This study aimed to examine whether the Korean language textbooks contain any content on real pronunciation. To this end, the definition of real pronunciation was first presented. This study reviewed previous studies on real pronunciation to define th...
This study aimed to examine whether the Korean language textbooks contain any content on real pronunciation. To this end, the definition of real pronunciation was first presented. This study reviewed previous studies on real pronunciation to define the concept of real pronunciation and classify the educational contents of real pronunciation by type. In addition, a survey was conducted of the perception of twenty Korean language teachers and thirty Korean learners regarding real pronunciation education. This study also intended to investigate the necessity of teaching real pronunciation and the future direction of real pronunciation education by identifying how it is used in everyday life, as well as the current status of real pronunciation education in Korean language classes.
Next, 34 textbooks of seven types were analyzed, with a focus on the contents related to real pronunciation. This study aimed to investigate whether the Korean language textbooks contained a sufficient amount of educational content on real pronunciation by comparing the textbook analysis results and the survey results of the perception of teachers and learners. The results of this study are as follows.
First, compared to the amount of real pronunciation that Korean learners are faced with in their everyday lives, Korean language textbooks present a lesser number of rules on real pronunciation. According to the survey results of the perception of learners, the participants were confronting a larger amount of real pronunciation in everyday life than the teacher thought they experienced. Therefore, they had difficulties in communicating with Korean speakers as they could not fully understand real pronunciation. However, the amount of educational content on real pronunciation in Korean language textbooks was much less than compared to the amount of real pronunciation that Korean learners are faced with in their everyday lives.
Second, although both Korean language teachers and learners considered it necessary to provide education on real pronunciation, Korean language textbooks were not sufficiently constructed. The perception survey results showed that the percentage of both the teachers and learners who thought that they needed to teach and learn real pronunciation was higher than that of those who did not. Additionally, however, the textbooks did not contain a sufficient composition of content on real pronunciation. The area of real pronunciation education was presented in less than 1/2 page, and some of the textbooks for intermediate and advanced learners did not even provide any content on real pronunciation.
Third, most of the Korean language teachers and learners responded that it was necessary to teach standard pronunciation too when to teach real pronunciation. However, the textbooks did not present any items on standard pronunciation along with those on real pronunciation. When the textbooks presented a real pronunciation rule, they simply explained rules on real pronunciation but did not teach any rules on standard pronunciation.
This study reviewed and compiled previous studies on real pronunciation, thereby presenting the significance of education on this subject. In addition, it confirmed the necessity for real pronunciation education by surveying the perception of Korean language teachers and learners regarding such education, while exploring the educational content on real pronunciation contained in Korean language textbooks. Therefore, the results of this study are expected to be utilized as basic data for further research on Korean language education as well as for teachers in the practical situation.
However, this study has limitations in that it did not examine in what order educational content on real pronunciation should be offered. Few people would deny the importance of teaching real pronunciation. Without a specific and systematic plan for real pronunciation education, however, it would be impossible to teach real pronunciation on a consistent basis. Consequently, it is required to analyze the types of real pronunciation by specific criteria, determine the order of presenting and teaching it. In this study, this is left as a follow-up task.