The Teaching of English Pronunciation in Polish Secondary Schools

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

1.1 Introduction

1.1.1 Polish secondary schools

1.1.2 Structure of the dissertation

2. Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Pronunciation problems

2.2.1 Segmentals

2.2.2 Suprasegmentals

2.3 Summary

3. Literature Review

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Teaching speaking and pronunciation

3.2.1 Problems with teaching speaking

3.2.2 How pronunciation is taught

3.2.3 Techniques of teaching pronunciation

3.2.4 Evaluating pronunciation

3.2.5 Introducing listening and reading

3.2.6 Age factor

3.3 Teacher’s role

3.4 Technology in teaching pronunciation

3.5 English as a global language

3.6 Summary

4. Methodology

4.1 Description of the research method

4.1.1 Research objective

4.1.2 Sample selection

4.1.3 Research tools

4.1.4 Research implementation

5. Data Results

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Questionnaire

5.2.1 Biodata

5.2.2 Teacher’s views and values on pronunciation

5.2.3 Teaching pronunciation

5.3 Classroom observation

5.4 Interview

5.5 Summary

6. Discussion, implications and limitations

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Research findings

6.3 Implication of findings

6.4 Limitations of the study

6.5 Recommendation for the future research

6.6 Conclusions

Objectives and Thematic Focus

The primary objective of this dissertation is to investigate how English pronunciation is taught within the context of Polish secondary schools. The research aims to evaluate current teaching practices, the use of modern technology, and the models of English pronunciation favored by educators in the Polish educational system.

• The role and implementation of pronunciation teaching in the Polish secondary school curriculum.
• Teachers’ attitudes, self-assessed competence, and awareness of phonetic systems.
• Practical classroom techniques used for correcting pronunciation and assessing oral proficiency.
• The impact of modern technology and electronic resources on student pronunciation acquisition.
• The pedagogical model of English (e.g., RP vs. international models) promoted in the classroom.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

Chapter 1: Provides an introduction to the research context, focusing on the state of English teaching in Polish secondary schools and outlining the structure of the dissertation.

Chapter 2: Reviews existing literature regarding common pronunciation difficulties faced by Polish speakers and compares phonetic differences between the Polish and English languages.

Chapter 3: Explores theories and methodologies of teaching speaking and pronunciation, including the teacher's role, the influence of the age factor, and the impact of technology.

Chapter 4: Describes the research methodology, including research objectives, participant selection, and the tools utilized to gather both qualitative and quantitative data.

Chapter 5: Presents the analysis of the gathered data from questionnaires, classroom observations, and interviews, detailing teacher practices in the classroom.

Chapter 6: Discusses the findings, offers teaching implications, addresses the study's limitations, and provides recommendations for future research and concluding remarks.

Keywords

English Pronunciation, Polish Secondary Schools, Phonetics, Second Language Acquisition, Teacher Methodology, Intelligibility, Communicative Competence, Pronunciation Teaching, Educational Research, Classroom Observation, Phonetic Transcription, Language Teaching Methods, Native-Speaker Model, L1 Interference, Oral Proficiency

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this research?

This work investigates the teaching of English pronunciation in Polish secondary schools, exploring how teachers approach this skill in the classroom.

What are the primary themes discussed?

Key themes include phonetic differences between Polish and English, the impact of the Polish curriculum on speaking practice, teacher pedagogical roles, and the integration of technology.

What is the main research question?

The central question is: How do teachers actually teach English pronunciation in Polish secondary schools?

Which research methods were employed?

The author utilized a mixed-methods approach consisting of an online questionnaire for 76 teachers, a classroom observation, and follow-up interviews.

What does the main body cover?

The main body examines the theoretical background of pronunciation, common errors, pedagogical techniques like drilling and minimal pairs, and the practical challenges teachers face.

Which keywords best characterize this study?

Key terms include English Pronunciation, Polish Secondary Schools, Phonetics, Teacher Methodology, and Communicative Competence.

Why is the "native-speaker model" significant here?

The research discusses the shift from the traditional RP (Received Pronunciation) native-speaker model toward concepts of international intelligibility, which is increasingly relevant for non-native speakers.

How does the author view the role of technology?

The author argues that technology is currently underutilized in Polish schools but holds great potential for fostering student autonomy and improving pronunciation through resources like podcasts and multimedia dictionaries.