Pronunciation instruction in the context of world English: exploring university EFL instructors’ perceptions and practices

Abstract

Abstract Teaching a foreign language requires instructors to be knowledgeable about and capable of providing instruction that facilitates their students’ ability to understand, speak, read, and write the new language. However, as established within the literature, there appears to be a disconnect between what should be offered as pronunciation instruction and what takes place in many EFL classrooms. This study, therefore, undertook to identify Saudi university EFL instructors’ perceptions and practices towards pronunciation instruction. The study employed a mixed methods survey research design, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. Participants included 163 EFL instructors from Saudi universities. The results of the current study showed that while most participants recognized the importance of pronunciation instruction and were confident of their English pronunciation, many also felt that they lacked the training necessary to fully provide instruction and assessment of their students’ English pronunciation. The participants also identified those extraneous factors that affected their ability to provide fulsome pronunciation learning experiences. The study highlights the existing gap between the ideal pronunciation instruction and the current practices in Saudi university EFL classrooms. It emphasizes the need for enhanced training for instructors to improve their ability to deliver effective pronunciation instruction and assessment.