The Effect of ICPT (Innovative Cued Pronunciation Training) on Elementary Level Iranian EFL Students’ Pronunciation Accuracy and Accent Appropriateness

This article investigates the effects of a homework-based pronunciation training method called Innovative Cued Pronunciation Training (ICPT) on Iranian EFL learners’ pronunciation and accent skills. It reviews the historical and theoretical background of L2 pronunciation instruction and the use of technology to enhance it. Accordingly, it employs a quasi-experimental study with three groups of elementary-level learners who received different pronunciation instruction over five weeks. The study measures the learners’ comprehensibility and accentedness at the word and paragraph levels using oral production tests and collected data using a questionnaire to obtain information about the learners’ backgrounds and perspectives. The results show that ICPT units improved the learners’ pronunciation skills significantly compared to the control group and were as effective as in-class pronunciation training. The article presents the implications of these findings for L2 pronunciation instruction and how ICPT units can address the gap between pronunciation research and practice by offering a flexible, cost-effective, and enjoyable teaching method for learners and teachers.