Iraqi EFL learners' and Teachers' Perception of Difficulties in the Production of Diphthongs Compared to Actual Performance | ||
| Anbar University Journal of Languages & Literature | ||
| Article 5, Volume 16, Issue 1, March 2024, Pages 86-107 PDF (1.28 M) | ||
| Document Type: Research Paper | ||
| DOI: 10.37654/aujll.2024.146744.1070 | ||
| Author | ||
| Ammar Abdul- Wahhab Al Abdely* | ||
| Department of English, College of Education for Women, University of Anbar | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Abstract Objectives: The study aimed at showing teachers' and learners' awareness level of the difficulties encountered in the identification and production of English diphthongs by Iraqi EFL learners. To this end, difficulties in identifying and producing English diphthongs as perceived by both Iraqi learners and teachers were compared to actual difficulties encountered by Iraqi EFL learners. Methodology Ninety two undergraduate Iraqi EFL learners and forty two English language teachers were consulted for their attitudes with regard to the identification and production of diphthongs. A randomly selected group of students participated in an actual test in which their performance in identifying and producing diphthongs was measured. Results Results showed that teachers and learners expected difficulties in identifying and pronouncing English diphthongs. Their expectations of the diphthongs are difficult to perceive or pronounce almost matched actual performance measured via the identification and production tests. Participants showed that centering diphthongs were the most difficult to identify and produce. Such difficulties were reported in the questionnaires as well. Conclusions The study concluded that Iraqi EFL learners encounter considerable difficulties in identifying and producing some of English diphthongs, while some other are either of medium or low difficulty level and this can be ascribed to L1 transfer, perceptual reasons, and lack of efficient native exposure. Iraqi learners and teachers have a good level of awareness of the difficulties encountered by learners; yet, this was not reflected in proper pronunciation. This triggers the need for more training on teachers' part and more practice on learners' part. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| English diphthongs; Iraqi learners' and teachers' perception; Diphthongs identification; Diphthongs production | ||
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