Repetition and Focus on Form in Processing L2 Spanish Words: Implications for Pronunciation Instruction

Situated in the context of learning second language (L2) pronunciation, this article discusses from information‐processing and pedagogical perspectives the role of repetitive practice with L2 input and of explicit focus on its form‐related (phonological) properties. First, we report the results of an auditory word‐priming experiment with 60 L2 learners of Spanish varying in degree of L2 pronunciation accuracy; these results suggest that both repetition and focus on form have measurable benefits for processing L2 speech. Next, we discuss these findings in terms of information processing and its relationship to L2 pronunciation teaching. Finally, we describe a communicative framework for teaching L2 pronunciation that is compatible with the outlined information‐processing principles, that is, a framework that includes meaningful repetition and form‐focused activities within a communicative context.