A study on mistakes commonly commited by the 10th grade students at kim thanh high school, hai duong in the pronunciation of english fricative and affricative consonants and some possible pedagogical solutions

Rationale of the study

In today's society, fluency in English is often seen as a crucial factor for career advancement, particularly in management roles Individuals with poor English skills may struggle to express their innovative ideas, regardless of their qualifications or intelligence, which can hinder their progress in the corporate hierarchy This issue is prevalent among students, many of whom feel discouraged about learning English due to difficulties with pronunciation According to Gerald Kelly (2000), consistent mispronunciation can create significant barriers to effective communication, making it challenging for listeners to comprehend the speaker's message.

In the way round, the situation will also become very frustrating for himself/ herself even though he/ she has very good knowledge of grammar and vocabulary

In high school English textbooks, pronunciation lessons aim to provide essential guidance for both teachers and students However, the actual teaching of pronunciation, especially for 10th-grade students at Kim Thanh High School, often falls short of these expectations Drawing from practical teaching experiences, the researcher seeks to clarify this issue through a focused study.

In this study, the researcher has presented a brief description of some features of English affricate and fricative consonants as well as the mistakes

A study conducted at Kim Thanh High School in Hai Duong investigates the common pronunciation mistakes made by 10th-grade students regarding English fricative and affricative consonants This research highlights the specific errors frequently encountered by Vietnamese students and offers pedagogical solutions aimed at addressing these challenges By understanding these pronunciation issues, educators can implement strategies to improve students' English speaking skills effectively.

A study conducted on the common pronunciation mistakes made by 10th-grade students at Kim Thanh High School in Hai Duong focused on English fricative and affricative consonants The research highlights key issues in pronunciation and proposes effective pedagogical solutions to enhance students' language skills.

Aims of study and research questions

This study aims to identify the common errors made by 10th-grade students at Kim Thanh High School when producing English affricative and fricative sounds Additionally, it offers strategies to assist students in overcoming mispronunciations.

In order to fulfil these aims, the study focuses on answering the research questions:

1 What are the most common mistakes related to English affricative and fricative sounds the 10 th grade students at Kim Thanh high school often make?

2 What are the causes of the mispronunciation?

3 What are the possible pedagogical solutions to help students correct these mistakes?

Significance of the study

Theoretical significance: The research assists both teachers and learners to review phonological characteristics and articulation of the sounds It is a solid foundation in teaching and learning English pronunciation

This study highlights common errors made by students in producing affricative and fricative sounds in English, providing English teachers with valuable insights and practical strategies to address these persistent issues effectively.

A study was conducted on the common pronunciation mistakes made by 10th-grade students at Kim Thanh High School in Hai Duong, focusing on English fricative and affricative consonants The research identified specific errors in pronunciation and explored potential pedagogical solutions to improve students' skills Emphasizing targeted teaching methods can enhance students' understanding and articulation of these challenging consonant sounds, ultimately leading to better English pronunciation overall.

Scope of the study

The English sound system comprises forty-four phonemes, including twenty-four consonants, twelve pure vowels, and eight diphthongs Vietnamese speakers often face challenges in accurately producing certain English sounds due to various factors.

Understanding the difference between errors and mistakes is crucial in language learning Mistakes, identified as performance errors, occur when learners know the correct system but fail to apply it, while errors stem from a fundamental lack of competence, indicating an incorrect understanding of the system (Richards, Platt, and Platt, 1992) Furthermore, according to Jame (1998), mistakes can be self-corrected when the learner is made aware of the deviation, whereas errors cannot be self-corrected due to their systematic nature.

This study aims to identify the most common pronunciation mistakes made by 10th-grade students at Kim Thanh High School in Hai Duong, specifically focusing on English fricative and affricative consonant sounds Due to time constraints, the length of the thesis, and the researcher's knowledge limitations, a comprehensive analysis of all pronunciation errors is not feasible.

Method of the study

The research employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative techniques Additionally, the researcher has consulted a variety of resources, including books, magazines, articles, newspapers, and online sources, to gather comprehensive information.

In order to gain the most reliable results, the quantitative data will be collected through two survey questionnaires One survey questionnaire is for

A study involving 200 students from two distinct groups—English-gifted and English non-gifted—was conducted at Kim Thanh High School, focusing on grade 10 Additionally, a survey was administered to six English teachers who instruct grade 10 students during this period.

A study conducted on the pronunciation errors of 10th-grade students at Kim Thanh High School in Hai Duong focused on their difficulties with English fricative and affricative consonants The research involved a survey of the students, with the collected data being processed and analyzed to draw meaningful conclusions The findings aim to identify common mistakes and suggest effective pedagogical solutions to improve students' pronunciation skills.

Design of the study

The study consists of three parts as follows:

PART A is the introduction, which provides an overview of the study with specific reference to the rationale, the aims, the scope and the structural organization of the thesis

PART B development, consists of 3 chapters:

Chapter 1 presents review of previous studies related to the research of the thesis and theoretical backgrounds about general descriptions of English affricative and fricative sounds

Chapter 2, the methodology underlying the research is presented It presents the subject of the study, the instruments used to collect the data and the procedure of the data collection

Chapter 3 is devoted to a detailed description of data analysis and a thorough discussion of the findings of the study

In the conclusion of the thesis, key points are summarized, highlighting the main findings and insights This section also addresses the study's limitations and offers recommendations for future research to enhance understanding in the field.

