Abstract

Traditional language classrooms often face constraints that limit ESL learners’ exposure to varied speech sounds, hindering their pronunciation development. High-Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT) offers a potential solution by exposing learners in diverse speech sounds and accents to improve pronunciation skills. However, the practical implementation of HVPT in everyday language classrooms is still underexplored. This study examines the integration of Text-To-Speech (TTS) technology with HVPT to enhance pronunciation skills among English as a Second Language (ESL) learners beyond traditional classroom settings.
Using a mixed-method design with pretest-posttest evaluations, this study assessed morphophonemic features (past -ed allomorphs) and holistic aspects of pronunciation (i.e., comprehensibility, accentedness). Thirty adult university-level ESL learners from Kuwait were assigned to either a Treatment group (TTS with varied voices) or a Control group (TTS with a single voice). Participants engaged in self-paced sessions over a period of four weeks.
The results revealed significant improvements in phonological awareness of past -ed allomorphy for both groups, with no notable differences observed between them. In terms of the holistic measures of pronunciation development, evaluated by a panel of eleven raters, the Treatment group achieved statistically significant improvements in both comprehensibility and accentedness when compared to the Control group. These findings indicate that while TTS technology enhances phonological awareness irrespective of HVPT implementation, TTS-based HVPT further enhances pronunciation development considering the two holistic measures adopted.
This study highlights the potential of TTS technology to provide variable aural input and improve ESL pronunciation training, offering valuable insights for developing effective and accessible language learning resources.