ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI

TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ

KHOA SAU ĐẠI HỌC

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TIỂU LUẬN HỌC PHẦN CUỐI KỲ

VIẾT KHOA HỌC

Giảng viên phụ trách: TS. Mai Thị Loan

Học viên: Nguyễn Minh Trang
Ngày sinh: 14/10/1998
Mã học viên: 22045289
Khóa học: QH2022
Lớp học: QH2022D2 Tiếng Anh (lớp 2)

Hà Nội – 02/2024
In this essay, I will review two scholarly articles that investigate the challenges
of English pronunciation learning. The first article, "Why is Pronunciation So
Difficult to Learn?" by Abbas Pourhossein Gilakjani and Mohammad Reza
Ahmadi (2011), explores the complexities of pronunciation acquisition. The
second article, "Factors influencing English pronunciation learning and
suggestions for pronunciation teaching" by Seom (2021a), studies the factors
influencing English pronunciation learning and offers practical suggestions for
improvement. Through this review, I aim to analyze the commonalities and
differences between the authors' approaches to understanding the difficulties of
pronunciation learning.

In "Why is Pronunciation So Difficult to Learn?" by Abbas Pourhossein

Gilakjani and Mohammad Reza Ahmadi, the authors take a close look into the
multifaceted challenges that learners encounter in mastering pronunciation. They
explore various factors contributing to the difficulty of pronunciation
acquisition, including linguistic features, psychological aspects, and
instructional methods. The article emphasizes the complicated interplay between
cognitive processes, motivation, anxiety, and individual differences in
pronunciation learning. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature
and empirical evidence, Gilakjani and Ahmadi offer valuable insights into the
complexities of pronunciation instruction and highlight the importance of
addressing learners' psychological barriers to facilitate effective pronunciation
learning.

On the other hand, Seom's article investigates the factors influencing English
pronunciation learning and offers practical suggestions for pronunciation
teaching. The author highlights the role of various factors such as the native
language, age, exposure, innate phonetic ability, identity, language ego, and
motivation in pronunciation acquisition. Additionally, Seom emphasizes the
importance of integrating authentic teaching materials into curricula, providing
pronunciation training for teachers, making use of available technology,
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accepting varieties of accents, and providing ongoing feedback to learners.
Through these insights, Seom provides a deeper understanding of the challenges
of English pronunciation learning and offers applicable strategies for
improvement.

Both articles recognize pronunciation instruction as a crucial component of

language education and advocate for a communicative approach to teaching.
Gilakjani and Ahmadi stress the importance of addressing learners'
psychological barriers and providing sufficient practice opportunities, aligning
with Seom's emphasis on the role of motivation and exposure in pronunciation
learning. Additionally, both studies acknowledge the crowded nature of
language classes, highlighting the need for more dedicated time to pronunciation
instruction.

Concerning the differences between the two articles, while they both
acknowledge the importance of psychological factors in pronunciation learning,
Gilakjani and Ahmadi focus more on learners' anxiety and lack of confidence,
whereas Seom explores a broader range of factors, including the role of the
native language, age, and motivation. Furthermore, Seom provides more specific
practical suggestions for pronunciation teaching, such as integrating technology
and providing ongoing feedback, which are not fully addressed in Gilakjani and
Ahmadi's article.

As a teacher of English in a high school for the gifted in Hà Giang city, Vietnam,
I can relate to the challenges highlighted in these articles as my students, mostly
at A2-B2 levels, often struggle with basic pronunciation, leading to
communication barriers. They lack exposure to effective pronunciation practice
methods and are unaware of the importance of accurate pronunciation in
language acquisition. More importantly, the fear of making mistakes always
hinder them from practicing publicly in front of their peers and teachers,
ultimately decreasing their improvement. Reflecting on these articles, I realize

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the importance of providing students with more opportunities for practice and
nonjudgemental feedback, as well as providing pronunciation training for
teachers and integrating authentic teaching materials into the curriculum.

In conclusion, both articles offer a deeper insight into the multifaceted nature of
English pronunciation learning for educators. While Gilakjani and Ahmadi focus
on psychological barriers and practice opportunities, Seom provides a more
comprehensive exploration of factors influencing pronunciation learning and
practical suggestions for improvement. By integrating these insights into
teaching practices, educators can better support students in overcoming the
challenges of English pronunciation learning.

REFERENCES

Gilakjani, A., Ahmadi, S., & Ahmadi, M. (2011). Why is Pronunciation So

Difficult to Learn? English Language Teaching, 4(3). doi:10.5539/elt.v4n3p74

Seom, S. (2021a). Factors influencing English pronunciation learning and

suggestions for pronunciation teaching. Cambodian Journal of Educational
Research, 1(1), 31–41. https://doi.org/10.62037/cjer.2021.01.01.06