Addressing Pronunciation Challenges Arising from Negative Transfer in Vocabulary Teaching: A Mixed-Methods Analysis
محورهای موضوعی : آموزش زبان انگلیسی
1 - Department of English Language, Qo.C., Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran
کلید واژه: English as a foreign language, EFL, negative transfer, stress pattern, phonology-first approach, pronunciation ,
چکیده مقاله :
Accurate pronunciation is a critical yet often overlooked component of EFL instruction. Although it plays a central role in communicative competence, pronunciation is frequently subordinated to spelling and meaning in vocabulary teaching. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to investigate how the sequencing of pronunciation and orthographic input affects learners’ acquisition of English word pronunciation and stress patterns. In a quasi-experimental setup, 40 Iranian secondary school students were divided into two groups: one received phonology-first instruction, and the other received orthography-first instruction. Quantitative analysis of posttest data revealed that the phonology-first group made significantly fewer pronunciation and stress errors. To enrich and explain these results, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from both groups, and classroom observations were used to document behavioral patterns during instruction. Learners in the phonology-first group reported greater confidence, reduced confusion, and clearer awareness of English stress patterns. In contrast, the orthography-first group described frustration and persistent difficulty overcoming initial mispronunciations. The convergence of statistical findings and learner perspectives suggests that introducing pronunciation and stress patterns before spelling and meaning mitigates negative transfer and supports more accurate phonological development. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating pronunciation as a foundational element in lexical instruction.
Accurate pronunciation is a critical yet often overlooked component of EFL instruction. Although it plays a central role in communicative competence, pronunciation is frequently subordinated to spelling and meaning in vocabulary teaching. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to investigate how the sequencing of pronunciation and orthographic input affects learners’ acquisition of English word pronunciation and stress patterns. In a quasi-experimental setup, 40 Iranian secondary school students were divided into two groups: one received phonology-first instruction, and the other received orthography-first instruction. Quantitative analysis of posttest data revealed that the phonology-first group made significantly fewer pronunciation and stress errors. To enrich and explain these results, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from both groups, and classroom observations were used to document behavioral patterns during instruction. Learners in the phonology-first group reported greater confidence, reduced confusion, and clearer awareness of English stress patterns. In contrast, the orthography-first group described frustration and persistent difficulty overcoming initial mispronunciations. The convergence of statistical findings and learner perspectives suggests that introducing pronunciation and stress patterns before spelling and meaning mitigates negative transfer and supports more accurate phonological development. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating pronunciation as a foundational element in lexical instruction.
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