CC BY
10
METHODOLOGICAL BASICS OF TRAINING PHONETIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE WITH THE HELP OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY
ANAFINOVA MADINA LATYPOVNA, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor, Pedagogical Institute Astana
International University, Astana
BAIMURATOVA SARA RUSTAMOVNA
First-year Master's student of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Astana International
University, Astana
Abstract: The present research investigates the methodological aspects of teaching English phonetics through computer technology highlighting the use of modern digital devices in the process of phonetic training with the aim of improving pupils' auditory and speaking skills. The research seeks to peer into the manner in which the audio-visual devices and the software can assist the learners in learning how to pronounce, intone and rhythm in the English language respectively. The results are a part of a broader narrative around the integration of new technologies in teaching a foreign language and include new effective methodologies in teaching English phonetics in modern times using the internet. The use of modern information technologies increases the effectiveness of teaching a foreign language and strengthens the motivation of students.
Key words: information, communication, technologies, computer, multimedia, distance education, phonetics.
Information and communication technologies have taken a powerful space in the process of teaching English. A significant advance in language education is the incorporation of computer technology into the instruction of English phonetics. This methodological approach, which aims to improve the acquisition of phonetic clarity and fluency, is based on both technology innovation and linguistic theory. Teachers can offer engaging, customized and effective learning experiences that adapt to the individual needs of their pupils by using computational technologies. Phonetics, as the study of the sounds of human speech, forms the foundation for effective communication in a second language. Mastery of phonetic nuances such as articulation, intonation, and rhythm is critical for achieving fluency. Traditional methods often rely on auditory imitation and repetitive practice, which, while effective, may not cater to individual learner differences or provide real-time corrective feedback. Also we need to engage students to lesson and give motivation actively [1].
As practice shows, they've a grand advantage over traditional teaching methods. With the expansion and deepening of cultural connections between Kazakh and foreign nations, it becomes crucial to teach intonation as a component of language speech for intercultural communication and cultural dialogue. In many languages, intonation expresses the speaker's attitude and interlocutors, as well as feelings of politeness and reflection of emotions. Misunderstandings, offenses, or a decline in your reputation might result from using the wrong tone. It is often recognized that English is currently the most widely utilized language for international communication. This entails being able to comprehend and perceive sounds while listening, as well as mastering the proper articulation and pronunciation of every speech sound. The capacity to correctly use intonation and rhythm in speech, as well as to recognize and differentiate between various phrase patterns depending on their intonation, are all considered rhythmic-intonation skills. It also entails having a fundamental comprehension of the phonetic patterns of the language being studied and the ability to break speech down into meaningful components. A modern student who is largely dependent on his computer, smartphone, and Internet voluntarily completes assignments involving these gadgets. When pupils use their phones, they watch useful videos, video recordings or listen podcasts. By using such as activities they can boost the understanding of language, increase the pronunciation and intonation. For teaching phonetics in English, several technologies can be used to make learning more effective,
interactive, and personalized. Here's a breakdown of some key technologies that can support phonetic training:
1. Speech Recognition: Software evaluates pronunciation and provides instant feedback, helping with sound accuracy. By watching videos such as "Minimal Pairs - English Pronunciation Practice.
2. Phonetic Analysis: Tools like BBC Learning English visualize pitch and intonation, enabling learners to compare and adjust their pronunciation.
3. Digital Language Labs: Virtual labs offer guided pronunciation practice and voice comparison in a controlled setting such as tool YouGlish.
4. Interactive Apps: Apps like Elsa Speak make learning fun with pronunciation games and quizzes.
5. Audio Editing: Programs for recording and playback help students hear and refine their pronunciation.
6. Multimedia Corpora: Collections of native speaker audio help learners hear and imitate different accents and dialects.
There are explanation of each videos and podcast.
1. The first is Rachel's English. It is a popular YouTube channel and online resource dedicated to teaching English pronunciation. By watching this video pupil can differ vowel sounds, focus on pronunciation, many exercises and practice opportunities for viewers. Rachel's expertise lies in assisting students in perfecting their pronunciation of American English. Her videos encompass specific sounds, emphasis patterns, intonation, and cadence. "Minimal Pairs - English Pronunciation Practice" by Rachel's English aims to assist learners in distinguishing between similar sounds in the English language by using minimal pairs. The following is a comprehensive summary of the material covered in the video: Minimal pairs are two words that have only one sound difference, and this difference can alter the meaning of the words. For instance, the words "bat" and "pat" have only the first sound that is different. Rachel emphasizes the importance of practicing minimal pairs in order to enhance one's listening abilities and pronunciation. This technique allows learners to develop a better understanding of subtle distinctions in sounds. The video provides several examples, focusing on common phonetic contrasts. Some typical pairs include:
/i:/ vs. /i/: "sheep" vs. "ship"
/s/ vs. /J7: "sip" vs. "ship"
/b/ vs. /v/: "bat" vs. "vat"
It is valuable resource for increasing phonetic awareness and pronunciation accuracy in English. The great impact for pupil wil bring phonetic skills [2].
