Instructional differences and learning outcomes: A methodological study of systematic intonation teaching to the learners of english as a foreign language

Abstract

ABSTRACT It has been apparent for some time that little attention has been given to intonation teaching to the EFL learners. Teachers often suffer from the lack of appropriate instruction and instructional materials since they, generally, are not content with presenting intonation incidentally within daily calssroom activities. Besides, students who are learning the intonation system of the Target Language, need some provision for the presentation of the system, accurate and clear description and explanation of the concepts. In recognition of this shortage, this study presents on observation of systematic versus incidental instruction in teaching intonation, The aim was to achieve subjects' awareness and understanding of intonation learning with the ability of correct production. Although the subjects of the systematic instruction improved much more than the subjects of the incidental instruction, we also observed, that intonation learning would be a gradual process when it was integrated with other skills IVin language teaching. However, we achieved our purpose by helping students to improve and practice their intonational skills while studying the difficulties which they actually encountered in learning intonation. v