AN INTERVIEW STUDY OF NATIVE CHINESE-SPEAKING ENGLISH AS A

FOREIGN LANGUAGE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS EXPERIENCE OF

ACQUIRING ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION

by

Hui Yao

W
Submitted to the graduate program in Curriculum and Teaching and
the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas
IE
in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy.
EV
PR

Committee:

___________________________________
Chairperson*

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

Date defended: ______________________

 UMI Number: 3303998

Copyright 2008 by
Yao, Hui

W
All rights reserved.

IE
EV
PR

UMI Microform 3303998

Copyright 2008 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against
unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code.

ProQuest Information and Learning Company

300 North Zeeb Road
P.O. Box 1346
Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346
 The dissertation committee for Hui Yao certifies
that this is the approved version of the following dissertation:

W
AN INTERVIEW STUDY OF NATIVE CHINESE-SPEAKING
ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
EXPERIENCE OF ACQUIRING ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION
IE
EV

Committee:
PR

___________________________________
Chairperson*

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

Date approved: ______________________

ii
 Abstract

The purpose of the study has been to investigate the non-English-major

Chinese EFL learners’ experience of acquiring English pronunciation. Three research

questions were addressed: 1. How do the learners report that their teachers have

taught them English pronunciation? 2. How do the learners perceive the role of the

learning context in shaping their English pronunciation? 3. What kind of learning

strategies do these learners report using to develop English pronunciation?

This study was based mainly on Williams and Burden’s (1997) constructivist

W
approach to learning within the social interactionist framework, on Morley’s (1994)

multidimensional Speech-Pronunciation Program and on the learning strategies

IE
research of (Wenden & Rubin, 1987; O’Malley & Chamot, 1990; Oxford,1990;
EV
Williams & Burden, 1997). Fourteen non-English-major Chinese EFL learners from

different parts of China were chosen as informants. Seven reached advanced speaking

proficiency and seven did not. The researcher collected data from these informants
PR

during semi-structured interviews. The results were derived by analyzing and

interpreting the interviews according to Tesch’s (1990) instrument.

The study answered the three research questions and presented a

comprehensive picture of the fourteen informants’ experiences of learning English

pronunciation. The researcher came up with three categories and several

subcategories that cut across the data collected. The first category is contextual

factors, in which regional differences, parental influences, English Corner, classroom

facilities and atmosphere and changes in teaching objectives in China were discussed.

iii
In the second category, the researcher explored issues related to teaching approaches,

such as orders of presenting the IPA and words, sequence of teaching pronunciation,

procedural issues in teaching pronunciation, roles of the native-English-speaking

teachers and Chinese teachers of English, the selection of textbooks and the use of

technology in teaching pronunciation. Finally, the researcher investigated the

learners’ use of pronunciation learning strategies and teachers’ instruction of

pronunciation learning strategies. The less successful pronunciation learners can learn

from the experience of the more successful learners

W
The findings of this study reveal that there are contextual differences in the

Chinese EFL learners’ learning environment and their impact on the learners’
IE
acquisition of pronunciation. Teachers of English approach teaching pronunciation
EV
differently despite the existence of national guidelines. The investigation

demonstrates that Chinese EFL learners at different speaking proficiency levels use

different learning strategies. The study also demonstrates that there is a need for
PR

explicit instruction of learning strategies in the classroom, as some learners are not

active in seeking ways to help themselves with their own learning.

iv
 Acknowledgements

It would not have been possible for me to complete this task without the help

and support that I received from several wonderful people in my life. I would like to

extend to them my sincere appreciation for what they have done for me.

First of all, I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Paul L. Markham, for his

constant support, wise guidance and valuable suggestions. Dr. Markham, thank you

very much for your encouragement, understanding and patience with me. I would also

like to express my gratitude to the other members of my doctoral committee, Dr.

W
Donald K. Watkins, Dr. Susan B. Twombly, Dr. Joan Sereno, and Dr. Lizette Peter

for their helpful comments and suggestions.

