Difficulties Faced by Students in Pronouncing English Consonant Sounds

This research investigates the difficulties encountered by students in pronouncing English consonant sounds. The objective is to identify specific consonant sounds that are pronounced erroneously by students and understand the perceived factors contributing to these pronunciation errors. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, five students majoring in English department class of 2018 who came from the Aceh Besar region were selected as participants. Data collection involved a vocabulary test and subsequent in-depth interviews. The findings reveal that students face challenges in pronouncing consonants such as [b], [d], [g], [v], [ʒ], [z], and [ʃ]. Interviews further identified factors including difficulty distinguishing similar sounds, lack of awareness, native language influence, and limited practice opportunities. These findings have important implications for students aiming to enhance their pronunciation skills, emphasizing the need for targeted practice and guidance. Educators can utilize the insights to design effective instructional strategies focusing on challenging sounds, while raising awareness of articulatory differences. Future research can explore additional sounds, investigate difficulties faced by diverse language learners, and incorporate innovative approaches to pronunciation instruction.