MINIMAL PAIR DRILLS IN PRONUNCIATION TEACHING: DEFINITION, HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES, AND PEDAGOGICAL IMPORTANCE
Keywords:
Minimal pair drills, pronunciation teaching, phonemic awareness, second language acquisition, phonetics, ESL, EFLAbstract
Pronunciation plays a crucial role in second language acquisition, as it directly impacts intelligibility and communication effectiveness. One of the most widely used techniques in pronunciation teaching is minimal pair drills, which focus on distinguishing similar phonemes to improve phonetic accuracy. This article explores the definition of minimal pair drills, their historical development within language teaching methodologies, and their significance in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms. The study highlights how minimal pair drills contribute to phonemic awareness, listening discrimination, and overall speaking fluency. Additionally, the pedagogical advantages of this approach are discussed in the context of contemporary language learning. By examining the evolution and effectiveness of minimal pair drills, this article underscores their continued relevance in pronunciation instruction.
References
1. Bradlow, A. R., Pisoni, D. B., Akahane-Yamada, R., & Tohkura, Y. (1999). Training Japanese listeners to identify English /r/ and /l/: Long-term retention in perception and production. Perception & Psychophysics, 61(5), 977-985.
2. Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 1-47.
3. Celce-Murcia, M., Brinton, D. M., & Goodwin, J. M. (1996). Teaching Pronunciation: A Reference for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. Cambridge University Press.
4. Derwing, T. M., & Munro, M. J. (2015). Pronunciation Fundamentals: Evidence-Based Perspectives for L2 Teaching and Research. John Benjamins Publishing.
5. Gimson, A. C. (1962). An Introduction to the Pronunciation of English. Edward Arnold.
6. Jakobson, R., Fant, G., & Halle, M. (1952). Preliminaries to Speech Analysis: The Distinctive Features and Their Correlates. MIT Press.
7. Jenkins, J. (2000). The Phonology of English as an International Language. Oxford University Press.
8. Jones, D. (1956). The Pronunciation of English. Cambridge University Press.
9. Lado, R. (1957). Linguistics Across Cultures: Applied Linguistics for Language Teachers. University of Michigan Press.
10. Levis, J., & Cortes, V. (2008). Minimal pairs in spoken discourse: The role of contrastive phonemes. TESOL Quarterly, 42(3), 399-409.
11. Neri, A., Cucchiarini, C., Strik, H., & Boves, L. (2008). The effectiveness of computer-based speech corrective feedback for improving segmental quality in L2 Dutch. Language Learning & Technology, 12(1), 100-120.
12. Saito, K., & Lyster, R. (2012). Effects of form‐focused instruction and corrective feedback on L2 pronunciation development of /ɹ/ by Japanese learners of English. Language Learning, 62(2), 595-633.
13. Skinner, B. F. (1957). Verbal Behavior. Appleton-Century-Crofts.
14. Thomson, R. I., & Derwing, T. M. (2015). The effectiveness of L2 pronunciation instruction: A meta-analysis. Applied Linguistics, 36(3), 326-344.
15. Trubetzkoy, N. S. (1939). Grundzüge der Phonologie (Principles of Phonology). Translated by Baltaxe, C. A. (1969). University of California Press.
