An Evaluation of Pronunciation Teaching Content of &quot;English for Palestine 10&quot; and Related Teachers' Competency Level in Light of Current Instructional Perspectives
Author: Al-Najjar, Rana Abdel-Rahman
Date: 2012-09-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses - Masters Theses
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Grade 10,Pronunciation,Semitic Languages,Suprasegmentals,Textbooks,Instructional Effectiveness,Language Teachers,Teacher Competencies,Vowels,Phonetics,Spelling

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate pronunciation teaching with regard to an EFL multi-skills textbook (&quot;English for Palestine 10&quot;). The evaluation was intended to identify the extent to which pronunciation teaching content incorporated in&quot; English for Palestine 10,&quot; in addition to the related teachers' competency level match current instructional perspectives in pronunciation pedagogy. Methodology: The researcher reviewed a sample of related literature and identified a set of current pronunciation instructional perspectives. Then, she discussed and explored how these perspectives pertain to the effective teaching of English pronunciation. Based on that discussion, she identified and developed a suggested list of characteristics of pronunciation teaching content, in addition to a list of pronunciation teaching competencies that English teachers should be equipped with. In view of that, she constructed two tools: (a) a content analysis card for analyzing the target pronunciation content in the SB (students' book) and TG (teacher's guide); and (b) an observation card for observing and scrutinizing the related competency level of twelve 10th grade Palestinian teachers of English language. Results: (a) pronunciation teaching content of &quot;English for Palestine 10&quot; falls short in adopting the suggested characteristics of pronunciation teaching content that match current perspectives in pronunciation pedagogy; and (b)10th grade Palestinian teachers of English language were found to be poorly equipped with the suggested pronunciation teaching competencies that go in line with these perspectives. Recommendations: The researcher offered a number of recommendations related to the production of a supplementary teaching material for improving and modifying pronunciation teaching content of &quot;English for Palestine&quot; series (1-12). The researcher also offered a number of recommendations related to providing pre-service and in-service English language teachers with pronunciation training courses designed to equip them with the tools to incorporate current pronunciation instructional perspectives into &quot;English for Palestine&quot; series (1-12). Appended are: (1) Stress placement rules; (2) Critical pronunciation areas to the intelligibility of Arab learners; (3) The inventory of English phonetic symbols; (4) English sound-spelling rules; (5) A suggested list of the characteristics of English pronunciation teaching content; (6) A suggested list of pronunciation teaching competencies that English language teachers should be equipped with to teach pronunciation; (7) The first version of the content analysis card; (8) The first version of the observation card; (9) List of referees; (10) The final version of the content analysis card; (11) The final version of the observation card; (12) Permission for applying the observation card; and (13) Target pronunciation areas in &quot;English for Palestine&quot; series. (Contains 22 tables and 1 diagram.)