2. BBC Learning English - Pronunciation is a fantastic free resource created by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for learners of English to improve their pronunciation, particularly focusing on British English. BBC Learning English focuses on helping learners master the sounds of British English through a variety of multimedia resources. It includes lessons on individual sounds (phonemes), word stress, sentence stress, and intonation, all aimed at improving both clarity and fluency in spoken English. The site is designed for learners at all levels, from beginners to advanced. Interactive Video Lessons The heart of the BBC Learning English Pronunciation section is its collection of short, clear, and engaging video lessons. These videos focus on specific aspects of pronunciation, such as: vowel sounds, consonant sounds, diphthongs (combination of two vowel sounds), word and sentence stress, intonation and rhythm. Each video is presented by experienced English teachers who break down each sound, show how it's produced, and provide practical examples of words and sentences that use the sound. The videos also come with helpful graphics that demonstrate how the mouth, lips, and tongue should move to make the correct sound.
In addition to video, BBC Learning English also provides audio clips for each sound, which learners can listen to repeatedly to develop their listening and speaking skills. This allows users to practice mimicking native speakers and improve their phonetic accuracy. These are fun exercises and challenges where learners can practice their pronunciation by repeating words or sentences after a
native speaker. These interactive tasks encourage learners to be more conscious of how they sound and to focus on improving specific areas, such as vowel length or stress patterns. Lessons explain how intonation patterns (rising and falling pitch) can change the meaning of a sentence and how to stress important words to convey emphasis in conversation. One of the best things about BBC Learning English is that all of its resources are free and do not require registration. You can access the lessons from anywhere at any time, making it easy to incorporate into your study routine. The simple explanations and slow-paced videos make it perfect for those just starting to improve their pronunciation. The focus on word stress, intonation, and connected speech can help more advanced learners refine their speaking skills and reduce any remaining accent issues. This site is particularly useful for non-native speakers who want to sound more natural and clear in British English. Pronunciation is an invaluable tool for anyone looking to improve their English pronunciation, especially with a focus on British English. It offers a range of multimedia resources that make learning interactive and accessible. By using the lessons on sounds, stress, and intonation, learners can develop clearer, more confident speech and a deeper understanding of the phonetic elements of English. Also, students give a self-assessment their pronunciation and adjust it with guided feedback [3].
3. YouGlish allows users to search for any English word or phrase, and then shows clips from YouTube videos where that word or phrase is spoken. The videos are often from speeches, interviews, vlogs, news reports, or casual conversations, ensuring that the user hears the word in real-world scenarios rather than isolated audio clips. The tool supports several major accents, including: American English, British English, Australian English. One of the best features of YouGlish is its ability to filter results by accent. You can choose between American, British, or Australian pronunciations, depending on what you want to focus on. This is helpful for those learning English who want to familiarize themselves with the pronunciation and subtle differences between accents. YouGlish doesn't just provide isolated words; it gives you the word in full sentences and meaningful contexts. This is particularly helpful for learning how words are connected in speech, how they fit into conversations, and how stress or intonation can change depending on the context. YouGlish allows you to refine your search for specific situations. For example, you can look for words or phrases used in different tenses, word forms, or even in certain idiomatic expressions. The advanced search also helps learners look for specific phrases or words in certain accents. After showing the video clips, YouGlish provides helpful tips, such as phonetic descriptions or additional pronunciation guidance. You may also get links to other related videos or explanations on how the word is used in different contexts.
For each search, YouGlish shows how many times that word or phrase has been spoken in its database, providing learners with a sense of how common or rare the word is in English conversation. If a word is less common, fewer results may show, but this is useful for understanding the frequency of a term in real language use. Although primarily used for English, YouGlish also provides pronunciation search functions for other languages, including French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, and others. This makes it a versatile tool for multilingual learners. By hearing words in real-life situations, learners can understand how pronunciation changes depending on the context, speech rhythm, and connected speech patterns. Since YouGlish uses clips from native speakers, it offers highly authentic examples of pronunciation, unlike some text-to-speech or robotic voice tools. You can choose to listen to American, British, or Australian accents, which is incredibly helpful for learners who want to focus on a specific English variety. YouGlish is free to use, and you can access it from anywhere with an internet connection. It's also a tool that can be used at any level of proficiency, from beginners to advanced speakers. YouGlish is an outstanding resource for anyone looking to improve their English pronunciation through real-life video examples. It offers an authentic and interactive way to hear how native speakers use words in various contexts, allowing learners to focus on accents, intonation, and connected speech. With features like accent filtering, advanced search options, and transcripts, YouGlish is a comprehensive tool that helps bridge the gap between formal learning and real-world language use. Multimedia allows learners to experience a more
authentic learning environment and reinforce pronunciation rules, rhythmic patterns, and stress in speech [4].
