EFL Learners’ Perceptions About the Challenges Implied in Learning Native Pronunciation in Guanajuato

Achieving native-like pronunciation is often viewed as an essential goal for students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL), particularly when instructors are from native English-speaking backgrounds and establish teaching standards based on native fluency. However, the emphasis on attaining native pronunciation norms can present challenges for learners whose first language phonology context differs from English. This study explored the perspectives of beginner, intermediate, and upper intermediate-level EFL students at the University of Guanajuato regarding the challenges of learning native pronunciation in a non-native context taught by native English speakers. The findings highlight the complex dynamic between the students' desire for native-like proficiency dominance because of the recognition and praise provided by their teachers and general society and the difficulties EFL learners face in achieving this standard outside an immersive environment.