Speaker
Description
In the rapidly evolving domain of language education, Text to Speech (TTS) technology has become a transformative tool. Today's TTS systems offer near-native naturalness in voice quality, thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence. These improvements have not only enhanced the clarity and fluency of generated speech but also its authenticity, making TTS an invaluable asset in language learning contexts. Furthermore, the integration of new Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML) tags has expanded the functionality of TTS technologies. These tags allow for the manipulation of speech nuances, enabling the creation of diverse linguistic characters and incorporating multiple languages that were previously inaccessible. This presentation will demonstrate how teachers can leverage these tools effectively, with practical demonstrations of TTS in both English and Japanese. It will also explore the author's integration of TTS into other learning tools, such as Extensive Reading and Japanese reading fluency. Attendees will gain insights into creating more engaging and effective language learning experiences this powerful tool.