system The complexity of pronouncing /dʒ/ arises from the need to quickly produce a plosive /d/ followed by a fricative /ʒ/, often leading students to substitute it with the sound /z/ This substitution highlights a fundamental difference, as /ʒ/ and /z/ vary in both place and manner of articulation For example, words like "job" (/dʒɒb/) may be mistakenly pronounced as "zob" (/zɒb/), and "gender" (/ˈdʒendə(r)/) could be misheard as "zender" (/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/
The pronunciation error of the consonant sound /t/ ranked fourth among students, occurring at a rate of 8.6% While both Vietnamese and English feature the /t/ sound as a voiceless alveolar plosive, the articulation differs; in English, /t/ is produced with the tongue's tip or blade against the alveolar ridge, whereas in Vietnamese, it involves the tongue and upper teeth This sound appears in all word positions in English, as seen in words like "teach," "titan," and "tit." The study revealed no significant differences in students' errors when producing the /t/ sound across different word positions.
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/
Table 10: Errors in pronouncing consonant /t/
The voiceless palate-alveolar fricative /ʃ/ was mispronounced by students, with a percentage of 7.9% In their recordings, students often confused /ʃ/ with the Vietnamese sound /s/, which is more familiar to them This confusion arises because /ʃ/ is a relatively new sound for Vietnamese speakers While /ʃ/ is classified as a voiceless alveo-palatal fricative, /s/ is a voiceless alveolar fricative, leading to pronunciation challenges According to Roach, this distinction is crucial for accurate pronunciation.
Learners often make errors with the /ʃ/ sound due to its palatal articulation, which differs from /s/ The /ʃ/ sound is produced with the blade of the tongue touching the inside of the upper teeth, allowing air to escape through a narrower passage along the center of the tongue, resulting in a tenser sound This sound is classified as alveo-palatal, with the tongue positioned slightly further back compared to /s/ The wider passage for airflow contributes to the distinct characteristics of /ʃ/ A primary cause of this error may be 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 errors in pronouncing the consonant /ʃ/, revealing that the voiceless labio-dental fricative /f/ accounted for a significant error rate of 7.4% Many students often substituted /f/ with the sound /v/ or omitted it entirely when it appeared at the end of words In English phonetics, /v/ is classified as a voiced labiodental fricative, indicating that its production requires vocal cord vibration.
A speaker must exhibit three key features of sound The sounds /f/ and /v/ are both classified as labiodental fricatives, sharing the same place and manner of articulation The primary distinction between these two sounds lies in the state of the vocal cords: /v/ is a voiced sound, whereas /f/ is voiceless.
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 involving the sound /tʃ/ occurred 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 Vietnamese students often substituted /tʃ/ with "ch," as heard in words like cheese, chair, reach, and catch In English, /tʃ/ is classified as a voiceless palatal affricate, while the Vietnamese "ch" is articulated by the blade of the tongue against the hard palate, also being voiceless and aspirated To simplify pronunciation, students frequently transformed /tʃ/ into "ch" from their native language, leading to errors, especially when this sound appeared at the end of words.
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 the errors in pronouncing the consonant /tʃ/, with a notable 7.1% of students mispronouncing the /s/ sound The English /s/ is a voiceless alveolar fricative, which also exists in the Vietnamese phonetic system Despite the presence of this sound in both languages, students still encounter challenges in its pronunciation, leading to errors.
Many students struggle with pronouncing the /s/ sound, particularly when it appears at the end of words as a suffix This often leads to the omission of the /s/ sound in plural nouns and grammatical endings Such errors may stem from a lack of awareness regarding plural forms and grammatical rules among the 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/, often substituting it with the unvoiced /t/ in final positions For example, the word "mud" was frequently pronounced incorrectly, reflecting this pattern of substitution.
Students often mispronounce the /d/ sound, particularly when it occurs in consonant clusters at the end of words For example, the word "find" is correctly pronounced as /faɪnd/, but many students mistakenly omit the /d/, saying /faɪn/ instead This common error highlights the challenges learners face in mastering English pronunciation.
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/
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 start with a clear articulation description for learners Following this, instructors should introduce a progression of exercises, beginning with simple tasks and gradually increasing in complexity Various techniques can enhance the learning experience, including minimal pairs, information gap activities, tongue twisters, matching exercises, missing words, sounds bingo, sound discrimination exercises, and listen-and-repeat activities These methods not only aid in mastering consonant sounds and other phonetic elements but also foster a motivating learning environment Below, we will explore detailed descriptions of some of these techniques.
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 mother tongue 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 this list, selecting only one word from each pair, either in English or Vietnamese Students then identify the chosen word by shouting out "Vietnamese" or "English," engaging them in active language recognition.
