Dustin Crowther

In the fall of 2024, Ron Thomson and Tracey Derwing invited 15 pronunciation scholars representing several subspecialties to participate in a full-day symposium to discuss directions for pronunciation research. To prepare for the symposium, held in conjunction with the Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Conference, 2025, participants received eight questions beforehand (some requiring teacher consultation). The responses were grouped thematically and shared with the researchers who then reflected together on a research agenda for pronunciation, taking into consideration the thoughtful suggestions each had made. Lynda Yates, the discussant, reflected on and added to the conclusions. These ideas are offered here as suggestions for graduate students, early-stage academics, and senior researchers alike. Pronunciation research has come a long way in the last three decades. Collaboration on future steps can ensure that the forward momentum is maintained.

To support use of tests in academic contexts, it is critical to demonstrate that test scores and test performances are associated with performance in academic settings—an inferential link referred to as extrapolation in argument-based validation frameworks. TOEFL Essentials is a newer test designed to measure both general and academic English and is intended for use in higher education. The TOEFL Essentials speaking section consists of Virtual Interview, Read Aloud, and Listen & Repeat tasks, the latter two of which elicit highly constrained responses that may be less reflective of academic speaking tasks. In this study, we examined correlations of scores and linguistic characteristics across TOEFL Essentials speaking performances and (a) lab-based academic tasks (graph description, lecture response) for 149 students and (b) an authentic course-based speaking task for 65 students. Strong correlations (.65 < r < .80) were found between TOEFL Essentials speaking scores and evaluations of academic speaking. Among linguistic characteristics, fluency and accuracy variables demonstrated the largest and most consistent correlations across test and non-test tasks. Findings provide evidence relevant to the extrapolation of TOEFL Essentials speaking performances, which are based in part on highly constrained tasks, to academic settings and help inform decisions about test use.

Evidence has mounted for the effectiveness of second language pronunciation instruction. Given the critical role instructors play in implementing effective instruction, one line of inquiry has been to better understand instructors’ beliefs and practices as they relate to second language pronunciation teaching and learning. A critical gap, however, is that such research has focused primarily on English, with only limited focus on languages other than English. Amongst languages other than English, there remains next to no emphasis on less commonly taught languages. Such languages should be of interest given a well-documented dearth of quality instructional materials. This study investigated less commonly taught language instructors’ perspectives on and incorporation of pronunciation instruction in the language classroom. A total of 169 less commonly taught language instructors of Arabic ( n = 30), Japanese ( n = 54), Korean ( n = 38), and Russian ( n = 47) from medium to large public universities in the United States completed an online survey during spring and fall 2024. The survey featured four primary sections: classroom practices, teaching beliefs, pronunciation acquisition/learning beliefs, and participant background. Findings indicated that less commonly taught language instructors were highly qualified and experienced, more so than previously reported findings for those who teach French, German, or Spanish. Although instructors believed pronunciation could indeed improve, they showed ambivalence regarding the effects of instruction. Additionally, instructors reported that on average 19% of class time was spent teaching pronunciation, despite limited pre-existing materials and a lack of confidence in developing their own. Although slightly nuanced differences were identified, major trends were generally stable across less commonly taught languages.

In 2005, TESOL Quarterly published John Levis's highly influential paper “Changing contexts and shifting paradigms in pronunciation teaching.” As part of TESOL Quarterly's 60th anniversary issue, I review the extent to which Levis's advocacy for intelligibility over nativelikeness in second language (L2) pronunciation learning and teaching has been addressed empirically and implemented pedagogically. I begin with a review of three key global dimensions of L2 speech, mainly intelligibility (i.e., accuracy of understanding), comprehensibility (i.e., ease of understanding), and accentedness (i.e., nativelikeness), and their influential role in L2 pronunciation research. I next consider the methodological approaches used to investigate these three dimensions, specifically in reference to (a) the degree to which they are independent of each other, and (b) the measures of the speech stream to which listeners attend to when asked to assess each. Drawing on relevant empirical findings, I then discuss the claimed pedagogical implications of such research in light of their practicality of implementation by teachers. Finally, I highlight several areas of interest for future research into intelligibility‐oriented L2 teaching, including the need for increased researcher–teacher dialogue, more longitudinal inquiry, and refinement of technology use.