IE
I am also grateful to the participants in this study for sharing their precious
EV
time and pronunciation learning experience with me. Without their help, I would not

have been able to understand what the teaching and learning of English pronunciation

was like in China and what we should do to make the situation better for learners in
PR

that context. Moreover, I appreciate those other reviewers outside the committee for

gladly showing their interest in participating in my research project.

Likewise, I am indebted to Lanny Maddux and Howard Pollock for devoting

their precious time to evaluating all the speech samples of the participants in this

study. I am also grateful to Dr. Donald Dyer, Dr. Felice Coles and Dr. John Holleman

for evaluating the first four speech samples. In particular, special thanks go to Dr.

Donald Dyer for his support and encouragement while I have been working full time

under his supervision. Dr. Dyer, thank you for your understanding and sparing your

v
precious time to proofread my dissertation and offer helpful suggestions. I am also

grateful to Dr. Esim Erdim for providing me suggestions and advice on an earlier

draft of my paper. In addition, I would like to thank Dr. Keith McMahon and Ms.

Haining Lou for taking time to look at samples of my English translation of the

participants’ conversation in Chinese and assuring me that they were close to the

original Chinese. I also would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Argenis

Zapata for his friendship and support all these years. Argenis, thanks a lot for taking

time to discuss with me the research skills and writing techniques.

W
I am especially grateful to my husband Hong Zhang for his constant

encouragement, support and trust in me. I am deeply indebted to my parents-in-law,

IE
especially my mother-in-law, for taking care of my son when I had to leave him under
EV
their care, as I needed time to focus on my dissertation and my husband was busy

with his work. I am also thankful to my parents for their constant encouragement and

support all these years. Without them, I would not have had the opportunity to receive
PR

higher education and become what I am today.

vi
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACCEPTANCE PAGE ii

ABSTRACT iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v

TABLE OF CONTENTS vi

LIST OF TABLES xii

LIST OF FIGURES xiii

CHAPTER I

W
INTRODUCTION 1

Statement of the Problem 1

IE
Objectives of the Study and Research Questions 3
EV
Significance of the Study 4

Conceptual Framework 5

What is Pronunciation? 6
PR

Social Interactionist Framework 8

Multidimensional Speech-Pronunciation Program 11

Language Learning Strategies 14

Summary 18

CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW 20

Studies with a Focus on Teaching Pronunciation 21

Nativeness or Intelligibility 21

vii
 Procedures of Pronunciation Instruction 26

Pedagogical Priorities in Pronunciation Instruction 31

Philosophy of Teaching Pronunciation 34

Morley’s Model of Teaching Pronunciation 36

Direction of Pronunciation Teaching 42

Studies with a Focus on the Learner 45

Studies on language learning Strategies in General 46

Studies on Strategies of Learning Pronunciation 52

W
Other Learner-Centered Approaches to Pronunciation Acquisition 56

Studies on the Learning Context 60

IE
Studies on Chinese Students’ Pronunciation Acquisition 65
EV
English Teaching and Learning in China 68

English in the Chinese Education System 68

Objectives of English Education in the Open Door Period 72

PR

English Teaching Pedagogy in China 75

English Instructional Materials in China 79

English Teacher Education in China 82

Western English Teachers in China 84

Summary 86

CHAPTER III

METHOD 88

Rational for the Method 88

viii
 Participants 90

Data Collection 94

Ethical Considerations 98

Data Analysis and Interpretation 99

Trustworthiness Considerations 101

Researcher’s Background 103

Summary 105

CHAPTER IV

W
RESULTS 106

Interviewees’ Learning Experience 107

IE
Andrew’s Educational Background and His Learning Experience 107
EV
Betty’s Educational Background and Her Learning Experience 117

