The Effects of Self-Assessment Activities on Accuracy and Awareness in ESL Pronunciation Classes

Abstract

In self-assessment activities, learners judge their performance in their second language (L2) with the goal of improving learning outcomes. Research has shown that these activities can have a positive impact. However, few studies have examined the effects of self-assessment on pronunciation, especially regarding segmentals. The present study focuses on some typically problematic sounds: /θ/, /ð/ and /h/. Learners tend to substitute /t, d/ or /s, z/ for /θ, ð/ ( I th ink th at → t ink d at/ s ink z at ) and speakers of certain native languages (L1s) tend to delete and, in some cases, epenthesize /h/ ( h eart → _ eart; apple → h apple ). Adult learners (18F; 11M) from different L1 backgrounds and proficiency levels read short phrases aloud in the pre-/post-tests to establish progress in the pronunciation of these sounds. Test groups, with self-assessment, were compared to control groups in equivalent courses without self-assessment. Qualitative data were gathered from interviews with a subset of the test group participants. Preliminary results from quantitative data do not indicate significant differences between the test and control groups. However, interviews reveal that self-assessments improved learners’ awareness of their errors and provided self-assurance in addressing them, a necessary first step to eventual improvement.