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ARMY POLYTECHNIC ARMY POLYTECHNIC SCHOOLSCHOOL

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGESDEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGESAPPLIED LINGUISTICS IN ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS IN ENGLISH

PROGRAMPROGRAM

¨ A STUDY OF THE AMERICAN ENGLISH VOWEL SYSTEM AND ¨ A STUDY OF THE AMERICAN ENGLISH VOWEL SYSTEM AND THE DIFFICULTIES OF AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION FOR THE THE DIFFICULTIES OF AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION FOR THE

SPANISH – SPEAKING STUDENTS ATTENDING TO THE COURSE SPANISH – SPEAKING STUDENTS ATTENDING TO THE COURSE OF MECHANICS AT SECAP DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR 2008 – OF MECHANICS AT SECAP DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR 2008 –

2009 ¨2009 ¨

BY: Pablo Martínez R.BY: Pablo Martínez R.

Advisors:Advisors: Dra. María Teresa LlumiquingaDra. María Teresa Llumiquinga

Lcda. Olga CárdenasLcda. Olga Cárdenas

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Without the ability to Without the ability to discriminate and produce Vowels discriminate and produce Vowels sounds in English it would be sounds in English it would be impossible to differentiate simple impossible to differentiate simple words such as: (CAT) and (CUT).words such as: (CAT) and (CUT).

IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEMIDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM

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MAIN PROBLEMMAIN PROBLEM

The research was made at ¨SECAP¨ The research was made at ¨SECAP¨ Riobamba Canton, Province of Riobamba Canton, Province of Chimborazo. Two groups of fifteen Chimborazo. Two groups of fifteen students each were investigated. The students each were investigated. The planned question wasplanned question was

¿What are the difficulties of Auditory ¿What are the difficulties of Auditory Discrimination of the American English Discrimination of the American English vowels system for the thirty students vowels system for the thirty students attending to the course of Mechanics at attending to the course of Mechanics at SECAP during the school year 2008-SECAP during the school year 2008-2009?2009?

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What level of previous ability of What level of previous ability of pronunciation do students have?pronunciation do students have?

What is the incidence of learning the What is the incidence of learning the American English Vowel System in American English Vowel System in students’ comprehension?students’ comprehension?

Is it really possible to acquire Is it really possible to acquire discriminative abilities by learning discriminative abilities by learning through the Audio – Lingual method and through the Audio – Lingual method and how the English Vowel System works?how the English Vowel System works?

SECONDARY PROBLEMSSECONDARY PROBLEMS

55

GENERAL:GENERAL:

To show that the knowledge of English Vowels System To show that the knowledge of English Vowels System affects directly and positively to the Auditory affects directly and positively to the Auditory discrimination of the languagediscrimination of the language To establish the abilities and difficulties of Auditory To establish the abilities and difficulties of Auditory Discrimination for the thirty students attending to SECAP.Discrimination for the thirty students attending to SECAP.

SPECIFIC:SPECIFIC:

To carry out a Pre – Test and Post Test about the English To carry out a Pre – Test and Post Test about the English Vowel System.Vowel System. To use the information obtained to determine if teaching To use the information obtained to determine if teaching the American English Vowels system affects positively to the American English Vowels system affects positively to the improvement of students’ auditory discrimination.the improvement of students’ auditory discrimination.

OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES

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English has been considered an important Language English has been considered an important Language around the world. That is the reason that millions have around the world. That is the reason that millions have been exposed to English at least once in their lives.been exposed to English at least once in their lives.

In writing we usually have time to plan our message, but in In writing we usually have time to plan our message, but in speech we have no time to do this, that is why good speech we have no time to do this, that is why good pronunciation is important.pronunciation is important. Proper pronunciation adds dignity to the message we give. Proper pronunciation adds dignity to the message we give. It allows a listener’s attention to be focused on the It allows a listener’s attention to be focused on the message we say rather than on any mistakes in message we say rather than on any mistakes in pronunciation. pronunciation.

Students often realize that correct pronunciation is Students often realize that correct pronunciation is important but at the same time they usually do not feel important but at the same time they usually do not feel comfortable with their actual abilities for discriminating comfortable with their actual abilities for discriminating English Vowel Sounds.English Vowel Sounds.

