Article

Relationship Between Learner Background and Pronunciation Gain on IELTS

Authors: Kate Yaw (University of South Florida) , Okim Kang (Northern Arizona University)

Abstract

This study examined the impact of learner background on pronunciation development in the context of IELTS exam performance. Participants were 52 adult Korean EFL students enrolled in IELTS preparation classes. They completed the official IELTS exam before and after a 12-week preparation course, along with pre-, weekly, and post-surveys about their background and language learning habits. Key learner background factors (prior English study, desired IELTS scores, program attendance, mockexam scores, perceived progress in English/IELTS, and instrumental motivation for studying IELTS) were measured as potential predictors of pronunciation development on the monologic IELTS speaking task. Multiple regression analyses revealed program attendance and mock exams to be the strongest predictors of pronunciation feature development. These results offer promising implications for classroom language learning in the EFL context.

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How to Cite: Yaw, K. & Kang, O. (2022) “Relationship Between Learner Background and Pronunciation Gain on IELTS”, Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Proceedings. 12(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/psllt.13366