Learner identity, motivation and autonomy in EFL pronunciation learning : development and evaluation of a pedagogical model

Abstract

This thesis has three broad aims. Firstly, it sets out to explore the nature of the relationship between pronunciation and identity. Secondly, it aims to establish whether such a relationship can contribute to a model of L2 pronunciation pedagogy, whose development, implementation and evaluation is subsequently outlined. The third aim, contingent on the first two, is to establish the pronunciation goals set by a group of EFL learners, and the motivating influences that give rise to them. A review of L2 pronunciation research reveals that proposed pronunciation teaching methods tend to be based on the mechanical articulation of sounds in order to approximate native-like pronunciation. Despite the prevalence of such proposed teaching methods throughout the research literature, there is a comparative dearth of empirical investigation into their efficacy. This thesis aims to address both these limitations.