JUSTIFICATIONJUSTIFICATION

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When we try to understand a new When we try to understand a new language, the first thing we normally do language, the first thing we normally do is to compare the first language sounds is to compare the first language sounds to the target language sounds. That is a to the target language sounds. That is a common mistake because in most common mistake because in most languages they are different. languages they are different.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKTHEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

SPANISH VOWEL CHARTSPANISH VOWEL CHART ENGLISH VOWEL CHARTENGLISH VOWEL CHART

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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKTHEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

PICTURE TAKEN FROM GOOGLE IMAGES

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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKTHEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

1

FRONT OF THE TONGUE: In order to locate the front of the tongue we must locate the part opposite to the hard palate and take it as a reference. it gives the external shape (flat, fat, extended, contracted) for pronunciation patterns in vowels.

2

BACK OF THE TONGUE: In order to locate the back of the tongue we may consider that it is on the opposite part of the soft palate. Its movement is extremely important for ¨Back Vowels¨.

3

BLADE OF THE TONGUE: Is located in the opposite part of the teeth ridge and it is close to the tip. Sometimes it aims (but do not touches it) when pronouncing some combinations of sounds that include vowels.

4TIP OF THE TONGUE: The beginning of the tongue that can aim some targets and promotes the tongue shape.

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SHORT AND LONG VOWELSSHORT AND LONG VOWELS

Short AShort ACatCatSatSatBatBatManManPanPan

Short EShort ERestRestEndEndFellFellTellTellBellBell

Short IShort IItIt

PinPinSitSitBitBitFillFill

Short OShort OBossBossAllAllCoughCoughCaughtCaughtHotHot

Short UShort UPutPutBugBugPullPullRunRunSunSun

Long ALong AGameGameTheyTheyBakeBakeTakeTakeRainRain

Long ELong ETeaTeaSeeSeeMeMeFeelFeelBeanBean

Long ILong ITryTryByeByeCryCryTieTieFryFry

Long OLong OPhonePhoneHoleHoleGoGo

RoteRoteToteTote

Long ULong UTooTooDoDoSueSueTrueTrueCuteCute

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In all languages proper pronunciation In all languages proper pronunciation requires using the right sound for each requires using the right sound for each letter or combination of letters and letter or combination of letters and sometimes they may be pronounced in sometimes they may be pronounced in more than one way or, at times, may not more than one way or, at times, may not be pronounced at all. Failure to give be pronounced at all. Failure to give adequate attention to this aspect of a adequate attention to this aspect of a language can result in conveying wrong language can result in conveying wrong ideasideas

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKTHEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

BearBear BeerBeer

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WHAT IS AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION?WHAT IS AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION?

Some people can play an instrument ¨ by Some people can play an instrument ¨ by ear ¨. That is exactly what happens in ear ¨. That is exactly what happens in languages, auditory discrimination is an languages, auditory discrimination is an ability that can be considered an inborn ability that can be considered an inborn talent or also it can be acquired by talent or also it can be acquired by practicing and training our ears. practicing and training our ears.

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKTHEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

HeadHead HadHad

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Teaching the American Vowel System to Teaching the American Vowel System to the thirty Spanish – speaking students the thirty Spanish – speaking students attending to SECAP during the school year attending to SECAP during the school year 2008 – 2009 will not affect the results in 2008 – 2009 will not affect the results in their abilities of Auditory Discrimination of their abilities of Auditory Discrimination of English wordsEnglish words

HYPOTHESIS SYSTEMHYPOTHESIS SYSTEM

Null HypothesisNull Hypothesis

Alternative HypothesisAlternative Hypothesis

Teaching the American Vowel System to Teaching the American Vowel System to the thirty Spanish – speaking students the thirty Spanish – speaking students attending to SECAP during the school year attending to SECAP during the school year 2008 – 2009 will have a positive effect in 2008 – 2009 will have a positive effect in their abilities of Auditory Discrimination of their abilities of Auditory Discrimination of English wordsEnglish words

