Abstract

Pronunciation has received increasing attention in foreign language (FL) instruction since a resurgence of studies in the mid-1980s addressing issues such as the treatment of segments and prosody and the integration of pronunciation instruction into a communicative approach (Galazzi-Matasci and Pedoya, 1983; McCarthy, 1991; Berri, 2000; Billières, 2005). FL textbook authors appear to have given greater emphasis to pronunciation as well. Indeed, in addition to the pronunciation sections typically included in workbooks and lab manuals at the beginner level, textbooks now feature pronunciation tips alongside grammar, vocabulary, and culture sections. A survey of French textbooks currently used at the beginner level in American colleges and universities reveals the following: 1) the presentation of prosody is divorced from that of segments, 2) practice of prosody remains under-developed, and 3) overall pronunciation presentation—and especially practice—is not systematically contextualized, thereby affecting the communicative value of pronunciation activities. Suggestions for a presentation addressing observed issues are provided.