English Pronunciation Development among Iraqi Secondary School Students: Insights and Opportunities

Abstract

This study investigates pronunciation errors made by Iraqi secondary school students learning English as a foreign language, focusing on segmental and suprasegmental features. Using phonetic transcription and qualitative analysis, the study identifies substitution as the most frequent error type, reflecting strong L1 interference. The findings highlight the need for explicit pronunciation teaching and phonetic training in Iraqi secondary education.150 Iraqi secondary school students read aloud a sample text, who were audio-recorded. These audio-recordings were phonetically transcribed and later analyzed for pronunciation errors. The types of errors made were classified into four broad categories, which were substitution, omission, insertion, and suprasegmental errors. The findings reveal that the most common errors made are substitution errors and the others types are followed sequentially. This indicates very strong phonological influence from L1. Emphasis should thus be placed on targeted pronunciation in secondary education, with phonetic training and corrective feedback, and the use of authentic listening material. The study contributes to more profound understanding of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ pronunciation difficulties and recommends pedagogical solutions to rectify them.