Is English pronunciation teaching in China ready for the Intelligibility Principle

Dados Bibliográficos

ID19232219
AutoresXiaojiao Xue (0000-0003-1149-6278, Yangzhou University, autor correspondente), Chenyi Wu (Yangzhou University)
Ano2026
Páginas1-20
Data de publicação2026-06-04
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoLanguage Teaching (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0261-4448 • E-ISSN: 1475-3049
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0261444826101347
OpenAlexW7163548103
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas67

In English pronunciation teaching, the Nativeness Principle has been influential in the curriculum standards, instructional materials, and teachers’ beliefs in China. Even though subtle shifts toward the Intelligibility Principle have been seen since the 2010s, some unresolved questions and challenges about applying the Intelligibility Principle to classroom teaching still need to be answered and addressed, which is the main purpose of this article. Under the 5W1H framework (Who, Why, What, When, Where, and How), the study argues that intelligibility-focused teaching is more realistic and beneficial for Chinese students across age groups. It also explores key phonetic features and accommodation strategies for mutual understanding in pronunciation. It further suggests a phased approach to intelligibility instruction, starting with broad phonetic teaching in early grades and focusing on targeted features in later years, and recommends the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for real-time feedback, while acknowledging that AI feedback can be biased on accents. Finally, the study points out the necessity for guiding teachers and for reliable intelligibility assessments, observing the influence of native-language familiarity on judgments. It calls for further research on explicit training in accommodation strategies, identification of prioritized pronunciation features, biases in AI tools, and context-specific intelligibility benchmarks

Accommodation · China · Curriculum · Pronunciation · Teaching method · Language Development and Disorders · Phonetics and Phonology Research · Speech Recognition and Synthesis