The paper titled "Future Saudi Female Teachers’ Perceptions of Native-Like English Pronunciation and English as a Lingua Franca" by Mazeegha Al Tale focuses on investigating the attitudes of future Saudi female English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers towards native-like English pronunciation and their understanding of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF).
The purpose of the study is to explore the misconceptions held by these future teachers regarding the necessity of achieving native-like pronunciation for effective global communication, and to examine their awareness of ELF as a concept that allows for diverse English pronunciations.
The study utilized a questionnaire to collect data from 280 female students at King Khalid University, who were enrolled in the seventh level of an English Language course. The questionnaire included multiple-choice questions and open-ended questions designed to elicit the participants’ attitudes toward native-like English pronunciation and their perceptions of its importance for communication.
Key findings reveal that while the majority of participants have positive attitudes toward native-like pronunciation, recognizing it as prestigious and desirable, they also acknowledge that it is not essential for effective global communication. The participants expressed confidence in their ability to use English in a global context without necessarily achieving native-like pronunciation, highlighting the importance of clear and comprehensible communication over strict adherence to native pronunciation norms.
In conclusion, the study underscores that although native-like pronunciation is still considered prestigious among Saudi female EFL teachers, there is growing awareness of ELF and its implications for global communication. The findings suggest that educational approaches should shift from emphasizing native-like proficiency to focusing on international communicative competence, better preparing students for real-world interactions in diverse linguistic contexts.