The main objective of this thesis is to establish whether or not there is a relationship between (foreign) language aptitude, pronunciation learning strategies (PLSs), and pronunciation performance. Also, embedded in the major objective is the aim of uncovering which PLSs are most frequently used and which PLSs have been used for the longest period of time. Following a positivistic approach to research, through a correlational and statistically descriptive methodology, all participants were asked to take three tests, each of which was intended to gather data for the three major variables under consideration, namely an adapted version of the Strategic Pronunciation Learning Survey (SPLS), the first two sections of the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT), and a Pronunciation Test (PT), developed by the researcher. The study was conducted at a teacher education university in Chile, with a sample of 43 students, 24 of whom were Year 2 students and 19 were Year 3 students at the time of data collection. The results suggest that there is a good deal of coincidence between those PLSs that are used with the highest frequency and those used with the greatest duration. The results also indicate that the PLSs that are more frequently used and that have been used for the longest period of time by the participants seem to be of a cognitive type, following Oxford’s (1990) broad classification of learning strategies. Finally, the Spearman correlation tests and the diverse statistical models applied reveal that no major correlations were found between PLS frequency/duration and pronunciation accuracy; nor was a major correlation found between language aptitude and pronunciation accuracy. Nonetheless, the application of a statistical model comprising the most frequently used PLSs and those with the longest duration yielded a positive correlation between these PLSs and pronunciation intelligibility levels. Future studies incorporating motivational elements are required to establish how they correlate with pronunciation accuracy in particular. Similarly, research seeking to establish correlations between (a new version of) PLSs, grouped into factors through factor analysis, and pronunciation accuracy is recommended. Lastly, language aptitude – viewed, conceptualised, and quite possibly measured differently, considering differentiating elements (Robinson, 2007; Winke, 2013), is to be further examined to establish whether it can explain pronunciation accuracy in a larger sample of participants.

In the last thirty years, language learning strategies have been used in the field of English as a Second Language (ESL) to help learners autonomously improve their English listening, speaking, reading, and writing. However, language learning strategies have not been applied to pronunciation learning in a large scale manner. This study attempted to bridge this gap by investigating the usage of pronunciation learning strategies among adult ESL learners. A strategic pronunciation learning scale (SPLS) was administered to 183 adult ESL learners in an Intensive English Program. Their scores on the SPLS were compared with their scores of spontaneous pronunciation on a program-end speaking assignment. A stepwise regression analysis showed that frequently noticing other's English mistakes, asking for pronunciation help, and adjusting facial muscles all correlated significantly with higher spontaneous pronunciation skill. Other analyses suggested that strong pronunciation learners used pronunciation learning strategies more frequently than poorer learners. Finally, a taxonomy is proposed that categorizes pronunciation learning strategies into pedagogically-founded groups based on Kolb's (1984) learning construct and four stages of pronunciation acquisition: input/practice, noticing/feedback, hypothesis forming, and hypothesis testing. This taxonomy connects language learning strategies to pronunciation acquisition research.

Bakgrunden till denna undersökning är att uttal är en viktig del av språket att behärska, samtidigt som det finns indikationer på att uttalsundervisningen inom Svenska för invandrare (SFI) är eftersatt. Ändå uppnår elever inom SFI ett förståeligt uttal och därför antogs att de använder sig av självstudier i uttal och skulle ha uppfattningar om hur de lärt sig uttal. Syftet med denna undersökning var att beskriva och analysera några SFI-elevers uppfattningar av metoder för att lära svenskt uttal, för att ur detta dra slutsatser av didaktisk betydelse för uttalsundervisning inom SFI. Detta undersöktes genom tre forskningsfrågor kring metoder som eleverna uppfattar har hjälpt dem att lära svenskt uttal. Kvalitativa intervjuer med fyra SFI-elever som har gott uttal genomfördes på deras egen skola. Två elever i taget intervjuades under cirka en timme och det uppstod ett fritt samtal om hur de uppfattar att de har lärt uttal. Resultatet är en lång rad metoder som eleverna uppfattar har hjälpt dem för lärande av svenskt uttal: lyssna, läsa, syssla med korrigering, höra, repetera, titta, umgås med människor, prata, arbeta, göra läxan, kämpa, vilja samt ha rätt inställning. En förhållandevis stor del av dessa metoder nämns inte i den tidigare forskningen. Metoder som eleverna nämnde har hjälpt mest är lyssna, repetera långa ord, läsa högt, vilja lära uttal, umgås med människor, ta hjälp av sitt barn samt kämpa. Endast några få metoder från själva SFI-undervisningen nämndes av eleverna. Därför dras i diskussionen slutsatsen att det behövs mer uttalsundervisning inom SFI, särskilt undervisning i prosodi. En annan slutsats är att de metoder som informanterna nämner bör påverka SFI didaktiskt och tre exempel ges på hur detta kan ske.

Ce travail s’intéresse à l’application de la phonétique expérimentale [acoustique et perceptive] à la didactique de la prononciation des langues étrangères. Le propos est illustré par les difficultés d’apprentissage par des japonophones des voyelles du français ; les expériences portent spécifiquement sur les voyelles -u y ø-. Le but est d’élucider les difficultés que présentent ces phones selon que leur statut phonémique et leur réalisation phonétique diffèrent ou non entre la langue maternelle et la langue apprise. Le -u- français diffère phonétiquement de son équivalent phonémique, le -u- japonais. L’étude confirme que le -u- français, phonémiquement « similaire » au -u- japonais, est plus difficile que la voyelle « nouvelle » -y-, qui n'a pas d'équivalent ni phonémique ni phonétique en japonais. La production du -ø-, qui est « nouveau » phonémiquement mais proche du -u- japonais au plan acoustique, semble présenter encore moins de difficulté. La thèse apporte également une réflexion sur la didactique de la prononciation. L’analyse de manuels généralistes de français publiés au Japon suggère que les apprenants et les enseignants sont rarement conscients de la différence de difficultés des -u y ø-. Quelques méthodes d’enseignement de la prononciation – certaines traditionnelles, d’autres innovantes – sont proposées, dans l’idée de favoriser la conscientisation de ces difficultés. Le but de cette thèse est une contribution à l’éclaircissement des processus d’apprentissage de la prononciation des langues étrangères, et à l’amélioration de son apprentissage et de son enseignement. / This dissertation deals with the application of experimental [acoustic and perceptual] phonetics to the teaching of pronunciation. The issue is illustrated by Japanese speakers’ difficulties in learning French vowels in general. Experiments were specifically conducted on the vowels -u y ø-. The objective is to elucidate the case of individual phones depending on whether or not their phonemic status and their phonetic realisation differ in the two languages under study. French -u- differs phonetically from its phonemic counterpart, Japanese -u-. The present study confirms that French -u-, which is phonemically “similar” [to Japanese -u-], turns out to be more difficult than the “new” vowel -y-, which has no phonemic or phonetic counterpart in Japanese. The production of -ø-, which is phonemically “new” but acoustically close to Japanese -u-, seems to present still less difficulty. The dissertation also brings a reflection on t! he teaching of pronunciation. The analysis of general French textbooks published in Japan suggests that learners and teachers are seldom aware of the difference in the difficulties caused by the three vowels -u y ø-. Also, some methods of pronunciation teaching [some traditional, others new] are presented in terms of how they foster learners’ awareness of these difficulties. The goal of this dissertation is to help to shed light on the learning processes of the pronunciation of foreign languages, and to improve its learning and teaching.