The Role of Phonological Awareness in Second Language ‎Acquisition: A Qualitative Exploration of Its Impact on ‎Pronunciation and Listening Skills

This review article examines the role of phonological awareness (PA) in second language ‎acquisition (SLA), with particular emphasis on its contribution to pronunciation and listening ‎comprehension. As SLA requires learners to master not only grammar and vocabulary but also ‎the sound system of the target language, PA becomes a key component in identifying, ‎discriminating, and manipulating phonemes, syllables, stress patterns, and intonation. The paper ‎argues that PA is especially important in L۲ learning because learners often face challenges ‎caused by first language (L۱) phonological transfer, which can interfere with accurate speech ‎production and perception. Drawing on theoretical perspectives such as the Speech Learning ‎Model and the concept of comprehensible input, the review highlights how PA strengthens ‎auditory discrimination and supports more accurate phonological development. It also ‎emphasizes qualitative evidence from learner interviews, classroom observations, and reflective ‎accounts, showing that PA training improves learners’ ability to notice sound contrasts, self-‎monitor pronunciation, and better segment spoken language. In practical terms, the article ‎discusses how PA contributes to clearer pronunciation, more effective listening, greater learner ‎confidence, and increased motivation. It further outlines several pedagogical implications for ‎TEFL contexts, including explicit phonological instruction, minimal pair practice, rhyming tasks, ‎dictation, shadowing, and the use of speech-recognition technologies. The review concludes that ‎PA is a fundamental gateway to successful L۲ communication and should be integrated ‎systematically into language teaching. It also recommends further longitudinal and context-‎sensitive research to explore the long-term effects of PA instruction across different learner ‎populations and educational settings.‎

کلیدواژه ها:

phonological awareness ، second language acquisition ، pronunciation ، listening ‎comprehension