ANALISIS KESULITAN DISKRIMINASI BUNYI MAHASISWA PENDIDIKAN BAHASA INGGRIS FKIP UNIVERSITAS RIAU PEKANBARU

Abstract

Abstract: This study is aimed to analyze the students’ difficulties in discriminating English sounds. The population was all English Study Program students of FKIP Riau University. The sample was the first semester students who had taken Listening subject which were consisted of 56 students. The instrument was the sound discrimination test. The hypothesis proposed was that some vowel sounds are easy to discriminate and some are difficult. D test (level of difficulties) was used to explore the sounds difficulty levels. The result showed that short vowel sounds and e, æ and , and : , : and , and short and long vowel sounds: and : , æ and :, and Ç:, : and : were easy to discriminate. Meanwhile, almost similar short and long vowel sounds, such as: e and æ, and i:, and u: were difficult to discriminate by the students. Further research in analyzing as well as in solving students’ difficulties in discriminating English sounds was still recommended.