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Submitted
20 July 2026
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27 July 2026
Published
27 July 2026
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Abstract

The literature review examines the role of tongue twisters in supporting English pronunciation practice among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Pronunciation constitutes a fundamental component of communicative competence; however, many EFL learners encounter challenges in producing English sounds clearly, accurately, and intelligibly. Employing a qualitative literature review approach, this study synthesizes and evaluates previous research on the implementation of tongue twisters as a pedagogical strategy in pronunciation instruction. The reviewed literature consistently demonstrates that tongue twisters serve as an effective tool for fostering pronunciation skills, particularly in terms of articulation accuracy, phonological awareness, fluency, and confidence in spoken language use. Previous empirical and theoretical studies further indicate that the repetitiveness of tongue-twister activities encourages sustained pronunciation practice and promotes active learner participation. Furthermore, tongue twisters have been widely recognized as an enjoyable technique that can enhance learners’ motivation to engage in pronunciation practice. The literature also highlights the potential of tongue-twister activities to foster learners’ awareness of the development of segmental and suprasegmental features of English pronunciation, including sound distinctions, stress patterns, and rhythm, which are essential for intelligible pronunciation. Overall, the reviewed studies support the pedagogical value of tongue twisters as an interactive technique for pronunciation teaching in EFL contexts. Based on the synthesized evidence, the review recommends integrating tongue twisters into pronunciation teaching to provide learners with meaningful opportunities to improve their oral language proficiency.


Keywords: EFL learners, intelligibility, literature review, English pronunciation, phonological awareness, segmental and suprasegmental features, tongue twisters

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Dirham, U. R. (2026). Enhancing English Pronunciation Practice through Tongue Twisters among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Learners: A Literature Review. Journal of Learning and Instructional Studies, 5(2), 103–113. https://doi.org/10.46637/jlis.v5i2.63
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