Pronunciation has historically been ‘misdiagnosed’ within ELT, constantly suffering from a so-called ‘Cinderella syndrome’: neglected, relegated to a bridesmaid role or ignored altogether as a key language skill. This marginalisation can be attributed to various factors, including: different methodologies and approaches to language teaching; lack of adequate training on pronunciation instruction; curriculum and time constraints; low confidence in pronunciation skills among many teachers; and learners’ diverse social, cultural and educational contexts. However, in recent decades, renewed interest and advancements in research on pronunciation instruction have sparked a promising recovery (Levis, 2022; Derwing & Munro, 2022:147–159) – as Levis (2019:7) highlights: ‘Cinderella no more’.
This recovery may also lead to a deeper reflection: was pronunciation ever truly ‘ill’ or has its marginalisation been a reflection of evolving views on communication and identity in language learning? To explore this, we will analyse the history of pronunciation teaching, examine communicative approaches and offer practical tips for integrating pronunciation into classroom practices. Finally, we will reflect on future challenges in the field.
Back in the day
Murphy and Baker (2015:36–65) explain that direct evidence of pronunciation teaching practices has been scarce throughout much of the modern history of ELT. In traditional language learning methods at the beginning of the twentieth century such as grammar translation, pronunciation had no focus, as the emphasis was on grammar and translating between languages. In the 1950s and 1960s, in the audiolingual method, pronunciation was treated as an aspect of achieving L1-like speech. Students spent hours in language laboratories, listening to and repeating recordings in an attempt to imitate L1 English speakers.
In the 1970s, ‘designer methods’, including The Silent Way, Suggestopedia, Total Physical Response (TPR), and the Natural Approach, continued to view pronunciation primarily as a matter of listening and imitation. Learners were expected to intuitively perceive sounds and replicate them as accurately as possible, with teachers modelling L1-like pronunciation (Derwing & Munro, 2022; Murphy & Baker, 2015). As such, pronunciation teaching during these decades was mainly focused on mastering individual sounds (Goodwin, 2001:117–137).
By the 1980s, Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) emerged and, in its early forms, it completely ignored pronunciation in lessons on the basis that a) it could be learnt incidentally through exposure in and outside the classroom, and b) adult learners would rarely achieve an L1-like accent (Derwing & Munro, 2022).
From the 1990s onwards, CLT spread its wings and became the cornerstone of hundreds of mainstream ELT coursebooks. Most pronunciation content was then relegated to a box on the top or bottom corner of the page in a lesson spread, making it easy to overlook or leave out in the classroom.
Focus on communication
Celce-Murcia (1987:5) commented that the history of pronunciation instruction was marked by ‘many differences of opinion over the years regarding both the value of teaching pronunciation and about how best to teach it’. In her seminal text, she emphasised the importance of teaching pronunciation as communication, advocating for activities commonly used in CLT, such as role plays, problem-solving tasks and games, rather than drills that dealt with language in an artificial and unauthentic way. She also acknowledged the need for teachers to find resources and materials that offered examples and suggestions for teaching pronunciation communicatively. These initial ideas would then be transformed into the Communicative Framework for Teaching Pronunciation designed by Celce-Murcia et al. (2010:45). To better understand the framework, let’s suppose we are teaching stress in ‘teen’ and ‘ten’ numbers.
Description and analysis: learners are presented with numbers (15, 16, 17 and 50, 60, 70) and they try to figure out the rule themselves.
‘teen’ numbers are stressed on the second syllable: fifTEEN
‘ten’ numbers are stressed on the first syllable: FIFty
Listening discrimination: learners complete a listening exercise, identifying the correct number
She is 15 / 50 years old.
Controlled practice: learners’ attention should be on form, so choral repetition or reading-aloud practice of the ‘teen’ and ‘ten’ numbers can be used at this stage.
Guided practice: learners start noticing other aspects besides form, such as meaning, grammar and intended message.
Student A says: ‘I spent £15 on this T-shirt’.
Student B has to decide on the correct reply:
‘Wow, £15! That’s not too bad for a T-shirt’.
‘Wow, £50 for a T-shirt? That’s really expensive!’
Communicative practice: learners now focus on both form and meaning to engage in communication, including role plays, debates, interviews, simulations, discussions and games.
Role play: shopping for clothes
Customer (Student A): How much is this jacket?
Shop assistant (Student B): That’s £50.
Customer: I’m sorry. Did you say 15 or 50?
Shop Assistant: 50
Customer: Oh, I see! Sorry, I thought you said £15. I was hoping it’d be cheaper.
By using the framework, teachers go past the traditional ‘listen and repeat’ exercises, so add more meaningful and communicative practice to the class, teaching pronunciation in a more systematic way rather than incidentally (when a pronunciation mistake occurs during the lesson (Brinton, 2022:281–295).
