exploreng language interfencein the articelation of p/b and f/v sounds f.ei midelle schole pepils

Abstract

Language interference is a phenomenon caused by the mother tongue’s influence on the second language learning. This effect is at all levels of language; nevertheless, the pronunciation is neglected in the language teaching process. According to J. Setter (2015), learning a foreign language without intending to speak in it with its native speakers is meaningless. This exploratory research attempts to investigate the exact reasons behind Dahmani Madani Middle School pupils’ English mispronunciation, how they substitute sounds with others in English, and what are the possible solutions to fix these pronunciation errors as well. A mixed method data analysis approach was incorporated using three data collection tools: observation was investigated on two fourth year classes, recording test applied to 37 pupils, and unstructured interview was addressed to the four teachers English in the middle school. The results state that Dahmani Madani Middle School pupils mispronounce and substitute English sounds because their native language sounds’ system is different from English sounds’ system, they do not receive external support neither at home nor from their surrounding, and they do not receive adequate pronunciation learning in school. The teachers offers suggestions for these pronunciation errors, which are to provide well equipped laboratories in the school with an increase in the number phonetics sessions as well as the necessity of practicing the learned sounds outside the school.