Teachers sometimes assume that more outgoing learners
will be able to learn pronunciation better than shyer students, and
there may be some truth to this. Confident students might speak
more and be more willing to try new sounds, and this extra
practice could help them improve their pronunciation. However,
this improvement is certainly not guaranteed. Some outgoing
students may be producing a lot of language, but they may also
be jumping ahead without paying attention to the accuracy of
their pronunciation. If listeners are impressed by their fluency
and accept their imperfect pronunciation, they have no way to
know that they need to improve.
Some more introverted students might actually be
thinking carefully about sounds and practicing “within
themselves,” even if they don’t speak much in class. Don’t
underestimate the quiet students. Appreciate the strengths and
possibilities of all your students and encourage everyone. All
students can learn and improve in their own way.
Another aspect of personality that can affect pronunciation
is the degree to which a person is willing or able to change the
way they sound. Most of us have been speaking and listening to
language in the same, familiar way since we learned to talk. Our
voice and our pronunciation are a central part of the way we see
ourselves. It can be uncomfortable, and possibly even
frightening, to try out unfamiliar sounds and melodies of
language. For some people this process seems like a small bump
on the road, but for others, it’s a serious roadblock.
M.T. Yoshida. Beyond Repeat After Me: Teaching Pronunciation to
English Learners. Alexandria: TESOL Press, 2016 (adapted).