International Journal of Science, Engineering and TechnologyAuthors: Martina Dealon Henriques, Pyarelal Singh
Abstract: The success of phonetics and pronunciation training has since been rekindled in English language teaching, especially where more than one language is used as a common phenomenon as observed in India, where English is a second language and an important means of academic and professional mobility. However, though a large number of learners in India speak English, there are various difficulties connected to the segmental accuracy, stress, rhythm, and intelligibility because of the influence of the first language, lack of a pronunciation emphasis in the classroom, and examination-oriented teaching. This paper reviews the performance of phonetics training in Indian students through combining both empirical and theoretical studies with technology. A narrative review methodology was adopted that analyzed forty peer-reviewed studies and authoritative sources and found the instructional approaches, learning outcomes, and contextual constraints. The result of the findings is that explicit phonetics instruction (particularly mixed with communicative practice and computer-aided pronunciation training) has a significant positive effect on intelligibility, learner confidence, and speech comprehensibility. Nevertheless, there are still constant gaps in the training of teachers, the integration of the curriculum and equal access to pronunciation technology. The paper concludes that phonetics training is not only pedagogically competent but also socially requisite in Indian context, as long as it is oriented towards intelligibility with the help of technology and placed in the communicative language teaching structures.
