Will listening to native speakers improve the english learners’ awareness and their pronunciation of english linking sounds? :Graduation Thesis - Faculty of Foreign Languages

MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE

INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

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GRADUATIONTHESIS

WILL LISTENING TO NATIVE SPEAKERS IMPROVE THE

ENGLISH LEARNERS’ AWARENESS AND THEIR

PRONUNCIATION OF ENGLISH LINKING SOUNDS?

STUDENT NAME: LE THI MINH ANH

ID NUMBER: 17016471

CLASS CODE: DHAV13A

COHORT: 2017-2021

SUPERVISOR NAME: DO THI KIM HIEU, M.A.

HCMC, 05/2021

MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE

INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

------

GRADUATIONTHESIS

WILL LISTENING TO NATIVE SPEAKERS IMPROVE THE

ENGLISH LEARNERS’ AWARENESS AND THEIR

PRONUNCIATION OF ENGLISH LINKING SOUNDS?

STUDENT NAME: LE THI MINH ANH

ID NUMBER: 17016471

CLASS CODE: DHAV13A

COHORT: 2017-2021

SUPERVISOR NAME: DO THI KIM HIEU, M.A.

HCMC, 05/2021

MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE

INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

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Student name Le Thi Minh Anh

ID Number : 17016471

Class Code : DHAV13A

Cohort : 2017-2021

Supervisor Name : Do Thi Kim Hieu. M.A

Student’s declaration: I declare that this graduation report is entirely my own work and does not

involve in plagiarism or collusion. It also has not been accepted as part of a submission to another

purpose else where. I accept heavy penalty for any cheating or plagiarism.

Date submitted : 20/06/2021

Signed : Le Thi Minh Anh

Word count : ......9886........................... words

ABSTRACT

Evidently, to become proficient speakers of English, learners were advised to improve a variety of

pronunciation aspects, especially sound linking. It was undeniable that English linking sounds

make our speech more fluent and natural. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to find out the

answer to whether listening to native speakers improved learners’ pronunciation of linking sounds

and their awareness. The experimental and quantitative research design was used to conduct the

study. Ten English-majored students were opted for the study. The writer distributed the recording

script and the survey questionnaire to participants. The findings from the pre-test illustrated the

fact that most students nearly ignored the English linking sounds while speaking, thus, they were

not able to obtain fluency in speaking and made many pronunciation errors. By contrast, the study

also pointed out a positive sign emerged when participants were enquired to have their voice

recorded after listening to native speakers repeatedly. Particularly, they were able to produce

linking sounds that seem to the most difficult to connect whilst speaking. Concerning the result of

the questionnaire, students showed that they could develop their awareness as soon as listening to

native speakers. Additionally, they immediately realized that they did not definitely produce some

types of linking and adjusted them for a smooth speech. In short, listening to native speakers is one

of the effective methods assisting learners to become better at English skills in general and

pronunciation in particular. Students are encouraged to produce linking sounds and be aware of

what they had learned and improved.

Keywords: awareness, listening, sound linking

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Throughout the period of my graduation thesis, I received plenty of enthusiastic support and

encouragement that guide and help me to overcome many obstacles and difficulties and complete

this hard but meaningful time.

Firstly, I would like to express thanks to the School Board of Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh

City and the faculty of foreign languages giving me a good opportunity to carry out my study in

great condition.

Secondly, I would like to express sincere gratitude to Ms. Do Thi Kim Hieu, my supervisor who

gave me helpful advice and instruction that helped me to finish my graduation thesis successfully.

In fact, she shared her precious knowledge, experience with me and gave penetrating comments.

Thanks to her, I was able to opt for an ideal topic, overcome difficulties and realize my strength

and weakness to make my thesis reach successful.

Furthermore, I want to express my thankfulness to my teammates – Pham Thi My Hang and Do

Thi Thuy Tien, both of them collaborated in fulfilling the thesis. Specifically, they were always by

my side giving me meaningful and timely advice as well as thought of good ideas to solve

problems.

Moreover, I really appreciate the help of ten beloved students of DHAV15 who contributed a lot

to conduct the survey smoothly and gave valuable and objective results from the recordings and

questionnaire.

Finally, I want to say thanks to my family, my best friends for inspiring me with their enthusiasm

to overcome this rough time.

In short, I am eternally grateful to all people supporting me implement this graduation thesis.

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................7

1.1Rationale ................................................................................................................................. 8

1.2. Research objectives............................................................................................................... 9

1.3. Research questions................................................................................................................ 9

1.4. Scope of the study................................................................................................................. 9

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................................................10

2.1 Language awareness ............................................................................................................ 11

2.2 Sound linking....................................................................................................................... 12

2. 3 Types of linking .................................................................................................................. 13

2.3.1 Consonant-Vowel ............................................................................................................. 14

2.3.2 Consonant-Consonant....................................................................................................... 14

2.3.3 Vowel-Vowel.................................................................................................................... 15

2.4 Vietnamese student’s difficulties in learning pronunciation of linking sounds................. 16

2.5 Popular pronunciation learning methods and strategies ...................................................... 18

2.6 The influence of listening methods on pronunciation learning ........................................... 19

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DESIGN.........................................................................................22

3.1 Context................................................................................................................................. 23

3.2 Participants........................................................................................................................... 23

3.3 Research methodologies...................................................................................................... 23

3.4 Research methods ................................................................................................................ 24

3.4.1 Recording.......................................................................................................................... 24

3.4.2 Questionnaire .................................................................................................................... 24

3.5 Procedure ............................................................................................................................. 24

3.5.1 Recording.......................................................................................................................... 25

3.5.2 Questionnaire .................................................................................................................... 25

3.6 Data analysis........................................................................................................................ 25

3.6.1 Recording.......................................................................................................................... 25

3.6.2 Questionnaire .................................................................................................................... 26

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION.........................................................................27

4.1 Findings from recordings..................................................................................................... 28

4.1.1 Analysing data in ability to produce types of linking....................................................... 29

4.1.2 Data analysis in ability to produce items of linking ......................................................... 30

4.1.2.2. Linking /r/ ..................................................................................................................... 31

4.1.2.3 Intrusive /w/ ................................................................................................................... 31

4.1.2.4 Intrusive /j/..................................................................................................................... 32

4.1.2.5 Changing sound /tʃ/........................................................................................................ 33

4.1.2.6 Changing sound /dʒ/ ...................................................................................................... 34

4.1.3 Findings from questionnaire ............................................................................................. 34

4.2 Discussion............................................................................................................................ 38

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION....................................................................................................41

REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................44

APPENDICES...............................................................................................................................46