This study examines the common pronunciation mistakes made by 10th-grade students at Kim Thanh High School in Hai Duong, focusing specifically on English fricative and affricative consonants The research identifies key errors and offers potential pedagogical solutions to improve students' pronunciation skills By addressing these challenges, educators can enhance the overall English language proficiency of their students.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Theoretical background

English has 24 consonant phonemes classified according to their respective point of articulation, manner of articulation, voiced or voiceless

English consonants are uniquely categorized based on a three-way distinction, showcasing their remarkable pairing, particularly in voiced and voiceless forms, with the exception of nasals.

Figure 1: Consonant chart according to Place and Manner of articulation of the sound (as achieved from http://nlpdotnet.com/Linguistics/Phonetics/ConsonantChart.aspx)

A.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutions

From the table above, according to Manner of Articulation, it‟s clearly that English fricatives consist of 4 minimal pairs: /f/ &/v/;/s/&/z/;/θ/&/ ð/; /∫/&/ʒ/ and /h/ sound while English affricate include one pair : / tʃ/& /dʒ/

1.1.1 The description of English fricatives

Fricatives, as defined by Tam Ha Cam (2005), are consonants produced by forcing air through a narrow passage, resulting in a hissing sound These sounds are classified as continuant consonants, meaning they can be sustained without interruption as long as the speaker has sufficient airflow.

The voiceless labio-dental consonant /f/ is articulated by pressing the lower lip against the upper teeth and expelling air between them This sound can be represented in various spellings, including "f" as in "fine," "flare," and "fringe," as well as "ff" in "effort" and "snuff," "ph" in "physics" and "graph," and even "gh" in words like "enough" and "tough."

Figure 2: Place and manner articulation of the sound /f/

(as achieved from http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english /frameset.html )

The voiced fricative /v/ is a lenis counterpart to the voiceless fricative [f], sharing both the labiodental place and fricative manner of articulation Examples include pairs such as leaf/leaves and wife/wives, as well as the transformation of final consonants through derivational affixes, like in life/liven.

Figure 3: Place and manner articulation of the sound /v/

(as achieved from http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english /frameset.html

1.1.1.2 Dental Fricatives: / θ, ð/ θ/ is an interdental, voiceless, fortis fricative It occurs in word-initial, medial and final position It is produced with the tip of the tongue between the teeth, the air escaping through the passage in between The sound is rendered graphically by h- thin, method, path The sound often occurs in clusters difficult to pronounce: eighths [eıtθs], depths [depθs], lengths [leŋθs]

Figure 4: Place and manner articulation of the sound / θ / (as achieved from http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english /frameset.html

/ð/ is the voiced pair of [θ] being an interdental, voiced, lenis fricative

In English phonetics, the sound [ð] appears primarily in grammatical words such as demonstratives (this, that, these, those), articles (the), and adverbs (thus) when in initial position It is freely used in medial positions within words like brother, bother, rather, and heathen In final position, [ð] often represents the voicing of [θ] in plural forms, such as mouths [mauðz] and wreaths [ri:ðz], which can be challenging to pronounce Additionally, this voicing occurs in derived words, exemplified by the noun bath [ba:θ] compared to the verb bathe [beıð], and the noun breath [breθ] versus the verb breathe.

Figure 5: Place and manner articulation of the sound / ð / (as achieved from http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english /frameset.html

The sound /s/ is an alveolar, voiceless, fortis fricative created by the tip and blade of the tongue lightly contacting the alveolar ridge, while the sides of the tongue maintain a loose connection with the upper teeth Air flows through a narrow groove in the center of the tongue, producing a hissing sound that can occur at the beginning, middle, or end of words This sound is typically represented by the letters s, ss, or c when followed by e, i, or y, as seen in words like sour, say, hiss, assign, ceiling, cellar, cigarette, precise, cypress, and bicycle.

A.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutions be sce, sci or scy (e.g science, scent, scene, scythe) s is silent in words like corps, island, viscount

The sound /s/ is a voiceless, alveolar fricative, while /z/ is its voiced counterpart, playing a crucial role in English phonetics The /z/ sound serves as one of the primary allomorphs of the plural morpheme, appearing after voiced consonants or vowels Both /s/ and /z/ produce a hissing sound characterized by high-pitched friction, contributing significantly to the phonological structure of the language.

Figure 7: Place and manner articulation of the sound / z / (as achieved from http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english /frameset.html

The sound /∫/ is a voiceless, fortis fricative consonant produced by raising the tongue blade against the area behind the alveolar ridge, allowing air to flow through a wider groove than in the case of its fronted counterpart, /s/ This consonant appears in all three main positions within words and is commonly spelled as "sh" in examples such as "shoe," "cushion," and "push," but it can also be represented by the letter "s."

