Teachers’ Perceptions of Pronunciation Difficulties among Young EFL Learners: First-Language Influence and Instructional Implications in Sudanese Basic Schools
Pronunciation is an essential component of oral communicative competence, yet it remains a challenging aspect of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning, particularly in educational contexts where exposure to spoken English is limited. This study investigates teachers’ perceptions of pronunciation difficulties experienced by pupils in Sudanese basic schools, with particular reference to Ghabeesh Locality, West Kordofan. It examines perceived first-language phonological influence, identifies problematic English sound contrasts, and explores instructional implications for pronunciation teaching. The study employed a descriptive analytical research design. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to English language teachers. The methodology reports a sample of 50 teachers selected through simple random sampling from a population of 200. Questionnaire responses were analysed using SPSS version 16, primarily through frequencies and percentages. The findings indicate that pronunciation difficulties are widely perceived among the surveyed teachers. Approximately 98% agreed that pupils experience difficulties pronouncing English words, while 74% identified difficulties involving /ʃ/ and /tʃ/. Furthermore, 70% agreed that first-language interference negatively affects pronunciation, and 58% reported that English words are difficult for pupils to pronounce. The findings also identify concerns relating to the /p/ and /b/ contrast, silent letters, English sound-spelling relationships, and teachers’ preparation for pronunciation instruction. The study argues that pronunciation teaching should receive systematic attention through phonological awareness, sound discrimination, articulatory explanation, guided production, and communicative practice. It proposes a practical, learner-centred framework for pronunciation instruction that can be adapted to different EFL environments. The study contributes to pronunciation pedagogy by presenting context-specific evidence from Sudanese basic education and highlighting implications for teacher education, curriculum development, and further empirical research.
Keywords: English pronunciation, EFL learners, first-language transfer, phonological awareness, basic education, Sudan, pronunciation pedagogy, intelligibility.
