The increased ownership of mobile phone and the advancement of mobile applications enlarge the practicality and popularity of use for learning purposes among Chinese university students. However, even if innovative functions of these applications are increasingly reported in relevant research in the education field, little research has been in the application of spoken English language. This paper uses the method of investigation and research to examine the effect of using a mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) application "IELTS Liulishuo" (speaking English fluently in the IELTS test) as a unit of analysis to improve the English-speaking production of university students in China. And the paper evaluates the benefits of mobile application using the seven dimensional criteria, points out the corresponding limitations and feasible solutions. Although some technical and pedagogical issues challenge adoptions of MALL in some less-developed regions in China, the study showed positive effects of using a MALL oral English assessment application characterised with automatic speech recognition (ASR) system on the improvement of complexity, accuracy, and fluency of English learners in China's colleges.

No abstract