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Individual learning histories throwing light on Czech learners’ acquisition of English pronunciation
Authors: Ivanová Jaroslava | Černá Monika
Year: 2015
Type of publication: ostatní - přednáška nebo poster
Page from-to: nestránkováno
Titles:
Language Name Abstract Keywords
eng Individual learning histories throwing light on Czech learners’ acquisition of English pronunciation In the Czech educational context, English maintains the status of a foreign language. We present results of a longitudinal retrospective mixed-methods study of 112 Czech university students on entry to English language education programmes at three universities in autumn 2013. Research instruments included (i) a questionnaire to obtain information concerning their communication in real-life situations, (ii) two subtests of reading aloud: a wordlist and a short monologue in order to inspect the frequency of problematic segmental features with respect to Czech learners. On the basis of the questionnaire aggregate frequency scores were counted for both input-oriented and input/output-oriented activities. Furthermore, an index reflecting respondents' long-term frequency of occurrence of the activities was counted. For each student two pronunciation scores were calculated. Score A shows the results of the main focus of this study: the acquisition of the front open vowel ash, the weak central mid vowel schwa, the voiced and voiceless dental fricatives, the bilabial approximant /w/, the velar nasal, and the pronunciation of word-final voiced consonants /d/ and /g/. Score B reflects mispronunciations beyond the primarily defined focus. The correlations between pre-school beginning of learning English and both pronunciation scores, and also between the aggregate scores for activities in the upper-secondary school period and pronunciation score A proved to be statistically significant. The results suggest the importance of a temporal dimension in pronunciation learning and seem to support the critical period hypothesis in pronunciation acquisition. segmental pronunciation features; English acquisition; individual learning histories; Czech university learners

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