The article discusses various phonetic sounds represented by specific letter combinations in English It highlights examples such as "sure" and "sugar" for the /ʃ/ sound, "pressure" and "mission" for the ss sound, and "ancient" and "delicious" for the ci sound Additionally, it notes the sci sound in "conscious," ce in "ocean," si in "pension" and "mansion," and ti in "tuition" and "retribution." The text also mentions the variant /∫/ found in words like "issue," "tissue," as well as the ch sound in "champagne," "charade," and "moustache."

Some similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese

In Vietnamese, consonants are classified into 22 initial consonants and

6 final consonants according to the positions of the consonants in a word

Table 1: Vietnamese initial and final consonants

The consonant systems of English and Vietnamese exhibit similarities, particularly in their initial consonant sounds, as both languages feature fricatives such as /f/, /v/, /s/, /ʃ/, and /ʒ/ However, Vietnamese lacks an affricative sound system and primarily utilizes fricative sounds at the beginning of words, without addressing final consonants In contrast, English consonants can appear in initial, middle, and final positions, with the exception of /ʒ/, which is infrequently found at the beginning of words.

Review of previous studies related to the research area of the thesis

There have been many researches dealing with the mistakes and difficulties made by learners when pronouncing English sounds

In 2005, Tam investigated the prevalent pronunciation challenges faced by students in the English Department at the University of Languages and International Studies To address this research question, data was collected during an oral final examination where students discussed specific topics for approximately five minutes While observing the students, Tam noted the pronunciation errors they made The study identified the most commonly mispronounced sounds among Vietnamese students, which are detailed in the accompanying table.

Table 2: Sounds mispronounced by Vietnamese students (Tam,2007)

Certain English sounds, particularly affricates and fricatives, are uncommon in Vietnamese, leading to significant challenges for Vietnamese learners in producing English phonetics Several Vietnamese researchers have explored the typical errors and difficulties encountered by these learners The following section summarizes the key mistakes identified in their studies.

The /f/ sound is generally not problematic for most students, while the /v/ sound can pose challenges, particularly due to a tendency to devoice /v/ at the ends of words This substitution occurs because /v/ and /f/ are both labio-dental fricatives, differing only in vocal cord vibration; /v/ is voiced, whereas /f/ is voiceless.

Table 3: Mistakes in producing the sounds /f/ and /v/

The problems with /θ/ -/ ð / are many and varied

- A dentalized [t] occurs when there is insufficient breath support

Table 4.1: Mistakes in producing the sounds/θ/ -/ð /

- Since /ð/ and /d/ share the one identical characteristic, that is, voiced; /ð/ as a voiced dental fricative was being replaced with /d/ In term of /θ/, with insufficient airflow, a dentalized /d/ will occur

Table 4.2: Mistakes in producing the sounds/θ/ -/ð / (2)

- The third deviation happened when the students replaced /θ/ with /ð/

Students often mispronounce the sound /θ/ as /ð/ due to a key difference in vocal cord usage The correct production of /θ/ requires the vocal cords to remain apart, allowing air to flow without vibration However, when attempting to articulate /θ/, students tend to close their vocal cords, resulting in a vibrating sound Consequently, their pronunciation is perceived as /ð/ rather than the intended /θ/.

„writing‟ /rɪ ð ɪŋ//rɪθɪŋ/

- Another deviation done by the students was the substitution of /θ/ with /s/ which could be found in the medial position only

Ex: „birthday‟/bɜ:sdeɪ/  /bɜ:sdeɪ/

- Devoicing may also be a common problem since English orthography uses the letters "th" for both /θ/ and /ð/

Ex: „monthly‟ /mʌnθli//mʌnli/

The primary issue with the sounds /s/ and /z/ often arises from omissions, which can stem from grammatical errors such as pluralization and possessive forms, or from not fully articulating the ends of words To assist with the devoicing of final /z/ sounds, extending the length of the preceding vowel can be beneficial.

- On the whole, there were some basic deviations made by the students in articulating /ʒ/: the replacement of /ʒ/ with /d/, /s/, /j/, /t∫/, /∫/, /dʒ/, and /ỉ/

Mistakes Deviations garage prestige genre explosion rouge

Table 5: Mistakes in producing the sounds / ʃ/ -/ ʒ/

The /ʃ/ sound, while not very common in English or globally, can be easily mastered by learners However, many struggle to differentiate between the voiceless alveo-palatal fricative /ʃ/ and the voiced alveo-fricative /s/.

Ex: She /ʃi: / is often pronounced incorrectly as /si:/ in sea The same mistakes occur with nation, intonation, should, shut, push, share, finish, astonish, etc

The sound /h/ is classified as a voiceless glottal fricative, produced by directing a stream of air from the larynx through an open mouth In English, this sound does not occur at the end of words While /h/ is typically not a challenging sound for learners, some may mistakenly substitute it with the voiceless velar fricative /x/.

The affricate sounds /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ are created by obstructing the airflow between the tongue and gum ridge, combining a stop and a fricative It is crucial to maintain strong production for the /tʃ/ sound, as any weakening may result in it being substituted with a /ʃ/ sound.

The sound /dʒ/ is produced with less tension than /tʃ/, yet it requires significant strength This reduction in tension can result in a substitution with /ʃ/ Learners frequently struggle with these sounds, particularly in Vietnam, where the phonemes /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ do not exist, leading to their pronunciation as /z/ and /ć/.

