Chinese EFL University Learners’ Beliefs about Pronunciation Instruction
Juan Wang *
Xi’an Fanyi University, Taiyigong, Chang’an District, Xi’an, China.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Chinese university learners’ beliefs about pronunciation instruction may inform how courses are organised, but the relative importance they attach to different instructional components is insufficiently described.
Aims: To examine Chinese English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners’ beliefs about pronunciation instruction, covering their preferences for syllabus, lessons, sound introduction, practice, and feedback.
Study Design: A mixed-methods design combining a cross-sectional questionnaire with semi-structured interviews; scores were summarised and interview accounts were analysed thematically.
Place and Duration of Study: Conducted in autumn 2026 at a comprehensive university in northwest China, among English majors and related humanities students.
Methodology: The sample was 120 Chinese EFL learners (54 male, 66 female; aged 18–24 years; CET-4 to TEM-8; 6–12 years of English study). A 30-item, five-point Likert questionnaire was administered online; internal consistency was Cronbach’s alpha of .84, and two pronunciation instructors reviewed items for content validity. Eighteen volunteers (11 female, 7 male; beginner to advanced) completed 15–25-minute interviews analysed using six-phase thematic analysis. Responses are reported as mean (M) and standard deviation (SD).
Results: Most participants valued pronunciation: 84.2% enjoyed working on it (9.2% disagreed), 80.0% said it aids listening, and 76.7% linked clear pronunciation to communication. A structured syllabus was favoured (59.2%; M=2.39, SD=1.10). Teacher-led explanation and demonstration outranked self- or peer discovery (68.3% versus 41.7% and 50.8%). Authentic listening (82.5%; M=1.81, SD=0.97) and communicative use (78.3%) were preferred to drills (53.3%). Only 11.7% favoured peer correction, whereas 64.2% disagreed (M=3.78, SD=1.08); 69.2% wanted teacher correction in class, with views split on timing and scope. Interviews identified four themes: intelligibility, face, and confidence; teacher authority and correction anxiety; segmental focus with weak prosody; passive exposure.
Conclusion: Learners value pronunciation and expect a clear, teacher-supported approach. Instruction should balance segmental and prosodic work, target intelligibility, alternate deductive and inductive steps, and give timely, focused feedback.
Keywords: Learner beliefs, pronunciation instruction, corrective feedback, Chinese EFL learners, intelligibility