This study examined the relationship between intelligibility and comprehensibility in second language speech. Four extended speech samples from 50 speakers spanning a wide range of proficiency were drawn from archived test data. These samples were listened to by 570 English users, who provided comprehensibility ratings and transcriptions to measure intelligibility. The relationship between intelligibility and comprehensibility was strong (r = .81, ⍴ = .88) and nonlinear. A segmented regression model suggested a breakpoint for intelligibility scores (transcription accuracy) at 64%, below which speakers were perceived as uniformly hard to understand and above which increased intelligibility was strongly associated with higher comprehensibility.

Welcome to e-content platform of John Benjamins Publishing Company. Here you can find all of our electronic books and journals, for purchase and download or subscriber access.

Instructed second language acquisition (ISLA) inquiry emphasizes the ways in which systematic manipulation of learning conditions may facilitate second language (L2) acquisition. ISLA research has tended to prioritize grammar and vocabulary over pronunciation. However, an increase in classroom‐based pronunciation research has begun to address this oversight. Within ISLA inquiry, themes of interest include (a) the extent to which instruction effectively promotes pronunciation development, (b) the types of instruction that may be more effective than others, and (c) the elements of pronunciation that may be more amenable to instruction than others. In the current paper, we first provide a state‐of‐the‐art review of existing L2 pronunciation‐based ISLA research. We next highlight avenues of future research we believe will benefit our understanding of the interaction between instructional approaches and L2 pronunciation development. Finally, in support of calls for increased research‐pedagogy dialogue, we provide a set of research‐informed teaching tips for L2 pronunciation instructors to consider.

Current Aptis Speaking rubrics reflect Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) Phonological Control descriptors, which were revised in 2018 to better emphasize the intelligibility of second language (L2) speech. The present study investigates the validity of Aptis Speaking scores and related CEFR-based interpretations by comparing official Aptis Speaking scores to laypersons’ assessments of intelligibility, a measure of accuracy of understanding using orthographic transcription (0-100%), and comprehensibility, a measure of ease of understanding using ratings on a scale of 1 to 9. Additionally, as Aptis Speaking tasks feature several target performance levels, we considered relationships between task complexity and speakers’ intelligibility and comprehensibility. Archived speaking performances from 50 Aptis examinees were assessed by layperson listeners for intelligibility (n = 562) and comprehensibility (n = 567). Comprehensibility was generally a stronger predictor of Aptis Speaking scores than intelligibility for both overall and task-level scores. Segmented regressions revealed specific breakpoints in which predictive power was greatest for each dimension (intelligibility up to 70% in transcription accuracy; comprehensibility ≥ 2). In sum, results from the current study generally provided support for the current Aptis Speaking rubrics, though the way in which comprehensibility is described at the upper levels may benefit from more nuance.

One key tenet of Global Englishes for Language Teaching (GELT) is that the native English speaker should no longer serve as the role model for second language (L2) English users. Such a view does not discount that some degree of linguistic knowledge is necessary for successful global communication. However, GELT scholarship has remained relatively silent on the process and product of L2 acquisition. In this paper, we propose integrating L2 acquisition theory into GELT pedagogical practices without relying on theoretical perspectives steeped in some form of native speakerism. At the heart of our discussion is the concept of linguistic knowledge–implicit (unconscious) and explicit (conscious)–emphasizing the role of explicit learning processes in GELT classrooms rather than adhering solely to the idealistic goal of implicit competence. Because L2 learners need to reflect on linguistic knowledge (repertoire) and strategies for effective global communication, we propose that their learning should aim to develop skill sets of using explicit and implicit knowledge dynamically and efficiently in varied communicative contexts. We argue that skill acquisition theory offers a useful framework for GELT, as it can account for the development of automatized explicit knowledge alongside implicit knowledge, aligning with GELT objectives of fostering multicompetent English users. We illustrate how this perspective can inform classroom activities such as shadowing and task repetition. These activities not only promote deliberate, explicit learning processes but also integrate seamlessly with awareness–raising activities commonly employed in GELT, enhancing learners' communication strategies and capacity for effective English use in global contexts.