Enhancing Intelligibility in Slovak Learners of English: The Role of Word Stress in Pronunciation Teaching

Dominika Mihaľová, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia

Correct pronunciation is an essential aspect of language acquisition, directly influencing the success of spoken communication. Building on this, the following paper aims to highlight the importance of pronunciation teaching with the focus on word stress for the improvement of the intelligibility and communicative competence of Slovak learners of English. Addressing a gap in English language education in Slovakia, where pronunciation teaching is often overlooked, an overview of various factors that need to be considered for its effective implementation are provided. To demonstrate the importance of focusing on word stress within pronunciation teaching for enhancing overall intelligibility, the paper also illustrates the specific challenges Slovak learners encounter due to unpredictable stress placement and its language specific manifestation in English, stemming from language interference. This theoretical overview is complemented by practical recommendations and examples of activities for effectively incorporating word stress practice into English language lessons, consequently supporting learners’ communicative competence in spoken English.

Key words: English language education, English pronunciation, teaching pronunciation, lexical stress, intelligibility