Realisation of English Pure Vowels by Selected Senior Secondary School Students in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the realisation of some pure vowels of English by selected Senior Secondary School students in the Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Three objectives guided the investigation, namely, to identify and classify the types of errors made by the selected students in the realisation of English pure vowels, to determine the frequency and distribution of such errors, and to propose effective strategies and interventions for improving the production of English pure vowels among senior secondary school students. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted to obtain data from a sample of 80 students selected through a random sampling technique from four secondary schools: Government Day Secondary School Maraban Rido, Government Secondary School Sabon Tasha, Government Secondary School Television, and Government Secondary School Kakuri. Two instruments were developed and used for data collection: the Single Pronunciation Test and the Oral Test on Connected Speech. The instruments were validated by experts in Test and Measurement from the University of Jos, and reliability was ensured through a pilot study involving a different set of students. Transcription of data followed IPA conventions, while data were analyzed using simple percentages to determine the frequency and distribution of errors. Findings revealed that students struggled significantly with the pronunciation of less familiar English pure vowels such as /?/, /?/, /?/ and /?:/, often committing substitution and distortion errors. These errors negatively affect oral communication by reducing intelligibility and causing misunderstanding in both academic and social interactions. The study recommends, among other things, early and explicit instruction in the pronunciation of English vowel sounds, particularly those absent in local Nigerian languages.