Charlie’s Educational Background and His Learning Experience 126

Darcy’s Educational Background and His Learning Experience 134

PR

Emily’s Educational Background and Her Learning Experience 142

Fiona’s Educational Background and Her Learning Experience 147

Grace’s Educational Background and Her Learning Experience 152

Helen’s Educational Background and Her Learning Experience 158

Isabella’s Educational Background and Her Learning Experience 175

Jenny’s Educational Background and Her Learning Experience 182

Kevin’s Educational Background and His Learning Experience 191

Lanny’s Educational Background and His Learning Experience 199

ix
 Michael’s Educational Background and His Learning Experience 209

Nathan’s Educational Background and His Learning Experience 221

Summary 234

CHAPTER V

DISCUSSION 235

Discussion and Interpretation 235

Contextual Factors 236

Regional Differences 236

W
Parental Influences, 242

English Corner 245

IE
Classroom Facilities and Atmosphere 246
EV
Changes of Teaching Objectives 251

Instructors’ Teaching Approaches 254

Orders of Presenting the IPA and Words 254

PR

Sequences of Teaching Pronunciation 255

Procedural Issues in Pronunciation Teaching 257

Roles of Native-English-Speaking Teachers and

Chinese Teachers of English 258

Selection of Textbooks 262

Use of Technology in Teaching English Pronunciation 263

Learning Strategies for Pronunciation and Speaking 264

The Chinese Learners’ Use of Strategies 264

x
 Teachers’ Instruction of Pronunciation Learning Strategies 268

Limitations of the Study 270

Implications for Teaching and Learning English Pronunciation 272

Establishing a Favorable Environment for

Teaching and Learning Pronunciation 272

Implications for Teaching Pronunciation 274

Implications for Learning Pronunciation 275

Recommendations for Future Research 276

W
Conclusion 278

REFERENCES 280

APPENDIXES
IE 294
EV
Questionnaire Seeking Participants in a Study 294

Informed Consent Form 298

Reading Passage 299

PR

Interview Protocol 300

ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines – Speaking Revised 1999 306

xi
 LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 The Participants’ Personal Information 86

Table 2 Regional Differences between the Less Successful and More

Successful Groups 222

Table 3 Differences in Parental Influences between the Less Successful and

More Successful Groups 225

Table 4 Differences in the Impact of English Corner Between the Less

Successful and More Successful Groups 227

W
Table 5 Differences in Classroom Facilities and Atmosphere between the Less

Successful and More Successful Groups 231

Table 6
IE
Influences of Changes of Teaching Objectives on the Less Successful
EV
and More Successful Groups 233

Table 7 Differences in Teachers’ Ways of Presenting the IPA and Words

between the Less Successful and More Successful Groups 235

PR

Table 8 Differences in the Sequences of Teaching Pronunciation between the

Less Successful and More Successful Groups 236

Table 9 Differences in Procedural Issues between the Less Successful and

More Successful Groups 238

Table 10 Differences in the Use of Technology between the Less Successful and

More Successful Group 243

Table 11 Differences in the Use of Learning Strategies between the Less

Successful and More Successful Groups 247

xii
Table 12 Differences in Teachers’ Instruction of Pronunciation Learning

Strategies between the Less Successful and More Successful

Groups 248

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 A Social Constructivist Model of the Teaching-learning Process 9

Figure 2 Speaker-Listener Intelligibility Matrix 23

Figure 3 School/University and Teacher Training Systems in China 71

W
IE
EV
PR

xiii
 CHAPTER I

Introduction

Statement of the Problem

In second language acquisition or foreign language learning, the history of

pronunciation in English language teaching is a study with very different focuses

(Levis, 2005), as some approaches to teaching, such as the direct method and

audiolingualism, emphasized a lot on the accuracy of pronunciation, while other

approaches, such as the cognitive movement and early communicative language

W
teaching, valued fluency and did not prioritize pronunciation (Celce-Murcia, Brinton,

& Goodwin, 1996). However, from the mid-1980s to the present, some studies with
IE
different approaches to teaching pronunciation have been made (Chun, 2002). There
EV
has been a revival of interest in the teaching of pronunciation.

