The perceptions of English phonetics instruction among an indigenous community: Kedayan ESL secondary students in Lawas

Pronunciation is an essential component of English language fluency, although students’ approaches to acquiring pronunciation are often shaped by their linguistic backgrounds and learning experiences. This study investigates the perceptions of English as a Second Language (ESL) secondary school students from the Kedayan community in Lawas District, Sarawak, toward learning English phonetics. Using a quantitative research design, a Likert-scale questionnaire was administered to gather data from 133 lower secondary students to examine their perceived benefits, challenges, motivation, and instructional preferences related to phonetics instruction. The findings indicate that students generally view phonetics as beneficial in improving their awareness of English sounds and enhancing pronunciation accuracy. However, they also perceive the subject as cognitively demanding and somewhat theoretical. The results suggest that students are open to exposure to different English varieties while recognizing the need for clear and consistent instructional guidance. Overall, the study emphasizes the significance of balancing theoretical explanation with practical engagement in pronunciation teaching. Particularly in multilingual and dialect-rich educational contexts.