--- Forwarded Message from Philippe Delcloque <[log in to unmask]> ---

>From: Philippe Delcloque <[log in to unmask]>
>To: "'Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum'"     <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: RE: #6078.6 Voice analysis / waveform (!)
>Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 15:07:36 +0100

Judy's comments in response to Derek are very pertinent and they are in
effect both right.

If you are interested in pronunciation teaching and learning, you should
really join the InSTIL Special Interest Group (at least as a listener - a
sort of passive member who gains knowledge from the more active membership
and group experts).

InSTIL is a good source of information on all matters relating to the use of
Speech Technology in LL.  It will also release two books this year, hold a
one-day event in Holland, InSTIL 2001 on 29 August 2001 in Nijmegen, and a
two-day Symposium at San Diego State University in late March 2002.

If you would like to join the SIG or require further details, contact
Philippe (the writer) or look at our web site at
http://dbs.tay.ac.uk/instil/

Visual display of speech features in real time can significantly assist both
listening and speaking skills in language learning, and learners can be
trained to interpret visual displays correctly after fairly minimal training
which could even be undertaken in a classroom situation.  Given that a focus
on form has become fashionable again, this may work for some language
pedagogues.

It was very clear this year at CALICO 2001 that there is a resurgence of
interest in the use of machines for pronunciation coaching.

From a speech-enabled CALL enthusiast,

Philippe



> ----------
> From:         LLTI-Editor
> Reply To:     Language Learning and Technology International Information
> Forum
> Sent:         Thursday, April 26, 2001 13:26
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: #6078.6 Voice analysis / waveform (!)
> 
> --- Forwarded Message from Judy Shoaf <[log in to unmask]> ---
> 
> >Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 09:24:53 -0400
> >To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum
> <[log in to unmask]>
> >From: Judy Shoaf <[log in to unmask]>
> >Subject: Re: #6078.3 Voice analysis / waveform (!)
> 
> ------------------
> Derek Roff's point about the problems of matching waveforms is a good one.
> However, I have heard CAN-8 enthusiasts say that trying to match the
> waveforms in that software keeps the students working at pronunciation.
> When
> I have played around with it I have noticed that what I try to match is
> the
> duration of each sound, which is a bit funny if you consider that the
> models
> are speaking very slowly. But visual feedback is I think a good thing and
> encouraging to students.
> 
> Here at the University of Florida we have had a few instructors (in
> Linguistics) who really understand the different types of images that can
> be
> generated by the spoken word, and one instructor even worked one-on-one
> with
> students to correct French pronunciation using computer speech analysis
> software. But this involved being able to pick the image that would target
> the problem to be addressed and showing the student the bit of the image
> that needed to be imitated (see that high point there, followed by a dip?
> that's the "r" in this word..). 
> 
> There is a program for ESL called TEAM (technologially enhanced accent
> modification), of which we have a beta version here. It's valuable because
> someone already did the work of targeting the images to the specific
> pronunciation problems. If you want to work on intonation, you get one
> kind
> of pattern to match that reflects intonation; if you are working on
> vowels,
> you get a different image which shows where in your oral cavity you are
> pronouncing that vowel, more or less. 
> 
> I can imagine a nice little CD-ROM for any given language that would run
> through the basics of pronunciation in this way, for relatively advanced
> students aware of their deficiencies and targets. 
> 
> Judy Shoaf
> University of Florida, Gainesville
>