Tarone (2005) stated that it is heartening to report that there has been an

increase in the studies that focus on issues related to the acquisition of pronunciation
PR

skills in a second language, though research on pronunciation learning in a second

language, comparatively speaking, is less popular than research on interlanguage

morphology, syntax, discourse, or pragmatics. Indeed, we can find that much has

been written about English pronunciation. Some researchers have attempted to

discover what predicts pronunciation accuracy (Purcell & Suter, 1980; Suter, 1976);

or identify what factors affect pronunciation acquisition or improvement (Derwing &

Rossiter, 2003; Laroy, 1995; Moholt, 1988; Thompson, 1991; Yule & Macdonald,

1995). Some have explored how to teach pronunciation (Celece-Murcia, Brinton, &

1
Goodwin, 1996; Derwing, Munro, & Wiebe, 1998; Hewings, 2004; Greenberg, 1997;

Jenkins, 2002; Levis, 2005; MacDonald, Yule, & Powers, 1994; Morley, 1994), while

others have explained their philosophy of pronunciation (Parish, 1977; Stevick, 1978).

Some researchers have explored specifically the issue of suprasegmentals and

segmentals in the teaching of pronunciation (Anderson- Hsieh, Johnson, and Koehler,

1992; Avery & Ehrlich, 1992; Crawford, 1987; Derwing, Munro, & Wiebe, 1998;

Derwing & Rosisiter, 2003; Field, 2005; Hahn, 2004; Juffs, 1990; Levis, 2005;

Munro & Derwing, 1995; Wennerstrom, 1998).

W
However, the above studies are mostly about teaching. Not enough attention

has been devoted to the learners: the agents of the learning process, for example, how
IE
they view the difficulty and importance of English pronunciation and what are their
EV
beliefs about the influential factors in the acquisition of pronunciation (Cenoz &

Lecumberri, 1999), what strategies the advanced second language learners use in

performing a pronunciation task (Osburn, 2003), and what motivation patterns of the
PR

advanced EFL learners are like (Smit & Dalton, 2000). In spite of that, it is heartening

that learners’ role in the process of teaching and learning is gaining more attention.

For example, some studies in China have explored the influence of students’ Chinese

dialects on learning English pronunciation (Xiang, 2001; Zhao & Xiao, 2001) and

advocated applying cooperative learning strategies to enhance students’ English

pronunciation learning effect and helping students to overcome affective hindrances

so as to become more confident in learning (Liu, 2005). This research has attracted

my attention and has motivated me to continue in their direction in order to find out

2
the role that the learners play in the process of learning English pronunciation. I am

particularly interested in finding out what is behind the success or failure of non-

English-major Chinese EFL learners in acquiring an advanced level of pronunciation

and how they reveal their learning experience according to their own description. It is

amazing to me that some of these EFL learners have their specialties in their own

fields and at the same time they reach an advanced level of English speaking

proficiency. How are they different from those students with a lower level of English

pronunciation? As seen from the above, very few studies specifically take Chinese

W
learners of English as their focus of investigation, and I wonder what my interview

study of the Chinese learners’ experience can contribute to the teaching and learning
IE
of English pronunciation. As far as I know, no one has studied the pronunciation
EV
learning experience of non-English-major Chinese EFL learners from a qualitative

point of view.

Objectives of the Study and Research Questions

PR

This study explored how non-English-major native Chinese-speaking EFL

learners at different speaking proficiency levels describe their pronunciation learning

experience toward a better understanding of how the experience of learners with

advanced pronunciation can help disadvantaged pronunciation learners improve their

pronunciation. The study was guided by the following research questions:

1. How do English learners in this study report that their teachers have taught

them English pronunciation?

3
 2. What role do the learners perceive the learning context (e.g., the cultural

settings, the physical environment and the wider social environment) plays

in shaping their English pronunciation?

3. What kind of leaning strategies do the learners report using to acquire

English pronunciation?

In order to find out the answers, I conducted a basic qualitative study

(Merriam, 1998) with Chinese EFL learners and used appropriate procedures to

collect data and analyze them. Basic qualitative study, probably the most common

W
form of qualitative research in education, usually does not focus on culture or build a

ground theory; nor is it an intensive case study of a single unit or bounded system.
IE
Rather, researchers who conduct these studies simply seek to discover and understand
EV
a phenomenon, a process, or the perspective and worldviews of the people involved

(Merriam, 1998).

