Effects of Using Visual, Auditory, and ICT Tools on Suprasegmental Features of Pronunciation in ESL/EFL Classrooms

Abstract

This research synthesis aimed at analyzing the effects of different teaching materials – audiovisual, auditory, and ICT materials – on the acquisition of English suprasegmental features as well as the advantages and disadvantages of these types of materials. For this purpose, twenty articles (all empirical, written in English, and focused on English suprasegmental features) were examined according to the following criteria: pronunciation teaching, focus, context, research design, and advantages and disadvantages of the pronunciation teaching materials. The results from this analysis indicate that the use of audiovisual, auditory, and ICT teaching materials yields improvements in the learning of suprasegmental features; however, the use of audiovisual materials outnumbers the use of the other types of materials, auditory materials being the least used. Moreover, some drawbacks of using these teaching materials were pinpointed. Therefore, teachers should employ audiovisual, auditory, and ICT materials for teaching suprasegmental features taking into consideration the drawbacks that their application may entail.