Exploring text-to-speech technology as a tool for high-variability phonetic training: A study on Arabic speakers’ acquisition of English pronunciation

Abstract

This study examines the integration of Text-To-Speech (TTS) technology with High-Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT) to enhance English as a Subsequent Language (ESL) pronunciation. Using a mixed-method design with pretest-posttest evaluations, 30 ESL learners from Kuwait were assigned to either a Treatment Group (with exposure to TTS with varied voices) or a Control Group (TTS with a single voice) for self-paced sessions over four weeks. Both groups exhibited significant improvements in phonological awareness of past –ed allomorphy, although the Treatment Group achieved significantly better comprehensibility and accentedness ratings from experienced ESL teachers. These findings indicate that while TTS enhances phonological awareness irrespective of HVPT implementation, TTS-assisted HVPT further improves holistic pronunciation, offering a promising and accessible approach to ESL pronunciation instruction.

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