Correct Pronunciation In English Language Education

Having the ability to utter words properly and clearly is of paramount importance. Correct pronunciation is the fundamental element of language communication to the extent that wrong pronunciation might impede communication. Proper pronunciation can be defined as producing linguistic sounds through which message can be conveyed easily. Since speaking a language needs an interactive ability to perceive and use language elements effectively, it is a difficult task, not least for foreign language learners (Richards & Renandya, 2002). In order to have communication that does not lead to misunderstandings, language learners should to react in an appropriate way to what people say by using the correct features of the speaking. Among these features,

There were periods in which pronunciation was accepted as a privileged part of skill instruction and as a basis of language learning. During other periods of times, it was considered less important than other language skills, such as grammar, and broadly neglected by teachers and learners (Lightbown & Spada, 2006; Richards & Rodgers, 2001). Though it is possible to see sections presenting pronunciation tips and practice activities in most of the current course books, every teacher may not pay attention to these sections (Brown, 1991; Çekiç,

It was the center of the classroom instruction, since the main purpose of language learning and teaching moved towards listening and speaking skills (Lightbown & Spada, 2006). Accuracy was at the center of language learning- teaching practices (Celce-Murcia et al., 1996; Morley, 1991). As a result of this, students spent most of their time in laboratories, listening to sounds in order to be able to differentiate minimal pairs (Larsen-Freeman, 1986). In the 1960s, teaching pronunciation started to decline, since grammar and vocabulary were the focus of attention. Therefore, pronunciation lost its value in the view of many educators and it was disregarded in many programs (Seidlhofer, 2001). According to Morley (1991), the main reason for disregarding pronunciation instruction in language teaching programs was that educators were dissatisfied with the teaching of pronunciation principles and practices of the time, therefore, they excluded pronunciation from their teaching. The role that pronunciation plays in language teaching-learning settings is non-negligible even if the necessity and importance to teach it has been debated and changed a lot in accordance with the on-again, off-again trends in the field. Whether or not there is a professional intention, learning a language usually includes the aim of being able to communicate and having good pronunciation is an effective factor for good