Mistakes Deviations bridge page marriage gouge marching chicken

Table 6: Mistakes in producing the sounds / tʃ/ - /dʒ/

METHODOLOGY

A research study was conducted involving 150 grade 10 students from Kim Thanh High School in Hai Duong, selected randomly from classes 10A, 10B, 10C, and 10N All participants have a minimum of seven years of English learning experience, having started in primary school, and are familiar with English sounds and grammatical structures Out of these students, 30 were chosen to participate in recordings, all of whom voluntarily agreed to take part in the study, while the entire group of 150 completed a questionnaire.

Kim Thanh High School, located in Kim Thanh district, Hai Duong, approximately 90 kilometers from Hanoi, is renowned as one of the top 100 high schools in Vietnam With around 1,200 students admitted through a competitive entrance exam held annually in June, the school attracts talented individuals from various secondary schools in the district While most students excel in reading, vocabulary, and grammar, they often struggle with listening, speaking, and pronunciation skills.

The school boasts excellent teaching and learning facilities, including three computer labs and projectors installed in one-third of the classrooms, enhancing IT integration in education Most students come from middle to high-class families, providing them with better access to information technology Additionally, all students receive weekly Information Technology lessons, ensuring they are proficient in using computers and navigating the Internet.

This study examines the common pronunciation mistakes made by 10th-grade students at Kim Thanh High School in Hai Duong, specifically focusing on English fricative and affricative consonants It identifies key errors and explores potential pedagogical solutions to improve students' pronunciation skills The findings aim to enhance English language teaching methodologies and support students in overcoming these challenges effectively.

To ensure the validity and reliability of the research, the three following instruments have been chosen

Using a recorder is the most popular method for capturing interview data, as it effectively preserves the entire verbal exchange for future analysis This tool allows researchers to pause and replay segments of the interview, ensuring a clearer and more accurate understanding of the data Additionally, it aided in identifying common pronunciation mistakes made by students with fricative and affricative sounds across three distinct tasks.

The study utilized a list of 66 individual words featuring fricative and affricate sounds in various positions—beginning, middle, and end Additionally, 11 sentences were crafted for Task 2, incorporating these specific sounds Task 3 involved a text taken from the participants' textbook, providing context for the sounds being studied.

The questionnaire is a popular and effective tool for gathering survey data, known for its simplicity in analysis (Wilson and McLean, 1994) This ease of use made it the preferred choice for the researcher to obtain essential information for their analysis.

The researcher opted for survey questionnaires due to their effectiveness in gathering information on the emotional aspects of teaching and learning, including beliefs, attitudes, motivation, and preferences (Richards and Lockhart, 1994:10) This method allowed for the rapid collection of a significant amount of data, with the researcher completing the distribution and collection within just one week Additionally, the survey approach facilitated easy summarization of the results, benefiting both the researcher and the participants.

A study on the pronunciation mistakes made by 10th-grade students at Kim Thanh High School in Hai Duong focuses on their difficulties with English fricative and affricative consonants The research aims to identify common errors and explore effective pedagogical solutions Additionally, it provides students with a safe space to share their opinions and feelings without fear of embarrassment The use of survey questionnaires offers a cost-effective method for researchers to gather valuable data.

The questionnaire comprised eight survey questions aimed at identifying the causes of students' pronunciation mistakes To address the second research question, it is recommended that students adopt effective strategies to enhance their pronunciation skills Consequently, the eighth question was included to assess the methods informants employed to overcome their challenges and improve their English pronunciation.

The data collection procedure was divided into two stages

The researcher utilized tape recordings to gather insights from 30 informants, who were instructed to read aloud prepared materials These materials consisted of three distinct tasks designed for the recording process.

Following the identification of pronunciation mistakes, the researcher conducted a second phase involving 150 voluntary respondents to explore the causes and solutions for correcting these errors To ensure clarity and effectiveness, a pilot recording and a pilot questionnaire were administered prior to each phase, confirming that no significant issues arose during the tasks.

After being collected, the data was then processed through three stages listed below

This study examines the common pronunciation errors made by 10th-grade students at Kim Thanh High School in Hai Duong, focusing specifically on English fricative and affricative consonants The research identifies key mistakes and explores potential pedagogical solutions to enhance students' pronunciation skills By addressing these issues, the study aims to improve English language proficiency among students, providing valuable insights for educators in developing effective teaching strategies.

To ensure the quality of the data, a thorough review was conducted to identify and minimize errors, incompleteness, misclassification, and gaps (Kumar, 1996, p.200) The questionnaire data was specifically assessed for completeness and internal consistency, leading to the exclusion of any incomplete or inconsistent responses from the study Additionally, data from interviews and observations was carefully checked to address any missed or misclassified responses This rigorous data editing process is crucial as it enhances the validity and reliability of the research findings.

The second step in the data analysis process is coding, which involves converting information into numerical values for computer analysis (Kumar, 1996, p.203) In this thesis, data collected from questionnaires was entered into a computer, where the same responses from different participants were counted and converted into percentages for analysis Additionally, data gathered from interviews and observations was also coded for further analysis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Data analysis

3.1.1 The result collected by means of recordings

The table presents details on the mispronunciation of English fricative and affricative sounds by students The recording tasks aimed to identify the most common errors in producing sounds such as /f/, /v/, /s/, /z/, /θ/, /ð/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, and the affricatives /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ Students were asked to read individual words, sentences, and texts containing these sounds to highlight their pronunciation challenges.

