Voice modulator Talk It in English pronunciation construction: The case of Spanish young learners

Abstract

Speaking has largely been one of the most challenging skills for language learners to master, especially in early stages of the learning process because it demands a good command of pronunciation. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of the voice modulator Talk it to help English as a Foreign Language (EFL) young learners enhance their pronunciation. This exploratory research applies a quasi-experimental design and has a mixed approach (quantitative-qualitative). The methodology implemented started with the analysis of the participants’ current command of pronunciation, followed by the implantation of the voice modulator called Talk it as a tool to promote pronunciation enhancement in the experimental group, and the comparison of pronunciation enhancement between the control and experimental groups. The results showed that the voice modulator Talk it effectively contributed to the enhancement of pronunciation in the experimental group raising a significant gap compared to the control one. In conclusion, voice modulators may bring together important benefits to young learners’ and become a strategic ally for them to achieve a native-like pronunciation in their early stages of learning

Keywords

• Education technology
• speaking skill
• pronunciation
• voice modulators
• young learners