Using voice recognition software in learning of Chinese as a foreign language pronunciation

Abstract

This paper is based on the notion that what matters most in language learning is communication. We argue that

if a learner can speak what can be understood by native speakers while at the same time understanding what the

native speaker says, then we can conclude that this learner has successfully acquired the target language. We

present a set of ideas based on the voice recognition exercise which was done with 20 students from different

African countries who had studied Chinese as a foreign language for three months at Hebei University. A voice

recognition application on smart phones and tablets was used for pronunciation practice purpose in order to

boast students’ confidence in spoken Chinese. In this exercise the phone acts as the decoder and it represents

how a native Chinese speaker would decode the learner’s speech. The results showed that during the exercise

students become more and more conscious of their errors and adjusted their pronunciation. In addition, the voice

recognition application helped to determine whether or not the learner’s pronunciation was stable. Based on the

results of the study, we concluded that it was possible to turn voice recognition application on smart phones into

a game that language learners could use to practice their spoken Chinese. This method is cheap and it promotes

self-evaluation as well as boosting interest in learning Chinese language.