ABSTRACT
The study of individual differences in second language (L2) learning and in L2 learning outcomes has been a dominant focus of second language acquisition research for nearly 70 years. Although individual differences have been variously defined and researched (see Dᶞrnyei & Skehan, 2003), researchers generally focus on factors such as motivation, aptitude, age, learning styles and learning strategies. In connection to individual differences in L2 pronunciation attainment, researchers have also focused on length of residence, extent of L1 and L2 use, language learning context, gender and ethnic/peer identification in the attempt to understand why some learners are able to attain native or near-native pronunciation ability in the L2 while others are not. The goal of the chapter is to help English pronunciation teachers better understand individual differences in pronunciation learning and attainment. The chapter first defines and illustrates factors that can lead to individual differences and then provides a detailed, example-rich discussion of how these factors impact pronunciation learning and attainment. It posits that language learners are active agents in choosing and using different pronunciation features in order to mark and sometimes resist particular identities in various contexts, and that they are faced with a range of pronunciation choices based on ethnic, cultural, linguistic and other contextual and background factors. While learners may not always be able to acquire all features of the target language, research (see Hansen Edwards, 2008) has shown that learners are sophisticated L2 learners and users, and often choose to use or to resist using features of the L2 based on a variety of influences. In addition, individual learners may have different needs and goals in English pronunciation attainment. The chapter outlines and discusses each of the factors mentioned above and provides teachers with suggestions and recommendations for developing pronunciation models and methods that are tailored to meet learners’ individual needs.
