ESP STUDENTS' PRONUNCIATION SKILLS THROUGH VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION

This study investigates the effectiveness of virtual technologies in developing pronunciation skills among students of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). In the context of increasing digitalization in education, the integration of innovative tools such as Virtual Reality (VR) and AI-based applications offers new opportunities for enhancing language learning. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, involving 40 ESP students divided into experimental and control groups. While the experimental group received instruction through virtual technologies, the control group was taught using traditional methods. The findings reveal that students exposed to virtual technologies demonstrated significantly greater improvement in both segmental and suprasegmental aspects of pronunciation. Additionally, qualitative data indicate higher levels of motivation, engagement, and learner autonomy among students in the experimental group. Despite certain challenges related to technology access and teacher preparedness, the study confirms the pedagogical value of virtual tools in ESP pronunciation teaching.The paper concludes that virtual technologies can play a crucial role in improving phonetic competence and recommends their wider integration into ESP curricula.