Evaluating a computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) technique for efficient classroom instruction

Luo, Beate

doi:10.1080/09588221.2014.963123

Cited by 54 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…These findings suggest that L2 students training with ASR‐based CAPT learn more efficiently than those studying through more traditional means. Similar results were found in a recent study by Luo (). Her findings showed that a combination of peer review and CAPT led to greater overall improvements in L2 English pronunciation than a control group.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Using Intelligent Personal Assistants for Second Language Learning: A Case Study of Alexa

Dizon

2017

TESOL Journal

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The proliferation of smartphones has given rise to intelligent personal assistants (IPAs), software that helps users accomplish day‐to‐day tasks. However, little is known about IPAs in the context of second language (L2) learning. Therefore, the primary objectives of this case study were twofold: to assess the ability of Amazon's IPA, Alexa, to understand L2 English utterances and to investigate student opinions of the IPA. Four university students of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Japan participated in the study, which involved each participant interacting with Alexa in a 20‐min session. Three sets of data were collected and analyzed to achieve the study's aims: learner‐generated command performance, interactive storytelling performance, and interviews. The quantitative results showed that Alexa accurately understood only 50% of learner commands, whereas comprehensibility during the interactive storytelling skill, Earplay, was much higher (90%). Three themes were identified from the interviews based on criteria developed by Hubbard (): hindered learner efficiency due to the lack of first language (L1) support, improved learner effectiveness through indirect pronunciation feedback, and better access to conversational opportunities. These findings demonstrate that EFL learners perceive Alexa to be a potentially useful tool to enhance language learning and underscore the need for additional (L2) research of IPAs.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Using Intelligent Personal Assistants for Second Language Learning: A Case Study of Alexa

Dizon

2017

TESOL Journal

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“…Learners' concerns, therefore, seem to be convincing from a scholarly-driven point of view, but may be rather unwillingly taken up by teachers who generally prefer teaching materials that are internationally-designed by native speaking developers (see, for example, Zacharias, 2005). Learners in this study also call for the integration of other teaching aids such as technological tools that were found to provide invaluable assistance to teachers and learners in developing language fluency, particularly pronunciation (see, for example, AbuSeileek, 2007;Elimat & AbuSeileek, 2014;Luo, 2014;Neri, Mich, Gerosa, & Giuliani, 2008). In the light of such learner perspectives regarding the teaching materials, future efforts of educators and teachers in this study context are to be directed towards relooking at institutional policies and mandates regarding the choice of teaching materials and considering such learner views when deciding on, exploiting, or introducing teaching materials for pronunciation instruction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

The role of curriculum design and teaching materials in pronunciation learning

Alghazo

2015

RiL

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This paper aims to provide insights into the role of curriculum design and teaching materials in the development of English pronunciation skills in EFL contexts. One of the main contextual factors negatively affecting the development of pronunciation abilities of EFL learners relates to the ‘often-unchanging’ curriculum design and the ‘blind’ choice of teaching materials without regard to students’ needs and goals. This study utilises structured interviews and focus group discussions (N=2 sessions) to elicit the views of a group (N=71) of third- and fourth-year English-major students at a university college in Saudi Arabia on the appropriateness of the curriculum design and teaching materials to their learning expectations in the area of English pronunciation. The results show that the great majority of students spoke unfavourably about the overall curriculum and teaching materials and considered those to be among the obstacles that they encounter in their learning of English pronunciation. This finding raises the question of curriculum design of English language teaching programs and the extent to which these curricula meet the needs of learners. The study suggests that a reformation of the structure of the curriculum in the study context is urgently needed and that more involvement of students’ perspectives on the design of curricula is of major importance.

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“…Given its focus on instructor speech, the current study did not investigate student output; however, classroom observation notes indicated that pronunciation was discussed and corrective feedback was offered during individual and small group activities as well as during breaks. Future investigations would thus be strengthened by gathering data on these types of interactions (see, e.g., Luo, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The pronunciation teaching practices of university‐level graduate teaching assistants of French and Spanish introductory language courses

Huensch

2019

Foreign Language Annals

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This study combined evidence from survey, interview, and classroom observation data to better understand the amount and type of pronunciation instruction and corrective feedback practices in French and Spanish introductory language courses (i.e., the first four semesters) at the university level in the United States. Data consisted of responses (n = 142) to a national survey and audiorecorded interviews (6 hours) and classroom observations (22 hours) of seven graduate teaching assistants (TAs) of French or Spanish from two different large (i.e., more than 15,000 students) public universities. Survey results indicated that TAs believed that when they correct pronunciation, they should prioritize mistakes that impede comprehension or change meaning. Classroom observations demonstrated that on average, 2% of instructor talk was pronunciation focused, with a majority of pronunciation episodes categorized as corrective feedback in the form of recasts. In addition, only one instance of preplanned pronunciation teaching occurred in the data. The findings suggest that current pronunciation teaching practices in this context are rare and largely reactive.

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Evaluating a computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) technique for efficient classroom instruction

Cited by 54 publications

References 29 publications

Using Intelligent Personal Assistants for Second Language Learning: A Case Study of Alexa

Using Intelligent Personal Assistants for Second Language Learning: A Case Study of Alexa

The role of curriculum design and teaching materials in pronunciation learning

The pronunciation teaching practices of university‐level graduate teaching assistants of French and Spanish introductory language courses

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