L1-Specific Pronunciation Training

TOEFL Speaking 2026: Listen & Repeat Teacher Guide

For ESL/EFL teachers preparing learners for the new TOEFL Speaking Listen & Repeat (L&R) task. For more about the new TOEFL Speaking section, including practice materials and scoring info, please see the TOEFL® Speaking 2026: The Complete Guide

This guide explains how first-language (L1) patterns influence pronunciation in L&R and how to train each pattern effectively.

All training aligns with the three dimensions My Speaking Score measures:

• Fluency
• Intelligibility
• Repeat Accuracy

There are no additional constructs.

1. Scoring Framework for Listen & Repeat

The L&R task requires the learner to hear a sentence once and repeat it accurately.

Everything you teach should support one or more of these dimensions.

2. Why L1 Interference Matters

A learner’s L1 affects:

• which English sounds they can hear clearly
• which sounds they can produce without distortion
• how they handle consonant clusters
• how they handle final consonants
• how they handle rhythm and timing
• what the sentence sounds like to them after only one hearing

This directly affects L&R:

• If they mis-hear a cluster, they repeat a changed form.
• If they cannot produce a consonant accurately, the AI cannot match the word.
• If they add vowels inside clusters, the acoustic shape of the word changes.
• If they drop function words, Repeat Accuracy drops.

For this reason, L1-specific training is the fastest way to improve L&R performance.

3. L1 Training Baskets

To make teaching efficient, learners can be grouped into “L1 Baskets” based on shared phonological patterns.

All baskets follow the same structure:

1. Main L1 Features
2. How These Features Affect L&R
3. Typical Errors in Your Airport Script
4. Teaching Priorities

3.1 East Asian Languages

(Korean, Japanese, Mandarin)

1. Main L1 Features

• Limited consonant clusters at syllable onset
• Vowel insertion inside clusters
• Extra vowels after final consonants
• No /v/ in Korean or Japanese
• Limited contrast for some English vowels

2. How These Features Affect L&R

• Hard to produce clusters cleanly
• Word shapes are changed by inserted vowels
• Final consonants become longer or are followed by added vowels
• Segmental substitutions reduce intelligibility

3. Typical Errors in the Airport Script

• straight → sŭ-teu-reit
• please → pɯ-liːz / peu-lease
• flight → peul-light
• plastic → peul-lae-seu-tik
• through → seu-ru
• every → eb-ry (v → b)
• have → hab (v → b)
• bags → bagɯ-seu (added vowel)

4. Teaching Priorities

• Cluster buildup
• Final-consonant control without epenthetic vowels
• Minimal pairs (f → p, v → b)
• Clear vowel distinction
• Backward buildup for long lines

3.2 Arabic / Farsi

1. Main L1 Features

• No /p/ in many dialects
• No /v/ in many dialects
• Extra vowels inserted into clusters
• Short English vowels cause difficulty

2. How These Features Affect L&R

• Substitutions change word identity
• Clusters break apart
• Vowel patterns drift from the prompt

3. Typical Errors in the Airport Script

• every → ef-ry (v → f)
• have → haf (v → f)
• plastic → blastic (p → b)
• straight → sit-rait / es-trait
• flight → filight (added vowel)

4. Teaching Priorities

• Minimal pairs (p/b, v/f)
• Cluster buildup
• Short-vowel drills
• Slow controlled repetition before full-speed L&R

3.3 Romance Languages

(Spanish, French, Italian)

1. Main L1 Features

• Syllable-timed rhythm
• Less contrast between stressed and unstressed syllables
• Limited short-vowel contrasts

2. How These Features Affect L&R

• Flat rhythm during repetition
• Vowel length and quality distort content words
• Pacing becomes too even, lowering Fluency

3. Typical Errors in the Airport Script

• flat stress across long lines
• liquids → lee-kweeds
• gate → geet
• identification → i-den-ti-fi-ca-shon (syllable timing influences pacing)

4. Teaching Priorities

• Sentence stress
• Short vs. long vowel practice
• Controlled natural-rhythm repetition
• Backward buildup for long sentences

3.4 Slavic / Germanic

(German, Polish, Russian)

1. Main L1 Features

• Final consonant devoicing
• Tense articulation of /r/ and /l/
• Substitution of English th-sounds

2. How These Features Affect L&R

• Word-final consonants lose voicing needed for recognition
• Clusters with /r/ or /l/ become too tense or altered
• Th-sound substitutions change the word form

3. Typical Errors in the Airport Script

• bags → back (final devoicing)
• through → tru / sru (th → t/s + altered cluster)
• clear → k’lir (tense cluster)
• gate → gait (vowel overshoot)

4. Teaching Priorities

• Minimal pairs for /θ/ and /ð/
• Final consonant voicing
• Cluster practice with /r/ and /l/
• Vowel-length control

4. Five Core Techniques for L&R Pronunciation Training

These techniques improve Fluency, Intelligibility, and Repeat Accuracy.

4.1 Minimal Pairs

Focus: Intelligibility
Corrects segmental substitutions such as:

• f → p (Korean)
• v → b (Korean/Japanese)
• v → f (Arabic/Farsi)
• th → t/s (Slavic/Germanic)

Use pairs such as:

• bag / back
• every / ivory
• have / half
• through / true
• fun / pun
• very / ferry

4.2 Cluster Buildup

Focus: Intelligibility and Repeat Accuracy

Build clusters step-by-step:

Example: straight

1. eɪt
2. reɪt
3. treɪt
4. streɪt

Applies to: straight, please, plastic, clear, flight, through.

4.3 Function Word Focus

Focus: Repeat Accuracy

Train students to notice and retain small words:

• will
• your
• near
• at
• every

Missing these words lowers Repeat Accuracy even if pronunciation is clear.

4.4 Sentence Stress

Focus: Fluency and Intelligibility

Highlight content words in each sentence, then practice natural pacing:

Example:
Please HAVE your BOARDING PASSES and IDENTIFICATION READY for SECURITY.

Better stress improves pacing and clarity.

4.5 Backward Buildup

Focus: Repeat Accuracy

For long prompts:

1. mobile app
2. airline’s mobile app
3. through the airline’s mobile app
4. receive updates through the airline’s mobile app
5. you may receive updates through the airline’s mobile app
6. If your flight is delayed, you may receive updates through the airline’s mobile app. (prompt)

This improves memory and reduces missing words.

5. Teacher Workflow

Step 1. Baseline

Record all 7 prompts.
Identify issues in the three dimensions.

Step 2. L1 Basket Diagnosis

Assign the learner to an L1 Basket.
Identify their primary weakness.

Step 3. 10-Minute Daily Plan

Example: Korean L1

• 3 min cluster buildup
• 3 min minimal pairs (f→p, v→b)
• 4 min timed L&R practice

Step 4. Reassessment (7–10 days)

Track improvements in recognized words, cluster clarity, speed, and completeness.

6. FAQ

Q1. Do learners need native-like speech?

No. They need clear enough pronunciation for the AI to recognize words.

Q2. Should learners focus on speed?

Only after clarity is stable.

Q3. Is exact repetition required?

Yes. All words matter.

Q4. Does every learner in an L1 group have the same errors?

No. The basket is a starting point.

Q5. Is this training useful beyond L&R?

Yes, but it is optimized for L&R first.