EFL Pronunciation Instruction in Spanish Primary Schools: From Prescribed Curriculum to Classroom Practice

This article reports on the first qualitative phase of an exploratory sequential mixed method (ESMM) research design focusing on EFL pronunciation instruction in Spanish primary schools. Firstly, it presents an analysis of the National Curriculum in light of recent policy changes and adaptations across seventeen Autonomous Communities (AACC) to assess coherence and the scaffolding of contents. Secondly, based on results from Focus Groups with eight instructors from five different schools and two different AACC, teachers’ perceptions on EFL pronunciation teaching in the current curriculum change are examined according to two main strands, i.e., Curriculum Design and Development and Teacher Professional Development. The results reveal asymmetries in Curriculum Contents regarding specificity and teaching methodologies, as well as some conceptual inconsistencies and dispositions that seem to be leading to overregulation, particularly in relation to increased measures of public accountability. These appear to be heightening tensions that are causing a mismatch between the intended Curriculum and the instructor-experienced curriculum. Another key observation is that, in this scenario, the positive beliefs and attitudes of primary school teachers towards EFL pronunciation are insufficient for optimal teaching. Intervention measures and innovations are suggested to improve the situation, which may be extrapolated to other similar EFL contexts.