Apps,iPads, and Literacy: Examining the Feasibility of Speech Recognition in a First‐Grade Classroom

Abstract

A B S T R A C TInformed by sociocultural and systems theory tenets, this study used ethnographic research methods to examine the feasibility of using speech recognition (SR) technology to support struggling readers in an early elementary classroom setting. Observations of eight first graders were conducted as they participated in a structured SR-supported writing center four days a week for five months. Participant observation, field notes, transcripts of audio and video recordings, and student artifacts (classroom worksheets, SR screenshots, and writing center compositions) were used to document students' use of SR as they wrote assigned compositions. Data analysis was recursive and ongoing. Constant comparison of in actu theoretical notes was used to form provisional patterns and develop and refine hypotheses. Triangulation of data sets, triangulation of informants, and negative case analyses were used to (dis)confirm hypotheses. Findings indicate that using SR was supportive of these struggling readers. Previous concepts of SR as an isolated entity and of the Language Experience Approach as cumbersome and reifying teacher hegemony are examined. Graphosemantic awareness, new literacies, and the possibilities for supporting struggling readers of all ages across expansive geographies are discussed. Finally, child safety, tensions between student independence and lost opportunities for teacher metacognitive modeling, questions about encoding as a viable or antiquated skill, and the need for additional research conducted in classroom settings to grasp sociocultural insights are discussed.

Systematic review of young children's writing on screen: what do we know and what do we need to know

“…Adults can also provide practical support, including troubleshooting technical problems when these occur during the activity (e.g. Åberg, Lantz‐Andersson, & Pramling, ; Baker, ).…”

“…In addition, and this is particularly the case with writing online, adults monitor the appropriateness of the material children access (e.g. Baker, ) and in some cases, limit children's access to websites and social media networks (e.g. in Marsh, , the child was loading creations to Facebook until her parents logged her out).…”

“…Adults also monitor the words children write or even say when using speech recognition software to support their writing (e.g. Baker, ). In contrast to these restrictions, adults can also enrich and extend the content of children's writing on screen, particularly if they scaffold and model the process for children who struggle on their own (e.g.…”

The impact of mobile application features on children’s language and literacy learning: a systematic review

“…This places high demands on working memory (Kim & Schatschneider, 2017), especially for young children who are developing both of these skillsets. Speech recognition -which is a feature included in mobile touchscreen devices -has the potential to reduce this working memory load, by removing the need to transcribe, and thus to support young children in composing extended texts (Baker, 2017). A further example could be the potential for augmented reality as a support for learning print.…”

“…Qualitative studies indicate possible links between features of mobile learning devices and language learning outcomes (Baker, 2017;Falloon, 2013;Fantozzi, Johnson, & Scherfen, 2018;Hutchison & Beschorner, 2015;Levinson & Barron, 2018;Mogyorodi, Brathwaite, McGlynn-Stewart, Maguire, & Hobman, 2019;Terantino, 2016;Wang, Christ, & Mifsud, 2020). For instance, Fantozzi et al (2018) identified a number of supportive affordances of storytelling apps used by preschool children, such as the capacity for multiple voice input and sharing creations with parents.…”