Introduction

Speaking a foreign language is a very complex skill, including vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, fluency, the ability to structure talk or even non-verbal abilities. Among these elements, pronunciation is one of the most difficult ones, especially if the learner aims at acquiring nativelike pronunciation. Reaching this aim may require years of hard work and even then some learners may not be successful. Failure in pronunciation acquisition may be caused by various factors, such as age, aptitude, personality, inappropriate attitude, weak motivation as well as application of ineffective learning strategies.

Research on the so-called good language learners has shown that successful learners use a wide repertoire of learning strategies and have the ability to select appropriate strategies for a given learning situation or task. Assuming that training weaker students in language learning strategies (LLS) may help them acquire a second language, researchers have carried out experiments aiming at examining the effects of such training. Results of these experiments have varied, but most of them have been positive. It can be assumed that introducing a similar training in the use of pronunciation learning strategies (PLS) could help less effective learners master L2 pronunciation.

Few studies on PLS have been carried out so far. They have resulted in identification and description of some PLS (e.g. Drożdział-Szelest, 1997; Eckstein, 2007; Naiman et al., 1978; Osborne, 2003; Pawlak, 2006, 2008; Peterson, 2000; Rivers, 1979) and in classification of PLS (Eckstein, 2007; Peterson, 2000) as well as provided evidence that applying effective PLS improves pronunciation skills (Eckstein, 2007) and training students in their use has positive effects (Bukowski, 2004; Varasarin, 2007). There is, however, a need for further, more detailed exploration of the subject.

The aim of the present chapter is to contribute to fulfilling this need by reporting the results of a study aiming at identifying PLS used by advanced learners of English, proposing a detailed classification of PLS and making suggestions concerning training learners in PLS use.