Pedagogical implication of Audio-Articulation Method to defossilize /e/এ/ sound in English pronunciation of Bangladeshi EFL learners

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to show how to defossilize the English /e/ sound which is pronounced by the Bengali learners of English instead of /ei/ sound in such words like ape, make and day etc. This mispronunciation creates confusion among the native speakers of English and the Bengali learners’ pronunciation loses comprehensibility to the listeners. The author, in his experience, observes that Phonological fossilization of /e/ sound in the Bengali speakers of English is the main cause of this mispronunciation and incomprehensibility level in them. The present study is a detail lesson plan to defossilize the problem causing /e/ sound by using Audio Articulation Method propounded by Mehmet Demirezen in the classroom practice. As a fossilized pronunciation error correction method, the audio articulation method can play a vital role in creating awareness of a fossilized sound among the EFL learners in Bangladesh. By applying different kinds of drills, such as, conversation drills, substitution drills, question-answer drills, repetition drills, language games etc in the class hour, the teachers can endeavor to defossilize the problem causing sounds among the students and both the teachers and learners in Bangladesh can be benefited through this practice.