Ted Talks Videos As A Tool For Improving Pronunciation Skills Of Senior High School Students In Sti College Lipa

Abstract

This study explored the effectiveness of TED Talks videos in improving the pronunciation skills of senior high school students in STI College Lipa. A mixed-methods research design was employed to obtain both quantitative and qualitative data. Survey questionnaires were distributed to 41 senior high school students to evaluate student’s perceptions and pronunciation development. In addition, a focus group discussion involving 10 students was conducted to gain deeper insights into the challenges they experienced while using TED Talks videos.

The preliminary assessment revealed that students generally demonstrated a skillful level of pronunciation ability. Further enhancement was needed in advanced pronunciation features and in building students’ confidence during spontaneous and high-pressure speaking situations. Furthermore, findings revealed that students showed improvement in vowel pronunciation, sound imitation, silent letters, minimal pairs, pausing, word stress, and speech naturalness. Despite these improvements, difficulties were still observed in pronouncing longer or unfamiliar words, as well as in intonation, speech flow, and expressiveness. The focus group discussion further revealed challenges related to unfamiliar vocabulary, fast speech delivery, and varied accents. 

Therefore, the study concluded that TED Talks videos may effectively support pronunciation development when combined with supplementary activities such as word bank, shadow reading, and pair-discussions, pronunciation bingo, and mini TED-style presentations.