Historical Perspective

Observations that limited pronunciation skills can undermine learners ’ self-confidence, restrict social interactions, and negatively influence estimations of a speaker’s credibility and abilities are not new (Morley, 1998). However, the current focus on communicative approaches to ESL instruction and the concern for building teamwork and communication skills in an increasingly diverse workplace are renewing interest in the role that pronunciation plays in adults ’ overall communicative competence. As a result, pronunciation is emerging from its often marginalized place in adult ESL instruction. This digest reviews the current status of pronunciation instruction in adult ESL classes. It provides an overview of the factors that influence pronunciation mastery and suggests ways to plan and implement pronunciation instruction