Negotiating Pronunciation Proficiency:  Identity, Affect, and Indonesian  EFL Teachers’ Experiences

Bassam Hasan Mahmood Alsalemi; Evynurul Laily Zen; Evi Eliyanah

doi:10.24256/ideas.v14i2.10522

Authors

Bassam Hasan Mahmood Alsalemi English Education Study Program, Malang State University, Indonesia
Evynurul Laily Zen English Education Study Program, Malang State University, Indonesia
Evi Eliyanah English Education Study Program, Malang State University, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v14i2.10522

Keywords:

affective factors, EFL teachers, intelligibility, pronunciation proficiency, teacher identity

Abstract

Pronunciation remains one of the persistent challenges in many English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts, not only for learners but also for teachers who function as both language models and language users. In Indonesia, pronunciation practices are shaped by emotional and sociocultural pressure in the classroom, including anxiety, identity-related concerns, and learners’ perception of acceptable pronunciation. Because pronunciation often functions as a marker of competence, legitimacy, and social belonging, teachers may experience tension between maintaining their local linguistic identity and conforming to native-speaker norms. Using a qualitative approach, this study explores how Indonesian EFL teachers experience and negotiate pronunciation proficiency through identity, self-perception, and affective factors in their professional careers. The study draws on Norton’s identity and investment theory, Hall’s cultural identity theory, and Krashen’s affective filter hypothesis. Data were collected through two focus group discussions involving eleven teachers from a private institution in Malang, Indonesia. The data were analyzed thematically to identify recurring themes in teachers’ experiences and beliefs. The findings reveal that teachers prioritized intelligibility over native-like pronunciation, strategically adjusted their speech to students’ proficiency levels, and experienced noticeable shift in their personality when speaking in English. In addition, Affective factors such as anxiety, confidence, validation, and classroom authority significantly influence pronunciation behavior. This study concludes that pronunciation proficiency is a dynamic, identity-sensitive, and emotionally influenced process rather than a purely technical skill.

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