Building up Thai EFL Students’ Positive Attitudes toward Their Non-Native English Accented Speech with the Use of Phonetics Website

Abstract

This paper examined the hypothesis that Thai EFL students’ positive attitudes toward their non-native English accented speech could be promoted by the use of University of Iowa’s Sounds of American English website, known as the “number 1 phonetics website”. Fifty-two undergraduate students in the field of sciences participated in the investigation, which took place at two different stages. The findings of both stages mirrored non-native-like identity they perceptually obtained and native-like identity they socially aspired to possess. The findings of the second stage confirmed the hypothesis to some extent because of their synchronous feelings of slightly decreased embarrassment and increased pride and offer two insightful directions for EFL teachers. Firstly, irrespective of students’ actual English accented speech, there is a need to promote their positive attitudes toward their own accent at an early age. Secondly, helping them understand that speaking intelligibly is more important than sounding like a native speaker.