ABSTRACT:The freshmen of English major are just in a new stage of English learning stage and pronunciation is a professional basic required course for English majors. Therefore, laying a good pronunciation foundation has the important function to the students’ pronunciation learning in the future. This paper employs questionnaires and recordings to make a survey of eight-seven freshmen in Honghe University. The aim of the study is to survey the students’ pronunciation problems in their learning and if the affective factors are the important factors that affect their English pronunciation learning. Based on the Pronunciation Learning Strategies, Affective Filter Hypothesis and Error Analysis, the researcher analyze the questionnaires and recordings. The study finds that pronunciation problems exist in three aspects: vowels and consonants in segmental, and phoneme is the biggest problem in segmental. Stress, liaison and intonation in suprasegmental, and liaison is the biggest problem in suprasegmental. Four aspects of affective factors have different degree effects on the students’ pronunciation learning, among which motivation and attitude have the greatest influence. Then the paper puts forward some strategies. 

Keywords: freshmen in English major; pronunciation problems; affective factors; pronunciation strategies

TABLE OF CONTENTS

摘要

ABSTRACT

1 INTRODUCTION-1

2 LITERATURE REVIEW-3

2.1 Theoretical Background-3

2.1.1 Affective filter hypothesis-3

2.1.2 Error analysis-3

2.1.3 Pronunciation learning strategies-4

2.2 Domestic Studies-4

2.3 Overseas Studies-5

3. Methodology-7

3.1 Subjects-7

3.2 Instruments-7

3.2.1 Questionnaire for students-7

3.2.2 Recording for students-8

3.3 Data Collection-8

3.3.1 Questionnaire collection-8

3.3.2 Recording collection-9

3.4 Data Analysis-9

4. Discussing and findings-10

4.1 The Freshmen’s Pronunciation Situation-10

4.1.1The general situation of the students’ recording score-10

4.1.2 The difference of recording score among the students-11

4.1.3 Segmental problems-13

4.1.4 Suprasegmental problems-15

4.2 Affective Factors-17

4.3 Suggestions on Pronunciation Learning and Teaching-22

5. CONCLUSION-26

REFERENCES-28

Appendix A-29

Appendix B-31

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS-33