The following table shows details of the subjects‟ mispronunciation:

TIEU LUAN MOI download : skknchat@gmail.com

Table 7: Common pronunciation mistakes committed by the students

To have a general look, the researcher synthesizes students‟ pronunciation mistakes in 2 successive tables:

Table 8: Number of students producing sound omission

The data indicates that nearly all students made errors by omitting specific sounds at the end of words, while none neglected these sounds at the beginning Notably, 23 students, representing approximately 77%, failed to articulate labiodental fricative sounds, highlighting a consistent trend in sound omission.

A significant 67% of students forgot the interdental sounds /θ/ and /ð/, with omissions occurring not only at the end but also in the middle of words, affecting 22 and 16 students respectively Additionally, more than 23% of students failed to pronounce the sounds /ʃ/, /tʃ/, and /dʒ/ in the middle position of words.

By contract, the palatal sound /ʒ/ and the glottal sound /h/ did not cause problems for the students when they produced them

The percentage of informants making mistakes of sound deviation is clearly endorsed in table below:

No of students with the mistakes Percentage

Table 9: Number of students producing sound deviation

With the inspection of subjects‟ oral production in recordings, it can be found that many subjects are liable to replace /z/ with /s/, /ð/ with/ θ/, /tʃ/ with

Many students struggle with the pronunciation of the sounds /ʃ/, /ʒ/, and /dʒ/, with over 60% making errors by substituting these sounds with /s/ due to a lack of understanding This phenomenon highlights the negative transfer from their mother tongue Additionally, performance issues are evident in the pronunciation of pairs such as /f/ and /v/, as well as /s/ to /ʃ/, /tʃ/ to /ʒ/ and /ʃ/, and /dʒ/.

The sounds /tʃ/ and /ʒ/, as well as /ʒ/ and /dʒ/, can be challenging for learners due to the negative transfer from their native language Since these sounds lack direct equivalents in their mother tongue, learners often struggle with the correct articulation patterns When faced with unfamiliar sounds, they may instinctively resort to more familiar sounds, resulting in varied pronunciations This phenomenon highlights the impact of native language interference on language acquisition.

Students often omit or deviate from certain affricative and fricative sounds in both syllable-middle and final positions Their existing phonemic habits influence their English pronunciation, leading to challenges in accurately imitating proper sounds.

The result collected by means of questionnaire

3.2.1 Students’ opinion on the importance of pronunciation

Question 4 of the survey questionnaire is polled to get the students‟ perception of the importance of pronunciation in teaching and learning English with the results shown in the chart below:

Figure 12 Students’ opinion on the importance of pronunciation

The pie chart reveals that over 70% of surveyed students believe English pronunciation is very important, while 16% consider it important Additionally, only 14% view pronunciation as neutral, with no respondents deeming it unnecessary These statistics highlight the critical importance of pronunciation in English language learning.

3.2.2 Students’ purposes of learning English

Question 5 was composed to collect the information about students‟ purposes in learning English grammar and the results were received as following:

To pass the phonetic exam 100%

To improve your communication skills 60%

To be more confident in speaking

Table 10: Students’ purposes of learning English grammar

The primary goal for most students regarding English pronunciation is to pass the phonetic exam, with only 16% focusing on understanding the language itself A significant 60% of students prioritize improving their communication skills, while over half seek to boost their confidence This indicates that many view English as a mandatory high school subject, making pronunciation training essential for exam success Furthermore, it highlights a lack of emphasis on truly understanding the English language among students.

3.2.3 Student’s frequency in practicing English pronunciation

Student's frequency in practising English pronunciation

Figure 13: Students’ frequency in practicing English pronunciation

The bar chart highlights a significant issue in English language education, revealing that only 12% of students prioritize practicing English pronunciation This lack of attention is likely due to insufficient practice time, which contributes to their difficulties in accurately producing English sounds.

3.2.4 Students’ knowledge of reading phonetic transcription

From the survey results collected from question 3 and question 7, the researcher illustrated in the following chart below about the students‟

A.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutions response to the pronunciation course attention and their knowledge of reading phonetic transcription as well

Students' response to the pronunciation course attendance

Figure 14: Students’ response to the pronunciation course attendance

Students' knowledge of reading phonetic transcription

Figure 15: Students’ knowledge of reading phonetic transcription

The two charts highlight a significant issue in pronunciation education, showing that 87% of students have never participated in a pronunciation course Consequently, only 24% of students are able to read phonetic transcriptions in dictionaries, which poses a considerable challenge in their English learning journey This lack of familiarity with phonetic transcription may contribute to poor pronunciation skills, preventing students from self-correcting their mistakes effectively.

