The academic paper titled "Stress Placement and the Difficulties Encountered by Female EFL Students in Saudi Arabian Context" by Zahra Ahmed Misfer and Najat Ahmed Busabaa focuses on the challenges faced by female English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students at King Khalid University in accurately assigning stress in English words. The study aims to investigate these difficulties and identify the reasons why these students struggle to apply stress placement rules effectively in their spoken English.
The purpose of the study is to explore the underlying factors contributing to the challenges female EFL students encounter in mastering word stress placement and to propose potential solutions to overcome these difficulties. The research is particularly relevant to the context of Saudi Arabia, where stress placement is crucial for clear communication in English, yet often neglected in language instruction.
The researchers employed a descriptive-analytical approach, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods. A questionnaire consisting of 10 items was administered to a sample of 60 female students enrolled in a phonology course during the second semester of the 2018-2019 academic year. The questionnaire aimed to gather insights into the students' experiences and challenges related to stress placement in English.
The key findings reveal that although the students were familiar with the rules of stress placement, they struggled to apply these rules correctly in practice. Factors contributing to this difficulty included a lack of practical exposure to stress placement rules, time limitations in the classroom, absence of oral assessments, and large class sizes. Additionally, the study found that teachers lacked sufficient training in teaching pronunciation, which further exacerbated the problem. The researchers suggested that increased emphasis on oral production and practical application of stress placement rules, alongside enhanced teacher training, could improve students' proficiency in this area.
In conclusion, the study underscores the importance of addressing the practical challenges female EFL students face in stress placement. It highlights the need for more focused and practical instruction in pronunciation, particularly in the use of stress in English, to better equip students for effective communication. The findings have significant implications for EFL instruction in Saudi Arabia, suggesting that both students and teachers require more support and resources to master the nuances of English pronunciation, including stress placement.