Motivation and Concern for Good Pronunciation

1. Native language
Teachers that are familiar with the sound system of a learner's native language will be better able to diagnose student difficulties. These difficulties can be overcome through a focused awareness and effort on the learner's part.
2. Age
Children under the age of puberty stand an excellent chance of "sounding like a native" if they have continued exposure in authentic contexts. However a 50-year-old language learner and a 18-year-old language learner at the same level will pronounce the L2 with a "foreign accent" therefore youth over the age of puberty has no special advantage.
3. Exposure
The quality and intensity of exposure is more important than the mere length of time. A pronunciation class that demands the full attention and interest of the students, they stand a good chance of reaching their goals.
4. Innate Phonetic Ability
Often considered "having an ear" for language. For those students that struggle should not despair since this can be overcome with effort and concentration.
5. Identity and Language Ego
Language learners will take on a second identity when learning a different language. Students need to be aware of this, not afraid of this and maintain a positive attitude toward the people who speak the target language.
6. Motivation and Concern for Good Pronunciation
Those with high motivation and concern has a direct correlation to improvement and is the strongest influence of all of the six factors listed.

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