Effects of Instruction on L2 Pronunciation Development: A Synthesis of 15 Quasi‐Experimental Intervention Studies

Over the past 25 years second language (L2) acquisition researchhas paid considerable attention to the effectiveness of instruction onL2 morphosyntax development, and the ndings of relevant empiricalstudies have been extensively summarized using narrative review meth-ods (e.g., Ellis, 2002) as well as meta-analytic review methods (e.g.,Spada & Tomita, 2010). These researchers have reached a consensusthat (a) integrating language focus into meaning-oriented classroomsis more effective than a purely naturalistic approach, and (b) contextu-alized grammar teaching methods (e.g., focus-on-form instruction,form-focused instruction) is more effective than decontexualized gram-mar teaching methods (e.g., focus-on-formS instruction, grammar-translation method). What is surprising in this vein of L2 acquisitionstudies, however, is the lack of research in the area of L2 pronuncia-tion development. Pronunciation teaching has been notorious for itsoverdependence on decontextualized practice such as mechanicaldrills and repetition, reminiscent of the audiolingual teaching meth-ods of several decades ago (for discussion, see Celce-Murcia, Brinton, 1Goodwin, & Griner, 2010). Furthermore, very few language teachersactually receive adequate training in the specic area of pronunciationteaching (Foote, Holtby, & Derwing, 2011).1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344