Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
The Journal of English as an International Language, cilt.15, sa.2, ss.119-144, 2020 (Scopus)
Although Turkey is a country where English is taught as an international
language (EIL), very few research studies have focused specifically on
learners’ attitudes toward different accents and pronunciations. Therefore, this
paper attempts to highlight Turkish university preparatory school students’
perceptions on different English pronunciations and accents and on native and
non-native speakers’ and teachers’ English pronunciation. It also aims to point
out the in-class/learning environment factors that impact pronunciation
learning in English classes. Based on a review of the literature analyzing
attitudes towards different pronunciation and accents, online surveys and focus
group interviews with 10 volunteers were conducted to collect data for this
study. The survey results revealed that a great number of participants believe
that correct pronunciation is crucial in communication. Also, all the inclass/learning environment factors had significant impact on the participants’
perceived pronunciation. Interview results indicated that most learners agreed
that as long as a pronunciation is intelligible, it can be considered as good. In
addition, despite admitting the positive effect of native English-speaking
teachers (NESTs) on their pronunciation, most participants did not ignore the
positive influence of non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs) on their
pronunciation improvement. Because most participants indicated that they
wanted to receive more pronunciation-focused instruction, this study has some
implications for the institutions and material designers that may reconsider the
weighing and variety of pronunciation practice when compared to other
language skills.