Focus on intelligibility and comprehensibility
In the mid-1990s, research on pronunciation initiated by Munro and Derwing (1995) onwards, as well as Levis’s (2005) core article, ‘Changing contexts and shifting paradigms in pronunciation teaching’, set the record straight towards the goal of pronunciation instruction. Instead of L1-like standards, three main elements are much more relevant when it comes to pronunciation (Derwing & Munro, 2022:147):
- intelligibility – to what extent can the listener understand the intended message of the speaker?
- comprehensibility – how easy or difficult is it for the listener to understand the speaker’s message?
- accentedness – how different is the speaker’s accent from that of a local community?
As a result, it is not necessary to conform to a specific standard of pronunciation, such as North American or British, in order to engage in successful communication. In addition, a speaker with a strong accent can still be fully intelligible and comprehensible (Derwing & Munro, 2022; Munro & Derwing, 1995). Therefore, effective pronunciation teaching should focus on helping learners achieve intelligibility and comprehensibility while maintaining their social and cultural identity. This does not mean all forms of pronunciation are equally acceptable in every context. Pronunciation problems that cause strain in communication should be addressed in the classroom. However, both teachers and learners should prioritise effective communication over the imitation of pronunciation standards that may not relate to their own identities or experiences.
Similarly, research by Jenkins (2000) highlighted the role of English as a lingua franca (ELF), reshaping the priorities in pronunciation instruction. In international contexts, when L2 speakers communicate with each other, mutual understanding becomes the primary goal. In these situations, it is less important whether speakers sound like L1 speakers or have perfect control over pronunciation features. What matters most is their ability to understand and be understood, or what is called ‘international intelligibility’ (Walker, Low & Setter (2021:15). Jenkins then established a Lingua Franca Core (LFC) to guide teachers to prioritise pronunciation features that may affect intelligibility. Some of them are vowel length (e.g. live / leave), consonant clusters (e.g. spring), word stress (e.g. imagiNAtion) and sentence stress (e.g. ‘I didn’t say he stole the money’), among others. A comprehensive list can be found in Walker, Low and Setter (2021:15).
Five practical tips for pronunciation teaching in the classroom
Based on the evolution of pronunciation instruction, here are five practical tips for teaching pronunciation.
1 Move beyond imitation and include analysis
Instead of listen-and-repeat exercises, you should guide learners into being more analytical, encouraging them to notice and understand key pronunciation features such as stress, intonation and linking, rather than merely mimicking L1 speakers. For instance, you can show students a short video or play one or two minutes of a podcast, then ask them to identify stress patterns or consonant clusters.
2 Teach pronunciation as communication
By using Celce-Murcia’s (2010) Communicative Framework, you can strike a balance of controlled, guided and communicative practice in the class. For example, when preparing a lesson, consider how learners can move from repetition drills to role-play scenarios that reflect real-life communication challenges, such as the shopping for clothes activity described above.
3 Prioritise intelligibility over L1-like accuracy
By focusing on intelligibility, learners can work on being understood by diverse audiences rather than imitating standard pronunciation models. Thus, you should encourage students to use their own accent, not disguise it, while targeting pronunciation features that improve clarity, such as vowel length and stress patterns. You should also provide positive reinforcement when communication is successful, rather than correcting accent differences. To do so, you should take a moment to reflect on your own pronunciation goals and skills, and put less pressure on yourself. You do not need to sound like an L1 speaker to be an effective pronunciation teacher. Stick to this mantra!
4 Draw on the LFC for international contexts
When preparing learners for global communication, you should prioritise pronunciation features that are critical for international intelligibility. You should then incorporate authentic listening materials or videos that showcase diverse varieties of English to enhance learners’ comprehension and adaptability. As a teacher, exposing yourself to these varieties will not only improve your understanding but also boost your confidence in addressing different accents in the classroom.
5 Integrate pronunciation into the other skills
Pronunciation should not be separated but integrated into the other skills during lessons. In this way, learners develop a more comprehensive understanding of language and its rhythm, sounds and patterns. For instance, a grammar lesson can also incorporate pronunciation practice. If you are teaching past modals for speculation, include exercises on weak and contracted forms, as these are commonly used in real-life conversations. This is a great chance for learners to develop more natural and authentic speech patterns.
She can’t have forgotten our meeting. She must’ve had an emergency.
/ ʃi ː k ɑːt əv f əˈɡɒtn a ʊə ˈmi ːt ɪŋ ʃi ː ˈm ʌstəv hæd ən ɪˈm ɜːd ʒənsi/
What does the future hold?
Pronunciation instruction has come a long way, from its marginalised status in early language teaching methodologies to the interconnection among intelligibility, comprehensibility and communication. Looking ahead, technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), presents new opportunities and challenges. While AI can help learners practise pronunciation autonomously, it tends to reinforce L1-like models, which contradicts the emphasis on international intelligibility and learner identity. Therefore, teachers and students should critically navigate these tools to ensure they support inclusive and communicative pronunciation goals. Through constant adaptation and innovation, the field of pronunciation teaching can maintain its rightful place at the heart of effective language teaching and learning.