Significance of the Study

PR

This study is important for several reasons. First, it explores what role the

learning context and the teachers’ approach to teaching English pronunciation have

played in shaping the English pronunciation of the non-English-major Chinese EFL

learners. Second, it investigates the strategies that these learners have used to acquire

the ability to speak English and how different their use of strategies is between the

more successful learners and the less successful ones. From the results, we can tell

how well or poorly the teachers of English in China teach English pronunciation in a

certain context. Additionally, I believe the results will help language instructors to

4
improve their approach to pronunciation teaching so that they can better help less

successful learners in a way that is appropriate for each individual, for example, by

establishing a good learning environment and offering them training in language

learning strategies. Moreover, this will also help less successful learners to learn from

the experience of more successful learners and get an idea of what can lead to

improvement in their own pronunciation. In addition, the study will show us what a

more nurturing environment for acquiring pronunciation should be like. Furthermore,

it will contribute to enriching the literature on teaching and learning pronunciation.

W
As far as I know, very few studies have been done in order to investigate how the

non-English-major Chinese EFL learners acquire English pronunciation with a

qualitative approach.
IE
EV
. Conceptual Framework

The study was based mainly on Williams and Burden’s (1997) constructivist

approach to learning within the social interactionist framework, Morley’s (1994)

PR

multidimensional Speech-Pronunciation Program and the study of learning strategies

(Wenden & Rubin, 1987; O’Malley & Chamot, 1990; Oxford, 1990; Williams &

Burden, 1997). In this section, I first discuss what pronunciation is and then how

individuals make sense of the process of learning within a social context. Williams

and Burden’s (1997) model was chosen as it takes the teacher, the learner, the context

and the task into consideration in the process of teaching and learning. These four

elements are also what I asked in my research questions: what role do the first three

elements play in contributing to performance of a certain task, namely in shaping the

5
students’ English pronunciation in this study? I also introduce Morley’s (1994)

pronunciation program and its communicative orientation to teaching pronunciation.

The program is guided by a shared underlying belief system that is reflected in many

teacher reference books, articles in journals and collections of conference papers and

student texts. Finally, I discuss the studies in the field of language learning strategies

as they are related to the learners’ part in Williams and Burden’s (1997) model.

What Is Pronunciation?

Pronunciation, according to the first definition of The American Heritage

W
College Dictionary (2002), refers to “the way or manner of pronouncing words;

utterance of speech” (p. 1116). Similar explanations can also be found in the
IE
MacMillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners (2002) where it is referred to
EV
as “the way in which a word or language is pronounced” (p. 1130). Going through a

lot of American and British English dictionaries, I found only a few most recent

dictionaries to include speech or language in defining pronunciation. Most of them

PR

just define pronunciation as the way or manner of pronouncing a word, words, or

syllables. When pronunciation is taken as the way of uttering a word, it is not difficult

to understand why old-style pronunciation teaching focuses on the teaching of

segmentals, namely, consonants and vowels. However, when we look at

pronunciation in a broader sense, we can see why the teaching of pronunciation has

already started to stress the importance of the teaching of suprasegmentals (e.g., stress,

rhythm and intonation). After all, most of the time we use the connected speech of a

language to communicate and not just single words.

6
 What is pronunciation, from a linguistic perspective? Anderson-Hsieh (1992)

stated that “the major areas of pronunciation are segmentals, prosody

(suprasegmentals), syllable structure, and voice quality” (p. 530). McDonough and

Shaw (2003) contended that the key aspects of pronunciation are as follows:

individual sounds, word stress, sentence stress and rhythm, intonation, sound and

spelling. Hewings (2004) introduced some of the main components of speech which

together combine to form the pronunciation of a language. These components range

from the individual sounds that make up speech, to the way in which pitch - the rise

W
and fall of the voice – is used to convey meaning. Later, he posited that intonation

refers essentially to the way the pitch of the voice falls or rises. According to Chun
IE
(2002), intonation is often used interchangeably with several other terms, in particular
EV
prosody and suprasegmentals, of which suprasegmentals is perhaps the broadest term.

