چکیده:
The aim of the current study was to investigate whether L2 minimal pairs practice would have an effect on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ pronunciation accuracy. For this purpose, 30 Iranian intermediate EFL learners at Simin institute participated in the experiment of the study. The selection of subjects was done from among 150 EFL learners at intermediate level. In order to make subjects homogenized an SPT was used, then they divided into two groups of 15 who were assigned to experimental and control group randomly. A pre-test of pronunciation accuracy was administered to both groups, then the experimental group received 5 sessions of teaching L2 pronunciation as well as minimal pairs practice (MPP) while the control group received a placebo, in other words, teaching L2 pronunciation via the existing method. After the treatment again the same test was administered as posttest to both groups of the study. The data obtained from the tests were analyzed via independent samples T-test between the posttest scores of experimental and control group to see whether there is a difference between performance of the groups and the paired-sample T-tests was used between the pretest and the posttest of each group to show the progress. The results revealed that Iranian EFL learners in the experimental group performed better and received higher score in pronunciation test after 5 session of treatment.
خلاصه ماشینی:
"The Effect of L2 Minimal Pairs Practice on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Pronunciation Accuracy Mina Haghighi1, Ramin Rahimy2 Department of English Language, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran Mina66haghighi@yahoo.
com 2 , Received: December 4, 2016 Accepted: February 2, 2017 Online Published: March 20, 2017 Abstract The aim of the current study was to investigate whether L2 minimal pairs practice would have an effect on Iranian intermediate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ pronunciation accuracy.
A pre-test of pronunciation accuracy was administered to both groups, then the experimental group received 5 sessions of teaching L2 pronunciation as well as Minimal Pairs Practice (MPP) while the control group received a placebo, in other words, teaching L2 pronunciation via the existing method.
3. Research Question Based on the problems and purposes which were explained above, the present study attempts to answer the following question: RQ: Does using L2 minimal pair have any effect on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ pronunciation accuracy?
4. Hypothesis of the Study In accordance with the above research question, the formulated null hypothesis is as follows: H0: Using L2 minimal pairs practice does not have any effect on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ pronunciation accuracy.
Furthermore, the findings are in line with Yules’ (2011) view that minimal pairs have been used in English as a second or foreign language teaching in order to help learners distinguish the contrast in meaning of the words based on the minimal sound contrast."