Abstract:
Pronunciation continues to grow in importance because of its key roles in speech recognition, speech perception, and speaker identty. Computer is being increasingly used in teaching English pronunciation to enhance its quality. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the advantages of using computer in English pronunciation instruction. Understanding the advantages of computer is an important step in the successful use of computer into English language teaching in general and pronunciation instruction in particular. Findings from empirical research, teachers’ roles in using computer, and implications for language teachers and learners are also discussed.
Machine summary:
"It can provide them an interactive learning environment in different modes such as whole class, small group or pair, and teacher to student (Hismanoglu & Hismanoglu, 2011).
It creates a natural environment for both teachers and learners to teach and learn pronunciation effectively.
2. Empirical Studies on Using Computer Technology for Teaching English Pronunciation The use of computer for improving pronunciation has been investigated by some researchers (Butler-Pascoe & Wiburg, 2003; Eskenazi, 1999; Kim, 2006; Neri, Cucchiarini, Strik, & Boves, 2002; Walker, 2005).
Many researchers examined the effect of ASR technology on improving pronunciation (Al -Qudah, 2012; Hincks, 2005; Kim, 2006; Seferoglu, 2005).
Hincks (2005) investigated the impact of Talk To Me software based on ASR technology on the English pronunciation of a group of participants.
The results of this study indicated that ASR software was a useful means of teaching pronunciation to learners in situations where they do not access to native speaker teachers.
The findings obtained from the above empirical studies indicate that the use of computer is a good way of learning and teaching English pronunciation and provides enjoyable and interesting activities for both learners and teachers.
Teachers should have positive beliefs towards the effect of computer technology in teaching pronunciation because it can substantially improve the quality of their pronunciation instruction.
The use of computer in English classes makes pronunciation teaching environment more effective for teachers and the overall learning process more enjoyable for learners.
The effect of computer-assisted language learning on improving EFL learners’ pronunciation ability."