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PROPOSALPROPOSAL The research will take place in SECAP and The research will take place in SECAP and students will be divided into two groups of students will be divided into two groups of fifteen students each.fifteen students each. Fifteen students (Experimental group) will Fifteen students (Experimental group) will receive class for about two months about receive class for about two months about English Vowel system.English Vowel system. A second group (Control) of fifteen A second group (Control) of fifteen students will not have any instruction students will not have any instruction about the subject.about the subject. A Pre and Post – Test will reveal their A Pre and Post – Test will reveal their improvement and help us to contrast their improvement and help us to contrast their initial and final abilities of Auditory initial and final abilities of Auditory DiscriminationDiscrimination

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1616

26,67

33,33

13,33

20,00

6,67

EXPERIMENTAL GROUP PRE - TESTTABLE 01

SCORES AND PERCENTAGES FOR QUESTION # 1. Applied for Sound Discrimination Test

Words that were used: 1.bad bad2.least list3.clock clock4.seat sit5.band band6.heat hit7.feet fit8.flap flop9.desk desk10.lift lift

100% 15 6.67%11 20%33 13.33%42 33.33%55

Some students were able to discriminate sounds in the first

stage of the test, but only a 26.67% of them had 6 correct answers. It means that it was

challenging to perform correctly the task.

26.67%

6

4 TEST PERFORMANCEPERCENTAGESCORE

0/10STUDENTS

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CLASS TO EXPERIMENTAL GROUPCLASS TO EXPERIMENTAL GROUP

METHODOLOGYMETHODOLOGY

Audio – Lingual Audio – Lingual MethodMethod

Students learned vowels Students learned vowels sounds with:sounds with: ipa explanationipa explanation Contrast between long Contrast between long and short vowelsand short vowels Classes were managed Classes were managed by a native speakerby a native speaker

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CONTROL GROUP CONTROL GROUP

Fifteen students did not Fifteen students did not receive any receive any explanation about explanation about American English Vowel American English Vowel System.System.

They showed lack of They showed lack of confidence while confidence while pronouncing English pronouncing English words.words.

All of them pronounced All of them pronounced each word using the each word using the Spanish Vowels sounds.Spanish Vowels sounds.

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20,00

26,67

13,33

20,00

13,33

6,67

EXPERIMENTAL GROUP POST - TESTTABLE 04

SCORES AND PERCENTAGES FOR QUESTION # 1. Applied for Sound Discrimination Test

Words that were used: 1.bad bad2.least list3.clock clock4.seat sit5.band band6.heat hit7.feet fit8.flap flop9.desk desk10.lift lift

STUDENTSSCORE

0/10PERCENTAGE TEST PERFORMANCE

3 10 20%The percentage of 26,67% of the

students of the Experimental group with 9 correct answers

shows that their Understanding of Vowel Sounds has increased almost a 100% compared with

the 5 correct answers that 33,33% students had in the Pre-

test

4 9 26,67%

2 8 13,33%

3 7 20,00%

2 6 13,33%

1 3 6,67%

  

2020

STUDENTS READSTUDENTS READ

COPCOP -- CUPCUPFEETFEET -- FITFIT

Comparison between Experimental Comparison between Experimental and Control Groupand Control Group

2121

STUDENTS READSTUDENTS READ

COPCOP -- CUPCUPFEETFEET -- FITFIT

Comparison between Experimental Comparison between Experimental and Control Groupand Control Group

2222

STUDENTS READSTUDENTS READ

COPCOP -- CUPCUPFEETFEET -- FITFIT

Comparison between Experimental Comparison between Experimental and Control Groupand Control Group

2323

STUDENTS READSTUDENTS READ

COPCOP -- CUPCUPFEETFEET -- FITFIT

Comparison between Experimental Comparison between Experimental and Control Groupand Control Group

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20,00

40,00

26,67

13,33

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

1

2 3

4

5

6 7 8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

0

2

4

6

8

10

Serie1 Serie2

Serie1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Serie2 4 6 6 8 4 6 6 6 2 4 8 6 4 8 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

STUDENTSSCORE

0/10PERCENTAGE TEST PERFORMANCE

3 8 20%The majority of the students of the

Experimental group increased three times their abilities comparing their initial performance in Oral English