You can also use this technique to contrast two similar sounds in English
Minimal pairs consist of two words that differ by a single phoneme, such as "let" and "lit" or "leave" and "live." Utilizing these pairs can significantly enhance students' ability to identify subtle differences in muted vowel sounds in English This practice not only improves pronunciation skills but also aids in better comprehension of the language.
The teacher introduces the concept of "minimal pairs" by displaying a list on the board After reading one word from each pair, the teacher prompts students to identify the word by responding with "first" or "second." This interactive approach enhances students' listening skills and phonetic awareness.
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 sounds that may be confusing due to their similar pronunciation It effectively contrasts two similar sounds, whether both are in English or one is English and the other is Vietnamese This approach enhances students' phonetic understanding and improves their 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 tool for teaching pronunciation, enabling students to practice language skills without the fear of making mistakes They enhance fluency by featuring similar-sounding words with distinct meanings, often resulting in nonsensical phrases that encourage students to engage with the sounds more rapidly Additionally, the humorous nature of tongue twisters makes the learning process enjoyable for students.
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 this activity, the teacher divides 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 can be presented with pictures of Beckham and Peter, prompting them to describe the images accordingly.
Beckham is playing in the park
Peter is carrying a big bag
In attempting to match the descriptions with the appropriate person, the students gain practice by producing the relevant sounds A variation on this activity has these
35 descriptors generated by the students themselves Creating such descriptors, especially in groups, provide additional communicative practice of the consonants
A highly effective method for teaching consonants is through the use of missing words in sentences In this technique, the teacher presents short, simple sentences with one missing word and prompts students to fill in the gaps For instance, to teach the sound "g," the teacher might say: "A boy and a (girl)," "This is a of wine (glass)," "They give each other at Christmas (gifts)," "The antonym of 'bad' is (good)," and "Brazil won a _ medal for winning in the final (golden)." This interactive approach engages students and reinforces their understanding of consonant sounds.
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 (e.g., number 1 /e/; number 2 /m/) Students listen for sounds on their cards and write the corresponding number next to each sound they hear The first student to correctly number all the sounds on their card wins.
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 a worksheet to each student and explains that he will read contrasting sounds or words aloud Students must identify the sound by marking the correct column next to each number 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 there are numerous techniques available for teaching English pronunciation, I recommend a select few that are particularly well-suited for Giao Thuy Upper Secondary School students These methods are not only easy to implement but also engaging enough to inspire students to learn It is essential to choose techniques that align with the diverse learning styles and strategies of our students Although many other approaches exist, I have focused on a few effective and appropriate options 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 indicate 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 effectively improve pronunciation in foreign language learning, the study suggests practical strategies such as minimal pairs, information gap activities, tongue twisters, matching exercises, missing words, sounds bingo, sound discrimination exercises, and listen-and-repeat techniques Mastering a foreign language is a long-term commitment that demands significant effort from learners to achieve success It is essential for both teachers and students to recognize the importance of innovative methods to address challenges and enhance language acquisition.
Pedagogical implication
Teaching a foreign language, particularly English, poses significant challenges due to the differences in sound systems between English and Vietnamese This study focuses on the errors made by school students in English consonant pronunciation, serving as a valuable resource for teachers It offers foundational knowledge on pronunciation, its importance in language teaching, and the factors influencing pronunciation learning Additionally, the study highlights common errors in English consonant pronunciation among students, explores the underlying causes, and suggests potential solutions to enhance their pronunciation skills, thereby deepening teachers' understanding of Vietnamese learners' challenges.
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 effort in conducting this study, certain limitations persist Primarily, the research has a narrow focus, as it examines only the common pronunciation mistakes of 15 upper high school students when articulating English consonants This analysis is constrained by time and is confined to two structured contexts: words and sentences derived from Tiếng Anh.
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 researchers in the field of pronunciation can build upon this study by exploring additional aspects such as vowels, stress, and intonation Identifying students' challenges in these areas will allow for the application of various techniques to effectively address pronunciation issues This comprehensive approach aims to enhance the understanding of learners' pronunciation difficulties Furthermore, it is anticipated that subsequent research will validate the practical effectiveness of the proposed solutions.
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Dương Thu Thảo (2014) conducted a study on common pronunciation errors of English consonants among students aged 6 to 10 at Linkinworld English Skills, presented in an unpublished MA thesis at ULIS Similarly, Đào Thị Mỹ Hạnh (2007) explored the pronunciation of six specific English consonants (/Τ, ∆, Σ, Ζ, τΣ, δΖ/) at Haiphong Medical University, also in an unpublished MA thesis at ULIS.