4. ELSA Speak is an AI-powered mobile application designed to help users improve their English speaking skills. The name "ELSA" stands for "English Language Speech Assistant." Here's a detailed breakdown of its features and functions: Speech ELSA uses advanced speech recognition technology to analyze your pronunciation and fluency. It listens to your spoken English and provides instant feedback. The app tailors lessons based on your current proficiency level and specific needs. It adjusts the difficulty and content of exercises to match your skill level. ELSA provides targeted pronunciation exercises, allowing users to practice specific sounds or words that may be challenging for them. Users can track their progress over time with detailed analytics on their speaking performance, including pronunciation accuracy, fluency, and vocabulary usage. The app offers gamified learning experiences, making it engaging for users to practice and improve their skills through interactive exercises and challenges. In addition to language skills, ELSA frequently includes information about cultural nuances and idiomatic expressions, enhancing the overall language learning experience. The app features a variety of practical dialogues and situations that help users learn contextual vocabulary and phrases they can use in everyday conversations. The author emphasizes the advantages of speech recognition programs for language learners, especially their role in the formation of accurate pronunciation skills [5].
We spent practice in order to see the progress of using multimedia how to improve phonetics. In a classroom of 20 students in each group, the integration of multimedia tools for phonetic training was implemented to enhance their English pronunciation skills. The focus was on interactive and engaging methods that catered to varying proficiency levels. Each student used an app that features pronunciation exercises and real-time feedback. Activities included repeating words, listening to native speakers, and completing phonetic quizzes. This immediate feedback helped students identify and correct pronunciation errors on the spot. Short video clips demonstrating correct articulation of difficult sounds were shown. After viewing, students practiced mimicking the sounds, focusing on mouth movements and tongue placement. This visual aid significantly enhanced their understanding of how to produce sounds accurately. The class participated in interactive games where they identified sounds and matched them with corresponding letters or words. This gamified approach kept students engaged and encouraged friendly competition. After a semester of utilizing multimedia tools, 85% of the students demonstrated significant progress in their pronunciation accuracy, as indicated by assessment scores. Student engagement levels rose notably, with many expressing enthusiasm for practicing outside of class due to the interactive nature of the tools used. Many students reported feeling more confident in their speaking abilities, attributing this growth to the supportive and interactive learning environment fostered by the use of multimedia resources. The integration of multimedia tools in phonetic training significantly enhanced the learning experience for the class of 20 pupils in each grade. Through interactive activities, peer collaboration, and personalized feedback, students made remarkable progress in their English pronunciation skills, illustrating the effectiveness of employing computer technology in language education.
We used multimedia in two grades 8"B" and 8"V". The 8"B" started at 70%, and they were a bit nervous about speaking. But after using the multimedia tools, they felt more confident. We can really hear the difference in how they pronounce words now." At first pupils' pronunciation were low and they could not read correctly. Then we added multimedia resources and each lesson they practice English pronunciation. After using the multimedia tools, they felt more confident. By the end, they scored 90%. They can really hear the difference in how they pronounce words now. At first, they didn't feel very engaged, scoring just 65%. But the multimedia activities made classes much more interesting. By the end, they felt much more involved, and they gave themselves an 85% for engagement. The 8 "V" began with a 65% score, and they were worried about my pronunciation. But after using the tools, they improved to 95%. They feel so much more confident speaking English now. Both classes showed significant improvements in phonetic skills, but 8V had slightly higher scores in all areas by the end of the intervention. Students in both grades recognized how multimedia tools
transformed their learning experience, leading to greater confidence, engagement, and a more positive attitude towards phonetics. Each class's progress highlights the effectiveness of interactive learning in enhancing phonetic skills. The benefits of learning stress, intonation, and rhythm patterns in teaching through multimedia tools.
In conclusion, the methodological basics of training phonetic English language skills through computer technology provide an innovative framework that enhances educational outcomes. As we continue to embrace advancements in technology, it is essential to cultivate these methods, ensuring that learners are equipped with the phonetic skills necessary for effective communication in an increasingly globalized world. This approach not only prepares students for academic success but also enriches their lifelong learning journey.
REFERENCES
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