3.2.5 Causes of the students’ mispronunciation

Question 8 was carefully designed to investigate the causes of the students‟ mistakes with the fricative and affricative sounds, which could be considered as a key to solve the problems In this question, possible causes were listed and the subjects were asked whether they strongly agreed, agreed, neither agreed nor disagreed, disagreed or strongly disagreed with the listed causes

Causes of mistakes agree Agree agree nor disagree

% No of Ss % No of Ss % No of Ss % No of Ss %

I don‟t know how to pronounce these sounds 13 9 50 33 67 44 16 11 4 3

These sounds are strange to me so I do not pay attention to these sounds 16 11 49 33 60 40 7 4 18 12

Vietnamese fricative sounds are not mentioned in the final position of a word, so

I pronounce these sounds as I perceive 14 9 38 25 56 37 16 11 26 18

I pronounced these sounds in the same way in English and Vietnamese 27 18 44 29 56 37 16 11 7 5

Causes of mistakes agree Agree agree nor disagree

% No of Ss % No of Ss % No of Ss % No of Ss %

I do not think that bad or wrong pronunciation of these sounds will break communication

I do not practice pronouncing these sounds frequently 8 5 63 42 42 28 12 8 25 17

I am afraid to ask for help from teachers or friends to pronounce these sounds correctly 9 6 40 27 51 34 40 27 10 7

Table 11: Causes of the students’ mispronunciation

Figure 16: Causes of the students’ mispronunciation

The chart reveals a notable divergence in respondents' perceptions regarding the causes of their mispronunciation Specifically, 44% of participants acknowledged, "I don’t know how to pronounce these sounds," while 40% resonated with the sentiment, "These sounds are strange to me, so I do not pay attention to these sounds." Both statements garnered significant strong agreement, with 9% for the first and 11% for the second This trend continues with statements three and four, receiving strong agreement levels of 11% and 9%, respectively Fortunately, only a small percentage of students disagreed with the aforementioned statements.

A recent survey reveals that 37% of students disagree with the notion that games are time-consuming and ineffective for learning English grammar, while only 12% support this view Notably, a significant portion of respondents (25% and 27%) expressed agreement with statements regarding their perception of sound pronunciation, indicating concerns about the impact of perceived pronunciation quality on their learning experience.

A.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutions sounds will break communication” while these issues were disagreed by 5% and 3% of respondents This is a wrong perception of English learners when they consider the two languages the same Additionally, most of them said that they did not practice pronunciation frequently (42%) This is one of the most important reasons explaining their mispronunciation

IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMENDATION

Using IPA Chart

To reduce language interference in pronunciation, teachers must provide learners with comprehensive descriptions of sounds, including their manner and place of articulation, as well as phoneme variants, while considering the unique aspects of Vietnamese Introducing the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is essential for effective pronunciation instruction, as it allows students to independently look up words and understand correct pronunciations The IPA serves as a standardized system for representing the sounds of oral language, focusing on distinctive speech qualities such as phonemes, intonation, and the separation of words and syllables.

(as achieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet)

Figure 17: The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

Making the lessons more interesting

Teachers should provide students with ample opportunities to practice pronunciation both in and out of the classroom This practice is essential for helping students use fricative and affricative pairs more naturally and automatically, minimizing the influence of their mother tongue.

To create a more relaxed classroom atmosphere and enhance interactive pronunciation learning, incorporating pronunciation games is recommended These games make the learning process enjoyable for students, fostering better engagement and communication.

The author, D.T.N (2005), listed some essential phonetics books like

Pronunciation Tasks, English pronunciation in use, Understanding English pronunciation, Three or Tree, Ship or Sheep…, which consist of many useful

A.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutions exercises ranging from repetition, recognition and substitution ones to more productive and creative ones Therefore, the role of language teachers (not only teachers of phonetics) is of great importance They not only give students chances to practice but also pay more attention to students‟ pronunciation to try to correct them at any time possible Here are some suggestions for the teachers to use in teaching these fricative and affricative sounds

Phonetic hangman is an effective way to enhance students' understanding of phonetic symbols In this activity, the teacher selects a transcription and displays a corresponding number of blank lines on the board, prompting students to guess the sounds within the word To expedite the process, the teacher can provide hints by writing the word next to the lines, such as “ - for fish” (f i ∫) This approach not only makes learning engaging but also reinforces phonetic skills.

The teacher creates IPA symbol cards by printing, cutting, folding, and gluing them, ensuring each card features a symbol on one side and a corresponding word on the other After distributing one card to each student, they engage in an interactive activity where they walk around the room, exchanging cards As they meet their peers, each student displays the symbol side of their card while verbally stating the associated word, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

This activity focuses on distinguishing between specific sounds, particularly /θ/ and /ð/ The teacher begins by pronouncing words like "think," "thing," and "thin," encouraging students to repeat them to enhance their auditory awareness Following this, students receive a blank grid and a list of words, which they must fill in randomly As the teacher reads words containing the target sounds, students cross off the corresponding words they hear The first student to complete a line, either horizontally or vertically, wins the game Key words include birthday, theatre, thigh, tooth, theme, teach, father, thump, mother, this, thin, and thieves.

Equipping facilities

When designing and selecting teaching materials, it is crucial to consider the learners' goals, such as achieving a native-like accent or ensuring intelligibility in international communication Regular workshops and experience exchange programs should be implemented to enhance teachers' methodologies among English staff.

