The effectiveness of explicit focused-training multimedia program on features of connected speech in developing listening comprehension and speech clarity

Abstract EN

This current study was inspired by the findings of a recently published study by Attia and Salem (2018).

In it, 84 % of the participants in the semi-structured interviews across the four grade levels reported that the fear of being ridiculed due to their inaccurate and unintelligible pronunciation of sounds and stream of speech was a central trigger of their speaking apprehension.

As such, the study emanates from the supposition that if EFL students are explicitly and systematically trained on features of connected speech, they will perhaps not only be able to receive and comprehend a highly fleeting message, but may also intelligibly produce it.

A pre-post design was adopted to assess and compare the effectiveness of explicit-perception-and-production-focused-training on features of connected speech delivered via multimedia versus the traditional approach in developing listening comprehension and speech clarity among EFL majors.

An intervention study of 12 weeks' programme was undertaken with 64 second graders of the English Department, Faculty of Education, Al-Azhar University.

After 48 hours of instruction on suprasegmental aspects of English pronunciation, there were significant differences in listening attainments and speech clarity between the two groups of the study.

The training was shown to have an enhancing effect on developing EFL learners' listening comprehension and speech clarity.

The findings also indicated that there is a large effect size at the total level in both listening (.891) and speech clarity (.853) to the effect of the training program.

The paper concludes with the theoretical and pedagogical implications of the study.