Implementing Text-to-Speech Technology as a Means of Enhancing L2 Reading Fluency
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37467/gka-edurev.v1.2401Keywords:
Oral reading fluency, Text to speech technology, Autonomy, PronunciationAbstract
This article reports on the results of a participatory action research project carried out with a group of ten elementary level students from extension courses in a private university in Bogotá, Colombia (Universidad Minuto de Dios, main branch). The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of text-to-speech (TTS) technology usage on reading fluency in speakers of English as a foreign language. The results show that learners develop oral reading fluency in areas such as linking sounds, pronouncing accurately, and reading timing. Furthermore, learners raised their awareness of the benefits of using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the process of learning a foreign language, as well as the importance of being autonomous learners. Pedagogical implications and prospects for future research are included.
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