Understanding how to accurately record English sounds is essential for learners to engage in various activities A recent questionnaire revealed that high schools often do not prioritize this teaching Consequently, it is crucial to equip classrooms with modern laboratories and facilities, including computers, projectors, and recording devices.

Motivating the students

Teachers play a crucial role in helping students build self-confidence and should encourage them to practice regularly without fear of making mistakes, as "practice makes perfect." Additionally, educators should motivate students to explore and discover their own effective methods for improving pronunciation.

To enhance your English accent, observe the mouth movements of proficient English speakers and imitate them Practice repeating their words while focusing on their intonation, which will help you grasp the rhythm and flow of the language.

Slow down the speech and pronounce the endings of each word Pay attention to the "s" consonant at the endings The English language has many

"voiced and unvoiced" sounds and it will take dedication and practice to learn correct English pronunciation

Record voice and listen for pronunciation mistakes This is a very important exercise because doing it will help learners become conscious of the mistakes they are making

A comparative analysis of the phonetic features of confusing sounds in English and Vietnamese is essential for minimizing errors Educators must focus on these distinctions to effectively address and correct the pronunciation mistakes of their students.

This chapter offers pedagogical strategies aimed at improving students' pronunciation by addressing common mistakes Key recommendations include the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), incorporating engaging techniques to enhance lesson appeal, providing modern learning facilities, and fostering student motivation to build self-confidence for practicing English sounds regularly and freely.

Pronunciation plays a crucial role in English language teaching at the high school level This thesis aims to identify common pronunciation errors students make with fricative and affricative sounds, which can be particularly challenging due to the distinct differences between English and Vietnamese phonetics The objective is not only to help students correct these pronunciation mistakes but also to foster their interest in the language, encouraging ongoing practice that will benefit them in their future endeavors.

Concluding remarks

This thesis employs two research methods: a questionnaire and an analysis of students' speech recordings The findings from these methods reveal significant insights into the subject matter.

Vietnamese learners of English often replace or delete affricative and fricative sounds in syllable-middle and final positions due to their native phonemic habits This leads to challenges in achieving proper pronunciation However, by recognizing and addressing these issues, learners can enhance their pronunciation skills, which ultimately boosts their confidence and reduces the risk of miscommunication and embarrassing situations in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts.

Most Vietnamese learners make mistakes in producing consonants listed above; they often confuse these sounds with others by the following main reasons:

- Failure in distinguish the differences between 2 sounds due to lack of the knowledge of the manner and the place of articulation of English fricative consonants and English affricatives

- Negative influence of the mother tongue: the learners are too much affected by the way they pronounce Vietnamese

- Lack of consciousness of being standard: the learner only pronounce these sounds correctly in the classroom environment, but not in real communication

- Insufficient practice: despite some knowledge about these sounds, many learners have no opportunities to use them in real situation

Learning a foreign language is a long-term endeavor that demands significant effort from learners to achieve success and good pronunciation Both teachers and students must recognize its importance and seek innovative methods to effectively overcome challenges, enabling them to acquire knowledge in the fastest and most accurate way possible.

Significance of the study

Theoretical significance: The research assists both teachers and learners to review phonological characteristics and articulation of the sounds It is a solid foundation in teaching and learning English pronunciation

This study highlights common errors made by students in producing affricative and fricative sounds in English, providing English teachers with valuable insights and practical strategies to address these recurring issues effectively.

Limitations of the study

Although this thesis has answered the research questions mentioned before, it still has some limitation

Due to the limited time, the survey was only carried out in four classes of the 10 th grade students, Some proposed suggestions to correct students‟

A.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutionsA.study.on.mistakes.commonly.commited.by.the.10th.grade.students.at.kim.thanh.high.school hai.duong.in.the.pronunciation.of.english.fricative.and.affricative.consonants.and.some.possible.pedagogical.solutions mistakes in producing fricative and affricative sounds are likely to be subjective and incomplete

The recorded sounds may be influenced by unavoidable factors like anxiety and environmental conditions Additionally, the researcher lacked the time to conduct interviews that could provide deeper insights into the difficulties leading to these mistakes.

Suggestions for further studies

Based on the results and limitations of the study, further researches can be conducted as the following recommendations:

Research indicates that students recognize the importance of learning pronunciation, yet teachers face the challenge of effectively integrating pronunciation instruction with other English skills It is crucial to explore Vietnamese high school students' perceptions of their pronunciation education and their confidence in speaking a foreign language To achieve good pronunciation, learners must focus not only on English sounds but also on essential phonetic elements such as stress, intonation, rhythm, and phonological processes like assimilation, linking, and elision.

