Say It Right: Its Impact on ESL Learners’ Pronunciation Accuracy and Confidence

Say It Right: A Fun and Easy Guide to English Sounds is an innovation aimed at improving the pronunciation and oral communication skills of Grade 11 Section Asset under the Accountancy, Business and Management Strand. Aligned with the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum’s goal of strengthening learners’ proficiency and confidence in English communication, especially in Senior High School under the Academic Track, it addresses learners’ reluctance to participate in discussions due to fear of mispronunciation. Grounded in Krashen’s Input Hypothesis and supported by phonetic tools like the Vietor Triangle, the program employed engaging methods such as tongue twisters, drills, and role-plays. Implemented over five sessions with 36 students from Section Asset, it used a teacher-made pre- and post-test validated by experts. Results revealed statistically significant improvements in pronunciation and confidence (t(35)=11.82, p<0.001, d=1.97). The innovation eliminated the lowest proficiency level and raised 33% of learners to the proficient level. The paper recommends integrating the program into after-class Remedial, Reinforcement, and Enrichment (RRE) activities and involving parents to ensure its sustainability and broader impact.