SMART: Speech-enabled Mobile Assisted Reading Technology for Word Comprehension

In this study, we designed and developed two educational games on mobile phones with support for speech-recognition to examine and train the cognitive underpinnings of word reading in English as a Second Language (ESL) learners in rural India. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that articulating a word aloud will be more advantageous for strengthening the sublexical components required for word reading – orthographic, phonologic, and semantic – than silently practicing it. 31 children from grades 4 and 5 learning ESL in rural India participated in the study. The results corroborated the hypothesis, suggesting that production is important for second language word reading development. Keywords. Word Reading, Mobile Learning, Speech Recognition, Literacy

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2011
• Where: AIED
• Authors: Anuj Kumar, Pooja Reddy, Matthew Kam
• Keywords: AIED 2011, Artificial Intelligence, English As A Second Language, Esl Learners, Language Esl