Teaching Pronunciation to EFL Learners at the Tertiary Level: Perspectives of Professors at Saudi Universities

Abstract

This study aimed to provide a novel, focused program for instructing English pronunciation to Saudi EFL university students, grounded upon identified mistake patterns. In addition, to execute the customized curriculum in pronunciation instruction for a group of Saudi EFL students. Furthermore, to evaluate the efficacy of the tailored curriculum by measuring enhancements in pronunciation accuracy. Additionally, to investigate the attitudes and experiences of EFL professors at various Saudi universities regarding the designated pronunciation curriculum using surveys. The researchers adopted the analytical-descriptive research method, utilizing the questionnaire as a tool for collecting data from thirty-three EFL university professors who teach English at different Saudi universities. The main findings of this study were: excessive focus on instructing individual phonemes, prioritization of suprasegmentals; overdependence on standardized evaluations. The significant levels of disagreement suggest that these techniques may not adequately meet the pronunciation requirements of Arabic EFL learners. Allocating time for pronunciation may possess some merit, while its execution necessitates additional investigation. The consensus on communicative instruction suggests potential for this methodology if effectively employed. Technological tools were regarded as beneficial instruments, consistent with studies on computer-assisted pronunciation instruction. The efficacy of customizing curriculum to address faults made by Arabic learners; Emphasis on pronunciation instruction within educational institutions. The main recommendations were adopting communicative instructional methodologies for teaching pronunciation enhances the growth of EFL learners, employing technological equipment acts as advantageous tools in enhancing pronunciation education, and additional comparison investigations and lectures must be undertaken to establish a correlation between the phonological systems of learners' native language and the target language.