Native/Non-native English Speakers’ Attitudes: Addressing Learners’ Goals and Needs Towards Pronunciation Issues

The study attempts to explore native and non-native English speakers’ attitudes towards accents and pronunciation-related issues. The sample group surveyed is composed of non-native English speakers, specifically, Italian students studying at the University of Calabria (Italy) and native English speakers from Alberta University (Canada) and Florida Atlantic University (USA). An online link to a questionnaire was sent via email to all participants and was used as a research instrument to collect quantitative data. The research questions will investigate learners’ attitudes in relation to the following aspects: accent and identity, beliefs about native/non-native accents, impact of pronunciation on communication, and learners’ expectations towards pronunciation teaching. Firstly, mean scores in relation to the aforementioned aspects will be examined. Secondly, differences between native/non-native speakers’ responses will be statistically analysed. Thirdly, non-native learners’ responses will be correlated with their proficiency level in English to identify the extent to which language competence may affect learners’ attitudes. The study aims to gain useful insights that may hopefully raise students and teachers’ awareness of what models we expect learners to imitate and attain in the English language classroom, how appropriate and relevant these may be especially in the globalized English world where non-native speakers will increasingly use English in a diversity of forms to achieve their communicative goals. The preliminary results will be presented and pedagogical considerations suggested.