Using Language Learning Apps to Develop Oral English Skills: A Comparison of ELSA Speak and Speechling

 

The two tools I have chosen are ELSA Speak and Speechling. 🔧

ELSA Speak

1. Why is it relevant to oral skills

ELSA Speak is a voice training application. It uses artificial intelligence to analyze the voice of learners. It accurately analyzes the details of learners' intonation, and can also give corrective feedback in real time. 😊 Its theoretical basis is Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), combined with the Communicative Language Teaching Method (CLT). It focuses on clarity rather than perfect native-like pronunciation, which is in line with the idea of English as a lingua franca. 🌍

2. How might I use it as a teacher

As an English teacher, I will set up a “pronunciation practice station" ⛽️ in the classroom and let students take turns to use ELSA Speak to complete the task of reading the designated sentences. Then, I will use the pronunciation report generated by AI as classroom feedback. On top of this, I will also assign after-class homework, such as letting students use it to complete an oral recording about “My Weekend” and submit it. 💪

As teachers, we should understand that ELSA Speak can save time for manual pronunciation correction ⏰ and can also provide personalized exercises for students at different levels 🤩 (such as elementary students practicing basic pronunciation and advanced students practicing intonation). It is suitable for both group activities in the classroom and for students to practice independently at home. 😄

3. Limitations

However, ELSA also has some limitations. 😫 First of all, some advanced functions require paid subscriptions, 💰 which increases the cost of learning for students and limits their full experience of the tool. Secondly, although ELSA uses advanced artificial intelligence technology to provide instant feedback, this tool still lacks emotional and cultural details in real interpersonal communication 👦. Therefore, teachers should ask learners to combine diversified learning resources to achieve a more ideal language learning effect.

Speechling

1. Why is it relevant to oral skills

Speechling is closely related to oral skills. Learners can listen to sentences, record their own voices, and get feedback. Unlike applications that only rely on automatic scoring, Speechling allows learners to record and get corrections from professional coaches. 👦 👧This reflects the Communicative Language Teaching Method (CLT), which emphasises pronunciation, fluency and real communication ability. 👏

2. How might I use it as a teacher

As a teacher, I will use Speechling in a flexible way. 😊 For example, I will assign students to practice sentences related to “ordering food” at home. Students need to use Speechling to record and get feedback from the coach before class. In class, I will design some role-playing activities, such as a restaurant scenario, so that students can use these sentence patterns for real communication. 💬

As teachers, we should understand that learners can be intermediate English learners in middle school, and their goal is to improve pronunciation and fluency. 💪 What's more, it could also be used both in the classroom and at home. 🧑‍🏫 🏠

3. Limitations

One limitation of Speechling is that it mainly focuses on the exercises on the sentence level, which may not fully cultivate the ability to have a long conversation. For example, students can repeat sentences accurately, but it is still difficult in real communication. ☹️ Another problem is that there is a delay in feedback. Although the coach's feedback is of high quality, it is not immediate. This will affect learning efficiency. 😮‍💨 Finally, just like ELSA Speak, some functions need to be paid, which may limit the use of some learners. 💰