Mobile Assisted Language Learning: English Pronunciation at Learners' Fingertips

Abstract

Problem Statement: The study of pronunciation had been a relatively neglected issue in the foreign/second language acquisition literature. Likewise, in classroom contexts, pronunciation has received less attention as compared to the other language components and skills with the belief that it is peripheral to successful communication. Yet, there is a recent revival of interest in pronunciation research. The literature on foreign/second language acquisition highlights that in general in-class activities are not sufficient for effective language learning and that learners should also have input and output opportunities outside the classroom. This holds true for learning pronunciation as the literature suggests that just classroom instruction has a negligible impact on oral production of learners. With their widespread use and their features such as mobility, localization, and personalization, mobile phones offer a great potential for out-of-class learning. Yet, there is scarce research on the use of mobile phones in language learning contexts nor any on using mobile phones to improve learners' pronunciation. This study is aimed to make a significant contribution to the literature in these respects. Purpose of the Study: The major aim of this study was to investigate the potentials and effectiveness of using mobile phones in foreign language education. In particular, the effects of using multimedia messages via mobile phones for improving language learners' pronunciation of words were explored. Methods: A mixed method approach involving both quantitative and qualitative components was employed in this study. The quantitative part of the study followed a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design. The qualitative part of the study included post-study semi-structured interviews with the students, and a questionnaire involving open ended items. The participants of this study were a group of students attending the English Preparatory School of an English-medium university in Turkey. There different groups were formed in order to investigate the comparative effectiveness of supplementary materials delivered through 3 different means: mobile phones, web pages, and handouts. Results: Analyses of the quantitative data showed that using mobile phones had positive effects on students' pronunciation learning. The qualitative data collected through the questionnaire and the interviews supported this finding. All participants provided positive feedback about the mobile learning application used in this study. Conclusions and Recommendations: This study extends the use of use mobile phones, which are already in use for communication and entertainment, to educational settings. The findings of the study pose crucial implications for foreign language teaching and learning