Vowels Production

6 6 40%

4 4 26,67%

2 2 13,33%

15  

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DEGREES of FREEDOMDEGREES of FREEDOM

gdl = n1+n2-2gdl = n1+n2-2

gdl = 15+15-2gdl = 15+15-2

gdl = 28gdl = 28DEGREES OF FREEDOM = 28DEGREES OF FREEDOM = 28

STANDARD ERROR OF THE DIFFERENCE INTO TWO MEANSSTANDARD ERROR OF THE DIFFERENCE INTO TWO MEANS

Sx1-x2 = 1.4422Sx1-x2 = 1.4422

REASON TREASON T

REASON T= REASON T= (47.33 – 20.53)/1.4422(47.33 – 20.53)/1.4422

REASON T=REASON T= 18.58218.582

GENERAL CONCLUSIONGENERAL CONCLUSIONWhereas the mean is a way to describe the location of a Whereas the mean is a way to describe the location of a distribution, the variance is a way to capture its scale or distribution, the variance is a way to capture its scale or degree of being spread out. degree of being spread out.

In our example The Student’s t (degree of freedom 28 and In our example The Student’s t (degree of freedom 28 and probability 0.05 used in Education). The calculated REASON probability 0.05 used in Education). The calculated REASON T (18.58) is > than 2.048, the null hypothesis is rejected and T (18.58) is > than 2.048, the null hypothesis is rejected and Teaching the American Vowels Sound System to the thirty Teaching the American Vowels Sound System to the thirty Spanish –speaking students attending to SECAP during the Spanish –speaking students attending to SECAP during the school year 2008 – 2009 will have a positive effect in their school year 2008 – 2009 will have a positive effect in their Auditory discrimination of English words.Auditory discrimination of English words.

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CONCLUSIONS• The incidence of teaching the English Vowels

System has a positive influence in the level of student’s performance.

• Students who did not receive instruction in English Vowel system had the same mistakes in the Pre and Post – Test. It includes lack of confidence in communicating words orally because they are afraid of pronouncing them incorrectly.

• After the Pre and Post – test we discovered that the majority of the Experimental Group got a 91.4% of effectiveness in the Sound Discrimination Test. That means that ¨ Exposure ¨ to the langue proper sounds can help students to Understand Spoken English.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

• Every single Educational Institute should give emphasis to proper pronunciation and teachers should be aware of the importance of the English Vowel System. They must be sure to pronounce them correctly to help students recognize English Sounds and avoid bad pronunciation habits.

• Rather than starting teaching grammar rules: morphology, syntax or semantics, the very first step should be help students understand the difference between our vowel system and American English vowel system.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

• It is important to take into account the students’ motivation for learning, many of them learn just to pass a course or to get a score. Teachers should help them understand that by making mistakes they can improve their oral production and comprehension.

• It is recommendable that SECAP should provide students materials such as CDs, tapes, videos, computer software and specially a laboratory where they can increase their exposure to English pronunciation using technology in the case that the teacher does not manage the English Vowels System.

• It is important for students that teachers apply new and modern methodologies for teaching pronunciation such as the Audio – Lingual method.

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ARMY POLYTECHNIC ARMY POLYTECHNIC SCHOOLSCHOOL

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGESDEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGESAPPLIED LINGUISTICS IN ENGLISH APPLIED LINGUISTICS IN ENGLISH

PROGRAMPROGRAM

¨ A STUDY OF THE AMERICAN ENGLISH VOWEL SYSTEM AND ¨ A STUDY OF THE AMERICAN ENGLISH VOWEL SYSTEM AND THE DIFFICULTIES OF AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION FOR THE THE DIFFICULTIES OF AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION FOR THE

SPANISH – SPEAKING STUDENTS ATTENDING TO THE COURSE SPANISH – SPEAKING STUDENTS ATTENDING TO THE COURSE OF MECHANIC AT SECAP DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR 2008 – OF MECHANIC AT SECAP DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR 2008 –

2009 ¨2009 ¨

BY: Pablo Martínez R.BY: Pablo Martínez R.

Advisors:Advisors: Dra. María Teresa LlumiquingaDra. María Teresa Llumiquinga

Lcda. Olga CárdenasLcda. Olga Cárdenas