Effectiveness of feedback for enhancing English pronunciation in an ASR‐based CALL system

Abstract

This paper presents a study on implementing the ASR‐based CALL (computer‐assisted language learning based upon automatic speech recognition) system embedded with both formative and summative feedback approaches and using implicit and explicit strategies to enhance adult and young learners' English pronunciation. Two groups of learners including 18 adults and 16 seventh graders participated in the study. The results indicate that the formative feedback had a positive impact on improving the learners' speaking articulation, and the summative feedback aided the learners' self‐reflection and helped them to track their speaking progress. Furthermore, the implicit information such as model pronunciation with full sentences and audio recast benefitted the adult learners, whereas the young learners preferred the explicit learning information such as textual information of individual words for self‐correction. In addition, the results of this study also confirm that learners have different perceptions of the media modalities designed with implicit and explicit strategies in the feedback. Feedback with audio modality is more suitable for adults, whereas juxtaposed textual and audio modalities are better for young learners.

Effects of Automatic Speech Recognition Software on Pronunciation for Adults With Different Learning Styles

“…The present study selected adult learners because they require more training and scaffolding in pronunciation correction compared to children and adolescents (Gilakjani & Ahmadi, 2011). Moreover, most adults from non-English-speaking environments lack exposure to English in terms of both input and output (Y. H. Wang & Young, 2015). The choice of the company was dictated by the availability of three parallel Business English classes, a situation that is not common in other companies in Taiwan due to company size, employee development budgets, and demand for English language speaking ability for communication in the international market.…”

ASR for EFL Pronunciation Practice: Segmental Development and Learners’ Beliefs

“…Although the overall effects of ASR were limited, she noted that using the program was beneficial for learners who had started the experiment with strong accented speech. In Wang and Young's (2015) study, adult and junior high school ESL learners participated in an 8-week pronunciation training where they practiced speaking English at their own pace in a web-based environment. The CAPT system provided formative and summative feedback in either a graphic, auditory, or textual form.…”

Computer‐mediated feedback for L2 learners: Challenges versus affordances

“…Wang and Young (2014) reported the effectiveness of feedback for enhancing pronunciation among participants using automatic speech recognition system. They confirmed the affordances of using automatic speech recognition system in terms of self‐reflection and tracking one's speaking progress.…”

“…They also indicated the basic challenge of L2 learners' phonetic and alphabetic system diversity and the need to be addressed in future studies in the CALL filed. Wang and Young (2014) reported the effectiveness of feedback for enhancing pronunciation among participants using automatic speech recognition system. They confirmed the affordances of using automatic speech recognition system in terms of self-reflection and tracking one's speaking progress.…”