Teaching Segmental Features to EFL Learners

Abstract

English Pronunciation is very important in the learning of English and has equally attracted the attention of teachers and researchers. In this respects, the aim of this paper is to provide EFL teachers with some methodological guidelines that may help them facilitate the teaching of segmental features. The study shows that pronunciation is important for oral communication and is also closely linked with other aspects of language such as grammar, vocabulary, listening comprehension, etc. This work also justifies the choice of using RP rather than GA when teaching pronunciation to EFL learners in the Democratic Republic of Congo for it takes into account both aspects of oral communication, i.e., understanding what you are listening and making understood.Furthermore, in DRC, most available materials in English Language teaching are presented in RP although GA is the most powerful and widespread around the world. As for the teaching of segmental features, the author suggests that the teacher present the sound feature in words put in a context, using the teaching aid, insisting on the production of the sound, and asking learners to interact as they do in a vocabulary or grammar lesson.