Suprasegmental features, which typically extend over more than one sound in an

utterance, over longer stretches of speech, stand in contrast to the so-called segmental
PR

features or simple sounds, i.e., consonants and vowels. Suprasegmental feature, such

as pitch, tempo, and rhythm extend beyond a single vowel or consonant to syllables,

words, and entire sentences. In addition, Morley (1991) revealed a number of shifts in

instructional focus after reviewing pronunciation literature of the past several years.

One of the shifts is a focus on an expanded concept of what constitutes the domain of

pronunciation, one that incorporates not only attention to (a) segmentals and (b)

suprasegmentals, but also (c) voice quality features, articulatory settings, and other

paralinguistic areas, and (d) elements of body language used in oral communication

7
(i.e., extralinguistic features). In my study, teaching and learning English

pronunciation focuses mainly on segmental and suprasegmental features of the

English language.

Social Interactionist Framework

Williams and Burden (1997) have identified four key elements in the learning

process: the learner, the teacher, the task and the context. However, none of these

elements exists in isolation. They all interact as part of a dynamic, ongoing process.

This is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1.

W
Williams and Burden (1997) attributed their model to two well-known

psychologists, Lev Vygotsky and Reuven Feuerstein. Central to the psychology of

IE
both psychologists is the concept of mediation, which refers to the part played by
EV
other significant people in the learners’ lives, who enhance their learning by selecting

and shaping the learning experience presented to them. These people can be parents,

teachers or peers. As we can see, Vygotsky and Feuerstein emphasize the social
PR

context in which learning takes place. In addition, Vygotsky and Feuerstein also

discussed ways of helping learners to learn how to learn (Williams and Burden, 1997).

In Williams and Burden’s (1997) model, the task is the interface between the

teacher and learners, as the teacher select tasks and learners interpret tasks. Teachers

and learners also interact with each other, as the tasks that the teacher selects reflect

their beliefs about teaching and learning and the way in which learners react to the

teacher and the tasks will be affected by the individual characteristics of the learners

and the feelings that the teacher conveys to them. These three elements -- teacher,

8
 CONTEXT(S)

TEACHER LEARNER

TASK

W
IE
EV

Figure 1. A social constructivist model of the teaching-learning process

PR

task and learner -- are then in a dynamic equilibrium. In addition to this, the context

in which learning takes place will play an important role in shaping what happens

within it. This includes the emotional environment, for example, trust and feeling of

belonging; the physical environment; the whole school ethos; the wider social

environment; the political environment and the cultural settings. This can be

represented as a set of concentric circles influencing each other, with the participants,

of course, playing an active part in shaping those environments. It is also worth

noting that a change in any one component of the model will influence the other parts.

9
 Williams and Burden (1997) argued that learning never takes place in a

vacuum. We cannot underestimate how important the appropriate environmental

conditions are for learning to take place. Williams and Burden (1997) approached

aspects of the environment that affect learning at different levels. At the broadest

level, they believed that national and cultural differences profoundly influence how a

language develops and how it is used. They stated that one of the primary functions of

a language is to describe our environment so that we can form an image of ourselves

in relation to it. The better we come to understand the cultural context which gives

W
rise to the language we are trying to learn, the more likely we are to come to

understand the essential differences between the way in which that language is used

and our own.

IE
EV
At another level, Williams and Burden discussed how a country’s education

system will affect the learning environment. They pointed out that different countries

such as China, Japan, the UK and the USA, are different in their avowed aims of the
PR

educational systems. Within such countries there is not necessarily a universally

recognized set of educational policies about how such aims should be achieved.

At the school level, Williams and Burden (1997) argued that the ethos that

exists within a school will affect the type of learning that goes on in that school. It is

necessary to examine the expressed educational aims of the school within the broader

national and cultural context of the country’s educational system to find out what

makes a school successful.

10