The Effect of Computer-Assisted Pronunciation Training on EFL Learners' Use of Suprasegmental Features and Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety

Nowadays, computers are integrated into almost all aspects of foreign language learning. This study investigated the effect of Computer-Assisted Pronunciation Training (CAPT) on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' use of suprasegmental features (word stress and intonation) and their Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA) levels. The participants of the study were 32 intermediate EFL learners, both males and females, aged 14 to 24. To measure learners' perception and production of the suprasegmental features, a teacher-made multiple-choice achievement test was used. FLSA was operationalized as learners' scores on the FLSA questionnaire administered at the outset and at the end of the course. The participants were randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group. The experimental group was taught the suprasegmental features through My English Tutor (MyET) application, while the control group was taught through conventional pronunciation instruction. Independent-samples t-tests were run to analyze the collected data. The results indicated that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in terms of the correct use of intonation patterns and word stress. It is worth mentioning that although the obtained results indicated that all participants experienced an overall decrease in FLSA after pronunciation instruction, no significant difference was observed between the two groups concerning FLSA. The study provides pedagogical implications for teachers, material developers, and curriculum designers to take into account appropriate instruction of pronunciation from scratch and to consider learners' affective factors and the necessity of preparing a relaxing learning environment.