Abstract:

The ongoing process of globalisation and internationalisation has undoubtedly boosted the value of English proficiency within the last decades. At the same time, teaching English pronunciation seems to have been placed in a rather disputable position on a global world scale. The language spoken in academic, political, financial and other professional and entertainment-related spheres could by no means be underestimated in education. Having become a second language for millions of non-native speakers, the English language is used on a daily basis by a variety of ethnicities, which could not but result in a diversity of its forms, such as accents. This has inevitably resulted in a particular controversy regarding the importance of teaching English pronunciation in the globalised yet multicultural modern world.

Not only has globalisation raised the significance of the English language being taught at all levels and in all the fields imaginable, but it has also led to a tremendous shift in the language representation in coursebooks. No longer being ultimately delivered by solely native speakers it seeks to highlight our ethnic identities. So is there still a place for teaching the so-called received pronunciation and its mastering in class? Or should teaching phonetic aspects be questioned (if not eliminated) in the era of globalisation?

The current research analyses the experience of teaching English pronunciation to university students of non-linguistic majors in current multicultural Russia. The topic presented is sure to be of interest to all native and non-native educators in doubt when it comes to finding a place for pronunciation teaching in the curriculum as well as its appropriateness in today’s world.

Keywords:

Pronunciation, globalisation, higher education, EFL, multicultural, non-native English teachers, non-English speakers, curriculum, internationalisation.