Apps for developing pronunciation in English as an L2

The goal of pronunciation teaching should be to enable learners to develop intelligible pronunciation and, in order to do this, it is important to teach perception and production of the most relevant segmental and suprasegmental features of pronunciation, considering specific groups of learners (CELCE-MURCIA et al., 2010). Technology has played an important role in pronunciation teaching, and the applications developed for pronunciation instruction enable learners not only to engage in pronunciation activities, but to have access to a greater variety of input and immediate feedback. Having this in mind, this study aimed at analyzing the content, the pronunciation teaching steps, the features, and usability resources of pronunciation apps. In order to guide the analysis, a framework was developed based on literature related to the areas of pronunciation teaching and of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL). The results showed that there is a tendency for the apps analyzed to focus more on segmentals. All of them offer description and analysis, listening discrimination, and controlled practice of the pronunciation features, as well as feedback. However, they were limited in terms of guided and communicative practice, of Automated Speech Recognition (ASR), and of variety of input

Digital resources to teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language in remote classes

Education is one of the areas which has been most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the social distancing measures adopted by governments affected 90% of the student population worldwide. The solution found by many educational institutions, including in the Brazilian context, was to adopt Emergency Remote Education (ERE), despite the challenges related to the access to internet and digital technological resources, and the lack of teacher training regarding their use. Having this in mind, this article aims at discussing the concept of ERE, as well as to present and discuss digital technological resources such as platforms and apps which may be used by language teachers to support their pedagogical practice, promoting language development through interaction, increase motivation and learner's autonomy.  The article ends presenting the development of a digital story as an activity that may be accomplished through the use of apps

App resources for developing English pronunciation: a focus on mobiles technology

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Comunicação e Expressão, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Inglês: Estudos Linguísticos e Literários, Florianópolis, 2020.A pronúncia é um dos componentes da habilidade da fala necessários para que haja comunicação (GOH; BURNS, 2012), e a falta de ensino desta pode resultar em estudantes que não se sentem confiantes suficiente para falar, ou que têm dificuldades para entender e serem entendidos na L2. Estudiosos concordam que o objetivo do ensino de pronúncia hoje deveria possibilitar os estudantes a desenvolver uma fala inteligível, e para isso, é importante ensinar a percepção e produção tanto de segmentos quanto de suprassegmentos da pronúncia, sempre levando em consideração os grupos específicos de estudantes (CELCE-MURCIA; BRINTON; GOODWIN, 2010). No entanto, o ensino de pronúncia enfrenta muitos desafios, como, poucas oportunidades de promover prática e fornecer feedback, salas de aula numerosas, tempo limitado, falta de conhecimento dos professores na área, ansiedade, e motivação (CELCE-MURCIA; BRINTON; GOODWIN, 2010; HARMER, 2007; MARTINS, 2015, STANLEY, 2013). A tecnologia sempre teve um papel importante na área de ensino de pronúncia, começando pelos primeiros gramofones, toca discos, CDS, softwares de computador, e mais recentemente, com os materiais desenvolvidos para Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) (CELCE-MURCIA; BRINTON; GOODWIN, 2010; HINKS, 2015; STANLEY, 2013; STOCKWELL; HUBBARD, 2013). Os aplicativos que têm sido desenvolvidos para pronúncia possibilitam que os estudantes possam não apenas a praticar pronúncia em curtos períodos de tempo, em qualquer lugar, a qualquer hora, mas também a ter acesso a uma variedade de insumo linguístico, receber feedback imediato, e aumentar sua motivação e autonomia. No entanto, à medida que essas ferramentas se proliferam, torna-se difícil entender como elas diferem umas das outras, quais são seus melhores recursos, e quais são as implicações pedagógicas que podem originar de seu uso. Com isso em mente, este estudo buscou analisar o conteúdo, o método de ensino, e os recursos e a usabilidade de quatro aplicativos que foram desenvolvidos para ensino de pronúncia. Para guiar a análise, um framework foi desenvolvido baseado na literatura a respeito de ensino de pronúncia e MALL. Com este instrumento, os aplicativos foram analisados tanto quantitativa quanto qualitativamente. Os resultados mostraram que, apesar de os aplicativos oferecerem conteúdo relacionado a segmentos e suprassegmentos, há uma tendência de focar mais em segmentos. Todos os aplicativos analisados oferecem apresentação, prática de escuta, e prática controlada, bem como feedback. No entanto, nenhum deles possibilita prática guiada e prática comunicativa de pronúncia. Apesar disso e de limitações relacionadas ao recurso de reconhecimento de voz e variedade de insumo linguístico, por exemplo, os aplicativos podem ser considerados um recurso pedagógico eficaz para desenvolver a pronúncia em língua inglesa. Abstract: Pronunciation is one of the components of L2 speaking which is necessary for successful communication to take place (GOH; BURNS, 2012) and the lack of instruction might result in learners who are not confident enough to speak, or end up having difficulties to understand and be understood in the L2. Scholars agree that the goal of pronunciation teaching nowadays should be to enable learners to develop intelligible pronunciation, and in order to do this, it is important to teach perception and production of the most relevant segmental and suprasegmental features of pronunciation, according to specific groups of learners (CELCE-MURCIA; BRINTON; GOODWIN, 2010). However, the teaching of pronunciation faces many challenges, such as few opportunities to provide output and feedback, large classrooms, limited time, lack of teacher's knowledge base in the area, anxiety and motivation (CELCE-MURCIA; BRINTON; GOODWIN, 2010; HARMER, 2007; MARTINS, 2015, STANLEY, 2013). Technology has always played an important role in the area of pronunciation teaching, starting with the first gramophones, record players, CDs, software, and more recently, Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) materials (CELCE-MURCIA; BRINTON; GOODWIN, 2010; HINKS, 2015; STANLEY, 2013; STOCKWELL; HUBBARD, 2013). The apps which have been developed for pronunciation instruction enable learners not only to engage in pronunciation activities in small slots of time anytime, anywhere, but also to have access to a greater variety of input, receive immediate feedback, and to increase their motivation and autonomy. A s these tools proliferate, however, it becomes difficult to understand how they differ from one another, what their best features are, and what pedagogical benefits may be derived from their use. Having this in mind, this study aimed at analyzing the content, the pronunciation teaching method, and the features and usability resources present in four pronunciation apps. In order to guide the analysis, a framework was developed based on literature related to the areas of pronunciation teaching and MALL. With this instrument, the apps were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results showed that even though most apps offer content regarding segmentals and suprasegmentals features of pronunciation, there is a tendency to focus more on segmentals. All of the apps analyzed offer description and analysis, listening discrimination, and controlled practice of the pronunciation features, as well as feedback. However, none of them enable guided and communicative practice of pronunciation. In spite of this and other limitations regarding mainly the Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) feature and variety of input, the apps may be an effective pedagogical resource for developing English pronunciation