How well do general-skills ESL textbooks address pronunciation?

Many instructors are reluctant to teach pronunciation in adult ESL classrooms, often because of lack of formal training. However, significant numbers of ESL students want pronunciation instruction. Although stand-alone pronunciation courses for second-language (L2) learners exist, many students cann...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:TESL Canada journal 2012-12, Vol.30 (1), p.22-44
Main Authors: Derwing, Tracey M, Diepenbroek, Lori G, Foote, Jennifer A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Book publishing
Canada
Content Analysis
English (Second Language)
English as a second language
Feedback (Psychology)
Foreign Countries
Language Proficiency
Product information
Pronunciation Instruction
Second Language Instruction
Second Language Learning
Second languages
Study and teaching
Teachers
Teaching Guides
Teaching Methods
Textbooks
Training
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Summary:Many instructors are reluctant to teach pronunciation in adult ESL classrooms, often because of lack of formal training. However, significant numbers of ESL students want pronunciation instruction. Although stand-alone pronunciation courses for second-language (L2) learners exist, many students cannot gain access to them. One approach to meeting the needs of both instructors and students is for general-skills L2 textbooks to include pronunciation activities. We examined 12 ESL general-skills textbook series (48 texts in total) and six accompanying teachers' manuals to determine to what extent these popular books include pronunciation activities and how consistent the texts are across individual series. We also recorded which aspects of L2 pronunciation are the focus of the lessons. Task types were examined in a subset of five series. We found striking variability in the concentration of pronunciation activities both across and within series. Similarly, whereas some textbooks used several task types, others relied heavily on a limited range. Furthermore, some texts offered little in terms of explicit explanations. In some instances teachers' manuals provided instructors with guidance; others included little more than repeated admonitions to remind the students to monitor their L2 pronunciation. The implications for teachers of general ESL courses are discussed.
ISSN:0826-435X