Getting the Most out of Pronunciation

Through CALL

Juan Camilo Herrera Gómez

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

How does the students’ pronunciation improve after using the CALL software tell me more?

What makes CALL software effective for ESL basic students when practicing pronunciation?

How do the students feel about their pronunciation practice?

Data Sources

Variables

Direct observations

& Field notes

Participant observations

&Field notes

Surveys Informal Talks

Software Effectiveness

Students' Perception

Students' Pronunciation Improvement

Methods of Data Collection

Tell Me More

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

Number of students seeking for assistance

Series1

Num

ber o

f stu

dent

s

Methods of Data Analysis

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

Secondary Study Students that were given strategies to Practice with Tell Me More

Series1

Num

er o

f stu

dent

s

Methods of Data Analysis

Strategies

Oxford Study Genie Plus

http://text-to-speech.imtranslator.net

http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/#

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1. ¿Cómo te pareció tu práctica de pronunciación en el laboratorio?

Series1

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2. ¿Qué te gusto de tu práctica de pronunciación en el laboratorio?

Series1N

umer

o de

est

udia

ntes

Students from secondary study

Methods of Data

Analysis

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3. ¿Qué no te gusto de tu práctica de pronunciación en el laboratorio?

Series1

Num

ero

de e

stud

iant

es

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4. ¿Cómo te sientes cuando practicas pronunciación en el laboratorio?

Series1

Num

ero

de e

stud

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es

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5. ¿Has mejorado tu pronunciación con la práctica en el laboratorio?

Series1

Núm

ero

de e

stud

iant

es

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6. Qué evidencias tienes de que tu pronunciación está me-jorando?

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de e

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FindingsCALL software is more effective when explicit teaching is given during the practice.

Using the software alone was shown not to be effective when practicing pronunciation; instead, the use of strategies along with the software was highly effective when using CALL to practice pronunciation.

The implementation of these strategies also helped students enjoy their practice and take advantage of these tools not only for the practice inside the laboratory but outside in any other context.

It is very important to be aware of the stage of language development the students are at, before practicing with the CALL software.

The CALL environment in which pronunciation is practiced, affects they way students perform.

Action Plan

• If students want to practice their pronunciation, lab teachers should pay attention to the student’s performance in order to make this practice more guided with spaces for explicit teaching and support.

• Before students begin their pronunciation practice with the software mentioned, the lab teachers or lab assistant should give these students a set of learning strategies to complement and enhance their practice.

• Lab teachers should be aware of the students’ English level before letting them practice with the software.

• The multimedia lab or any CALL environment should have a space for pronunciation practice only; therefore, students can practice in a more confident way.

• A letter will be sent to the creators of Tell Me More, to have in mind the findings of this study for future versions of the software.

Reed and Railsback (2003) Process of

sequential stages of language development

According to the data gathered in this study, these students might not have been able to have a good practice with the software, simply because they were not cognitively ready.

Krashen (2003) Speaking out in a new

language can result in anxiety, embarrassment or anger

because of public practice

Many students stopped their practice or repeated the sentences in a low tone of voice in order not to be heard or feel embarrassed

Conclusions

Chapelle & Jamieson (2008) In order to help students become autonomous and efficient when practicing pronunciation through CALL, teachers can

provide them with strategies.

A group of students was provided with strategies in order to enhance their pronunciation. The study disclosed that these students, in comparison with the students that did not use any strategy at all, had an excellent practice with the software

Once students were given the strategies, they used them for their pronunciation practice with the software, but they also used them for any other English practice they had inside and outside the laboratory.

Cummins (1981) Context-embedded instruction

provides several communicative supports to students

In this study the tools provided to the students as strategies were context-embedded

Deterding (2005)ESL learners should be exposed to

a variety of pronunciation varieties

Derwing, Munro, and Wiebe (1998) Students who received explicit

instruction when using CALL improved pronunciation

In the secondary study that was conducted, students that were taught explicitly had a

good and efficient practice.

Chapelle & Jamieson (2008)A critique made to CALL is the

replacement of teachers by computers

This review of studies, theory and findings showed that teachers and technology can be a great complement to one another when teaching pronunciation.

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