4.3.2. Selection and ordering of phonological features to be studied
Teachers coming even to Masters-level programmes of study in language teaching
(at the University of Manchester, at any rate) report that they and other teachers
feel ignorant of phonology, though they are aware of the need for helping learners
with their pronunciation. They often express frustration at being mysti®ed (Ross,
1992, p. 18) by the terminology of phonology.
But how does one select and order the phonological features that are to be studied
in TELT programmes? Let us consider selection ®rst. It seems important to
consider the aim of language learners in terms of what is widely called `comfortable
J. Burgess, S. Spencer / System 28 (2000) 191±215 207
intelligibility'. This can be de®ned in a number of ways, perhaps with reference to
regional accents, or even to a theoretical English as an International Language as
discussed, for instance, by Jenkins (1998). In any case, as demonstrated for instance
in a small piece of research by Kelsey (1997) into the importance of pronunciation
for learners of English in Canada, many learners know that they wish to be understood
by speakers of a variety of accents.
It is important here to remind ourselves of the triangle that we mentioned in Sec