The Development of Pronunciation Skills Using Task-based Instruction and Case Studies for Undergraduate Students

Abstract

The current research endeavor aims to develop a task-based instruction along with the presentation of case studies and to study the effects of a task-based instruction and case studies on the pronunciation abilities of undergraduate students. The sample consists of 16 students at Rajabhat University. The research tools include a task-based instruction plan along with six case studies. The data was collected using a reporters’ ability assessment and analyzed quantitatively using an average, a standard deviation, and a t-test. Also, the data was analyzed qualitatively using a descriptive analysis. The results reveal that: There are three steps of the instruction development beginning with studying case studies and preparation for implementation, followed by synthesizing knowledge and implementation, post-implementation and transfer of knowledge. The data was assessed using rubrics with different three criteria including pronunciation, non-verbal communication, and reporters’ voice. The students’ ability to pronounce is higher after the instruction than before with a statistical significance of .05.