In addition, it is hoped that further researches would be conducted in verify the practical effect of some proposed solutions given

1 Dao Thi My Hanh (2007) A study on pronunciation of some English consonants by Vietnamese learners MA minor thesis Vietnam

2 Duong Thi Nu, Mistake or Vietnamese English, Journal of Science,

Foreign Language, Mistakes of Vietnamese English

3 Retrieved on September 27 th , 2013 from www.js.vnu.edu.vn/nn_1_09/b6.pdf

4 Ha Cam Tam, Common pronunciation problems of Vietnamese learners of English Journal of Science - Foreign Languages, T.XX1,

5 Hismanoglu, M (2006) Current Perspectives on Pronunciation Learning and Teaching Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 2(1)

6 M Hancock, English Pronunciation in Use-Intermediate, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000

7 Nguyen Thi Thu Huong (2010) Difficulties encountered by second year students at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry in producing some English consonants MA minor thesis Vietnam

8 Roach ,P., English Phonetics and Phonology, (2nd edition),

9 Richards,J.,Platt,J., and Platt,H (1992) Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching & Applied Linguistics Longman Singapore Press

10 Tiono, A Study of English Phonological Errors Produced, No1, English Department, Faculty of Letters, Petra Christian University, 2008

11 Luu Trong Tuan (2011) Vietnamese EFL learners’ difficulties with English consonants Studies in Literature and Language 3(2), 56-67

CS Canadian Research and Development Center of Sciences and Cuture

12 Luu Trong Tuan (2010) Teaching English discrete sounds through minimal pairs Journal of Language teaching and Research,1(5),540-

13 Retrieved on September 27 th , 2013 from

14 http://www.academypublisher.com/jltr/vol01/no05/jltr0105.pdf

15 http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english /frameset.html

16 13.http://nlpdotnet.com/Linguistics/Phonetics/ConsonantChart.aspx

APPENDIX 1 RECORDING Task 1: Read out the following words

/v/ fine physics effort traffic cough life victim volunteer grove serve remove give /s/ &

/z/ slim straight assistant promise parents notice prison transmit wisdom decompose recognize reuse /θ/&/ ð/ thunder thieves worthy birthday eighth both themselves there mother together sunbathe although

/ʃ/ &/ʒ/ she shore fashion freshman wish crash massage explosion rouge measure vision conclusion

/h/ he had hut home hail house

/tʃ/,/dʒ/ check chart chore match crutch catch job jewelry emergency magically marriage bridge

Task 2: Read out the following sentences

1 Frank found four fogs laughing on the floor

2 Vera drove to Vence in a van

3 I got a good prize for that painting

4 I‟m going to advise you You never take my advice

5 The train went through the tunnel

6 A bath is more relaxing than a shower

7 There was an explosion in the garage on Leisure Road

8 She wished she had gone shopping

9 He didn‟t shave at all last year

10 Do you want to change jackets before we go out?

11 Foxes sometimes come to the farm and catch chicken?

Task 3: Read out the following text about the recycling instructions

To create recycled paper, start by soaking old newspapers in a bucket of water overnight After soaking, mash the paper with a wooden spoon and mix it with the water in a separate bucket Place a wire mesh into the mixture and then carefully lift it out Transfer the mixture from the mesh onto a cloth and press it down firmly Remove the mesh and cover the cloth with heavy books wrapped in a plastic bag, allowing it to sit for about five minutes Finally, remove the books and take the paper out of the cloth to dry in sunlight.

This survey questionnaire is designed to collect the information or data for my MA study , titled “A Study on Pronunciation Mistakes Commonly

Committed by the 10 th Grade Students at Kim Thanh high School, Hai Duong Related to English Fricative and Affricative Sounds and Some Possible Pedagogical Solutions”

Your participation in selecting the most suitable answers is greatly valued Please note that the results will be used exclusively for this study and will not be utilized for any other purposes.

1 How long have you been learning English?

2 How many English periods do you have a week?

3 Have you ever attended any pronunciation course? Yes/No

4 How do you rate the role of pronunciation in communication?

A Very important B Important C Neutral D Unimportant

5 What are your purposes of learning English pronunciation? (You can choose more than one option)

A to pass the phonetic exams

C to improve your communication skills

D to be more confident in speaking English

6 How often do you practice pronouncing English words?

A Always B Usually C Sometimes D Rarely E Never

7 Do you know how to read the phonetic transcription? Yes/ No

8 For each of the items in questions 8, please put a tick in the box provided which best describes your opinion of the causes of your making mistakes when producing English fricative /f/,/v/,/s/,/z/, /θ/,/ ð/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /h/and affricative sounds /tʃ/, /dʒ/

No Causes of mistakes Strongl y agree

I don‟t know how to pronounce these sounds

These sounds are strange to me so I do not pay attention to these sounds

Vietnamese fricative sounds are not mentioned in the final position of a word, so I ignore them

I pronounce these sounds as I perceive

I pronounced these sounds in the same way in English and Vietnamese

I do not think that bad or wrong pronunciation of these sounds will break communication

Định dạng
Số trang	124
Dung lượng	2,45 MB

A study on mistakes commonly commited by the 10th grade students at kim thanh high school, hai duong in the pronunciation of english fricative and affricative consonants and some possible pedagogical solutions

Rationale of the study

Aims of study and research questions

Significance of the study

Scope of the study

Method of the study

Design of the study

LITERATURE REVIEW

Theoretical background

Some similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese

Review of previous studies related to the research area of the thesis

METHODOLOGY

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Data analysis

The result collected by means of questionnaire

IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMENDATION

Using IPA Chart

Making the lessons more interesting

Equipping facilities

Motivating the students

Concluding remarks

Significance of the study

Limitations of the study

Suggestions for further studies

The description of English fricatives

The description of English affricates / tʃ/&amp; /dʒ/

The description of English affricates / tʃ/& /dʒ/