Taiwanese EFL Learners’ Judgments of and Attitudes toward English Pronunciation

[[abstract]]本調查研究比較在臺灣以英語為母語之英語老師、英語為非母語之英語老師及英語為非母語之大學生對英語發音的看法與態度。同時也調查英語為非母語、語言能力高和低的兩組大學生對英語發音的看法與態度是否具有差異性。本研究共有211位來自五所大學之學生及共21位英語為母語、非母語之英語老師參與。研究者採用一份問卷進行資料收集。該問卷分為四大部分，第一部分是參與者的背景資料問卷。第二部分共有十二題，是讓參與者評估影響英語發音的因素之重要性。第三部分共有十一題，是讓參與者確認好的英語發音的特徵之同意程度。第四部分共有十二題，是讓參與者表明自己對英語發音的態度之同意程度。本次研究共獲得三項主要結果：第一、關於影響英語發音的因素，共發現三個項目在英語為母語、非母語之英語老師及英語為非母語之大學生之間在統計上有顯著的差異。至於好的英語發音之特徵的部分，共發現四個項目在統計上有顯著的差異。第二、無論英語能力的高低，學生們對於影響英語發音之因素及好的英語發音之特徵的看法是非常相似的。第三、英語程度較高與較低的學生對英語發音的態度有六個項目在統計上有顯著的差異。整體而言，英語程度較高的學生對自己的英語口音比較滿意。最後，本研究針對未來相關研究提出教學應用與建議。[[abstract]]This survey research compared the judgments of and attitudes toward English pronunciation among native English teachers, nonnative English teachers, and nonnative English learners in Taiwan. It also examined whether nonnative English learners with high and low language proficiency differ in their judgments of and attitudes toward English pronunciation. There were 211 students from five universities and 21 native and nonnative English teachers taking part in this study. A four-part questionnaire was employed to collect the data needed. In addition to Part I of personal information, there are three major parts in the questionnaire. Part II includes twelve items for the participants to evaluate the importance of the factors that may influence English pronunciation. Part III contains eleven items for the participants to identify their degree of agreement regarding the features of good English pronunciation. Part IV consists of twelve items for the participants to indicate their degree of agreement concerning the attitudes toward English pronunciation. There were three major results obtained from this study. First, as for the factors influencing English pronunciation, there were three items found to be significantly different among native English teachers, nonnative English teachers, and nonnative English learners. As for the features of good English pronunciation, there were four items found to be significantly different among native English teachers, nonnative English teachers, and nonnative English learners. Second, regardless of their levels of English proficiency, the students were very similar in their judgments of the factors influencing English pronunciation and of the features for good English pronunciation. Third, the high English proficiency students were significantly different from the low English proficiency students about their attitudes toward English pronunciation in six items. Overall, the high English proficiency students were found to be more content with their accented English. Finally, this study proposed pedagogical implications and suggestions for future research