Age of first exposure to the target language has been shown to be a strong predictor of phonological attainment (e.g., Pullen, 2012; Piske et al., 2001 & Moyer, 1999). Results from these studies support the Critical Period Hypothesis, that is, the notion that there is a neurological period, ending at the onset of puberty, beyond which mastery of a second language is no longer achievable (Lenneberg, 1967). The prominence of the Critical Period Hypothesis in the field of Applied Linguistics has diminished the impact of research on socio-psychological differences in second language acquisition. A neurologically based component such as age of learning onset is not, however, the single determining factor of second language ability. Little is known about the influence of socio-psychological factors on pronunciation performance. This book attempts to bridge this gap in the literature by examining the effects of beliefs about second language pronunciation on phonological performance. The book concludes that certain beliefs associated with affective factors appear to be detrimental to L2 phonological attainment.

This volume was conceived as a "best practices" resource for pronunciation and speaking teachers in the way that Vocabulary Myths by Keith S. Folse is one for reading and vocabulary teachers. Like others in the Myths series, this book combines research with good pedagogical practices. The book opens with a Prologue by Linda Grant (author of the Well Said textbook series), which reviews the last four decades of pronunciation teaching, the differences between accent and intelligibility, the rudiments of the English sound system, and other factors related to the ways that pronunciation is learned and taught. The myths challenged in this book are: § Once you’ve been speaking a second language for years, it’s too late to change your pronunciation. (Derwing and Munro) § Pronunciation instruction is not appropriate for beginning-level learners. (Zielinski and Yates) § Pronunciation teaching has to establish in the minds of language learners a set of distinct consonant and vowel sounds. (Field) § Intonation is hard to teach. (Gilbert) § Students would make better progress if they just practiced more. (Grant) § Accent reduction and pronunciation instruction are the same thing. (Thomson) § Teacher training programs provide adequate preparation in how to teach pronunciation (Murphy). The book concludes with an Epilogue by Donna M. Brinton, who synthesizes some of the best practices explored in the volume.

Bringing together state-of-the-art chapters written by leading scholars, this volume provides a comprehensive reference on theory and research of corrective feedback. It will be a key resource for researchers, graduate students, teachers and teacher educators who are interested in the role of feedback in second language teaching and learning.

This book focuses on an increasingly attractive, yet controversial topic of non-native accentedness in speech. The contributors here are aware of the fact that the mechanisms and effects of pronunciation are far too complex to allow for strong and definite claims of any sort, but present research leading to useful answers to relevant questions. The book contributes to the deeper understanding of many aspects of foreign-accented English with reference to clearly described empirical evidence. The volume brings together fourteen chapters organized into four subdivisions, covering conceptual and perceptual issues, questions of segmental and suprasegmental pronunciation features, and methodological and didactic recommendations. As such, it provides a cross-sectional view of the current phonetic and didactic empirical research into the pronunciation of non-native English.

This volume offers a definitive source for understanding social influences in L2 pronunciation, demonstrating the importance of empirical findings from a number of research perspectives, and outlining the directions that future work can take. The aim is to present a coherent argument for the significance of social factors and how they contribute to phonological acquisition.

Before entering American university graduate programs, many international students must attend Intensive English Programs (IEPs) to improve their English proficiency (Redden, 2018). Their English proficiency is tested via the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Once they pass the TOEFL and are admitted into a graduate program, IEP students will also often obtain graduate teaching positions as International Teaching Assistants (ITAs), where speaking and pronunciation skills will be a vital part of their success. Given a lack of focus on pronunciation within the TOEFL exam (Educational Testing Services, 2019) and a lack of explicit pronunciation instruction in IEP curriculum, how might these factors influence IEP students' language and pronunciation goals that lead to pronunciation outcomes? Through a mixed methods design, I used quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to explore students' goals for their English pronunciation, specifically the influence of second language testing, IEP students' future goals, and IEP students' knowledge and beliefs about pronunciation. First, findings revealed that the speaking-specific requirements of the TOEFL did not directly influence IEP students' specific second-language pronunciation goals. Instead, participants had a pronunciation goal of general 'intelligibility' with respect to passing the TOEFL. Second, participants described both integrative goals (e.g., desire to integrate into the L2 community) and instrumental goals (e.g., understanding L2 proficiency would help achieve a larger goal) for learning a second language. Results suggest that their pronunciation goals were similar to their language goals (e.g., language goal: join L2 society; pronunciation goal: be intelligible). Third, findings revealed that participants had both fixed and growth capability beliefs about English-language pronunciation and that their capability beliefs influenced their pronunciation goals. Grounded theory analysis brought to light additional factors that influenced IEP students' L2 pronunciation goals. Internal factors that influenced participants' pronunciation goals included their value of effort and time for improving pronunciation, potential methods of improvement, and their value or usefulness of the L2 for their future goals,. External factors that influenced participants' pronunciation goals included expectations/societal pressures to reach native-English pronunciation within their primary culture or their future career.

Assessment in Second Language Pronunciation highlights the importance of pronunciation in the assessment of second language speaking proficiency. Leading researchers from around the world cover practical issues as well as theoretical principles, enabling the understanding and application of the theory involved in assessment in pronunciation. Key features of this book include: Examination of key criteria in pronunciation assessment, including intelligibility, comprehensibility and accentedness; Exploration of the impact of World Englishes and English as a Lingua Franca on pronunciation assessment; Evaluation of the validity and reliability of testing, including analysis of scoring methodologies; Discussion of current and future practice in assessing pronunciation via speech recognition technology. Assessment in Second Language Pronunciation is vital reading for students studying modules on pronunciation and language testing and assessment.