Pronunciation challenges of English vowels among South African foundation students: Phonological interference and pedagogical implications

The accurate pronunciation of English vowels is central to intelligible speech and academic success in multilingual higher education environments. This study examines the pronunciation challenges faced by foundation students at a South African university, focusing on how first language interference and limited phonetic training affect the production of English vowel sounds. The study is grounded in the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis (CAH) and the Speech Learning Model (SLM), which explain how differences between learners’ first language (L1) and the target language (L2) phonological systems contribute to pronunciation errors. A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining quantitative analysis of recorded oral reading tasks with qualitative phonetic transcription and interpretation using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Findings indicate that students frequently substitute unfamiliar English vowel sounds with those from their L1s, simplify diphthongs, and omit schwa vowels in unstressed syllables. These errors reduce speech intelligibility and confidence in academic communication. The study contributes to existing knowledge by providing a context-specific analysis of vowel pronunciation difficulties among South African foundation students, highlighting the phonological and pedagogical implications for English language instruction in multilingual contexts. It further recommends explicit phonetics instruction, integration of pronunciation technology, and teacher training as practical strategies for enhancing students’ oral proficiency and overall communicative competence in higher education.