Automatic Pronunciation Assessment in a Flipped Classroom Context

Abstract

Automatic pronunciation assessment programs allow learners to practice pronunciation independently and receive immediate feedback based on acoustic analysis of their speech compared to a pronunciation model. The programs display a high level of reliability when assessing speakers’ pronunciation accuracy. The paper aims to present the results of an investigation into a recent experimental application of an automatic pronunciation assessment online program used within the flipped classroom of English phonetics and phonology course taught to foreign language pre-service teachers of English. Flipped learning approach was selected to offload the preliminary activities and tasks that do not require the immediate attention of the teacher to an online learning management system. Thus, course participants’ face-to-face learning could be enhanced and more effective. The participants could practice and receive tailored feedback from an online program before the face-to-face class. After the individual pronunciation practice, they could discuss more complex questions with the lecturer and, in collaboration with fellow students. The paper will present the survey results among the course participants who evaluated their experience with automatic pronunciation evaluation. Special attention is paid to the potential use of such programs for developing linguistic competence.