Teaching Pronunciation in Second Language Spanish

This chapter explores the acquisition of Spanish phonetics and phonology in the context of explicit classroom instruction. In doing so, it aims to answer the perennial questions that face language teachers of all levels: Should we teach pronunciation? Is there an advantage to explicit instruction when it comes to issues of pronunciation? What, when, and how should we teach? And why? The chapter examines instructor and student attitudes toward the inclusion of pronunciation in the classroom. It reviews the empirical research that has been carried out in Spanish classrooms, touching on a variety of factors that can impact second language pronunciation. Finally, the chapter addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the previous work, and proposes a number of avenues for continued research into explicit phonetics training in second language (L2) Spanish classes.