Second/foreign language (L2) classrooms do not always provide opportunities for input and output practice [Lightbown, P. M. (2000). Classroom SLA research and second language teaching. Applied Linguistics, 21(4), 431–462]. The use of smart speakers such as Amazon Echo and its associated voice-controlled intelligent personal assistant (IPA) Alexa can help address this limitation because of its ability to extend the reach of the classroom, motivate practice, and encourage self-learning. Our previous study on the pedagogical use of Echo revealed that its use gave L2 learners ample opportunities for stress-free input exposure and output practice [Moussalli, S., & Cardoso, W. (2016). Are commercial ‘personal robots’ ready for language learning? Focus on second language speech. In S. Papadima-Sophocleous, L. Bradley, & S. Thouësny (Eds.), CALL communities and culture – short papers from EUROCALL 2016 (pp. 325–329). However, the results also suggested that beginner learners, depending on their levels of accentedness, experienced difficulties interacting with and being understood by Echo. Interestingly, this observation differs from findings involving human-to-human interactions, which suggest that a speaker’s foreign accent does not impede intelligibility. In this article, we report the results of a study that investigated Echo’s ability to recognize and process non-native accented speech at different levels of accentedness, based on the accuracy of its replies for a set of pre-established questions. Using a variety of analytical methods (i.e. judges’ ratings of learners’ pronunciation, learners’ ratings of Echo’s pronunciation, transcriptions of Echo’s interactions, surveys and interviews) and via a multidimensional analysis of the data collected, our results indicate that L2 learners have no problems understanding Echo and that it adapts well to their accented speech (Echo is comparable to humans in terms of comprehensibility and intelligibility). Our results also show that L2 learners use a variety of strategies to mitigate the communication breakdown they experienced with Echo.

This study examined the pedagogical use of Google Translate (GT) and its associated text-to-speech synthesis (TTS) and automatic speech recognition (ASR) as tools to assist in the learning of second/foreign language Dutch vocabulary and pronunciation in an autonomous, self-directed learning setting. Thirty participants used GT (its translation, TTS, and ASR functions) for one hour to learn a set of phrases and their respective pronunciations in Dutch (e.g., “I don’t understand” Ik begrijp het niet [ɪk bə'grɪp ət nit]). The study followed a pre/post/delayed posttest design that examined the participants’ learning of phrases and their pronunciations in Dutch, combined with a qualitative analysis of video recordings of their interactions with GT. Findings indicate that the participants were able to acquire Dutch vocabulary and pronunciation on a short-term basis, and that they interacted with GT’s translation, TTS, and ASR in different ways and to different extents. This demonstrates that GT is a versatile tool that can be easily tailored to suit learners’ needs, interests, and learning styles.

The literature on students’ perceptions towards using Social Media (SM) for language learning reports mixed findings: while some studies indicate learners’ positive perceptions of their use for academic purposes (e.g., Bani-Hani et al.), others suggest that learners’ perceptions might vary due to their proficiency in the language (e.g., Gamble & Wilkins). There is also evidence that students’ do not always wish to share their SM environments for educational purposes). This study investigates students’ attitudes towards the use of four popular SMs (WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter) in learning English as a foreign language. Ninety-nine adult English learners at a university in Saudi Arabia, active users of SM, participated in this mixed-methods study, which consisted of individual surveys and interviews. A two-way analysis of variance revealed that there are differences between beginner and advanced students in their perceptions of the usefulness of SM applications for language learning, but not in their affective feelings towards SM use outside the classroom, nor their choice of SM application for learning. Frequency counts indicated that the groups’ choices of SM varied according to different language purposes and the skills to be learned (e.g., they preferred WhatsApp for communication with family and friends, Twitter for reading, and Snapchat for learning aural skills). Further qualitative analysis revealed that advanced learners were more reluctant to using SM for academic purposes.

We report the results of two empirical studies that investigated the use of mobile text-to-speech synthesizers (TTS) and automatic speech recognition (ASR) as tools to promote the development of pronunciation skills in L2 French. Specifically, the study examined learners’ perceptions of the pedagogical use of these tools in learning a French segment (the vowel /y/, as in tu ‘you’) and a suprasegmental feature (across-word resyllabification/liaison, observed in petit enfant ‘small child’), in a mobile-assisted context. Our results indicate that, when used in a “learn anytime anywhere” mobile setting, the participants believe that they have: (1) increased and enhanced access to input; and (2) multiple opportunities for speech output and (3) for the development of prediction skills. Interestingly, these findings meet the requirements for successful L2 learning, one that recommends the inclusion of pedagogical activities that promote exposure to input (Nation & Newton 2009), multiple opportunities for output (Swain 1995), and the development of prediction skills (Dickerson 2015) to foster learner autonomy and, consequently, to maximize classroom time by extending the reach of the classroom. Our findings also indicate that participants recognize the pedagogical importance of TTS and ASR, and enjoy the mobile-enhanced learning environment afforded by these two technologies.

A growing body of research investigating cross-linguistic influence on the acquisition of a third phonological system suggests that first (L1) and second (L2) languages concur in influencing oral production in the target third language (L3). Yet, there are also claims of either a more noticeable effect of the L2 on the L3, or a prevailing influence from the L1. This study further explores whether the L1 and the L2 compete or converge on exerting influence on L3 pronunciation. To do so, we examine the production of voice onset time for voiceless stops by adult advanced learners of L3 Spanish divided into two groups (15 L1 English-L2 French, and 15 L1 French-L2 English speakers). Three monolingual control groups were also tested. Participants were recorded reading word lists that contained voiceless stops in stressed onset position. A Kruskal-Wallis test uncovered significant differences traceable to the L1-English speakers, which puts them at a slight disadvantage vis-à-vis their Francophone counterparts. These results favor claims of a more decisive role for the L1 in L3 pronunciation. We compare our results to findings from previous studies targeting intermediate learners, and find proficiency in the L3 may account for the observed differences.

The purpose of this study was to gather opinions from experts via the Delphi method to inform the future development of a virtual reality based English language communication program for university level students in Korea. The participants, who consisted of a panel of experts and professors who majored in English language and multimedia education, completed three Delphi surveys based on Context, Input, Process, and Product evaluation, which is referred to as CIPP. In the first Delphi survey, the participants answered multiple choice questions and open-ended questions related to four areas relevant to the development of a virtual reality based program. Based on their answers, a second Delphi survey was designed to determine the participants’ level of agreement with the appropriateness of the questions related to the four areas. In the third Delphi survey, participants were shown the results (mean, standard deviation, median, interquartile range, consensus chart, and convergence degree) and were asked to confirm or modify their answers based on the other participants’ answers. According to the analysis of the Delphi survey results, need for the development of a virtual reality based English language communication program was suggested, and recommendations were made regarding the content and application of the program.