Teaching English pronunciation for adult learners: Eight reasons not to teach pronunciation (and why they are all wrong)

Although pronunciation is a crucial part of a learner's communicative competence, we have heard teachers give many reasons as to why they do not teach it in their classrooms. In this chapter, we draw on research from a number of different theoretical perspectives to counter some of the more common of these and provide teachers with the confidence and expertise they need to give pronunciation the attention that it deserves as an essential part of the curriculum. We explore different aspects of learning and teaching pronunciation, consider different goals for adult learners, and provide insights into why they might find this part of learning English particularly challenging. In this chapter, we offer a systematic approach to teaching pronunciation together with practical ideas of how teachers can accommodate a range of learner needs and integrate pronunciation teaching and learning into their regular daily activities in the English language classroom.