Description:
Abstract
In EFL context, considering appropriate technique in teaching pronunciation is a pivotal issue
since it could help students to learn how to pronounce English sounds easy. This study aimed to
investigate the effect of tongue twister technique on pronunciation ability of students across
different learning styles. This study involved 34 first-year English major students taking Intensive
English course at Universitas Lambung Mangkurat, one of leading universities in Indonesia. The
students in the experimental group were taught by using tongue twister, while those in the control
group were taught by using repetition technique. The students were also grouped based on two
types of learning styles, namely active and reflective learning styles referring to Felder and
Silverman’s (1988) learning style model. The findings of the study showed that there was no
significant difference in pronunciation ability between the groups. No significant difference was
either found in pronunciation ability between students with active learning style and those with
reflective learning style. In spite of the insignificant results, tongue twister is considered beneficial
by the students as they perceived that practicing tongue twisters cultivated joyful learning and it
helped them to improve their pronunciation, fluency, and motivation in learning English
pronunciation. Tongue twister practice could complement the use of repetition technique to
enhance students’ learning experience and learning outcome.
Keywords: active, learning styles, pronunciation, reflective, tongue twister