DIGITAL GAMES FOR IMPROVING ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION

Abstract

Pronunciation is an important part of communicative competence because it influences how clearly learners can express and understand spoken messages, yet it often receives limited attention in EFL classrooms. Digital games offer an alternative way to organise pronunciation practice by combining sound-focused activities with interaction, feedback, and repetition. This article examines how digital games can support English pronunciation development and under what conditions they are educationally useful. The study follows a qualitative, literature-based design and draws on research into computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT), mobile-assisted language learning, serious games, and game-based learning. The analysis suggests that game-based activities can create more frequent and less stressful opportunities to notice, practise, and review English sounds, especially when tasks target specific pronunciation features, include models and corrective feedback, and progress from perception to production. However, games cannot automatically guarantee intelligible speech or transfer to spontaneous communication, since their value depends on instructional design, teacher guidance, and suitable assessment. The article proposes a practical framework for integrating digital pronunciation games into EFL lessons and highlights areas for further research.