Speakers
ABSTRACT
In English language teaching, there is often more focus on suprasegmental features, such as intonation, stress, and rhythm, than on the basic building blocks of speech: individual consonant and vowel sounds, known as segmentals. However, research shows that producing these sounds is essential for clear communication. This presentation promotes a "segmentals-first" approach that emphasizes the importance of distinguishing sounds before producing them. We emphasize that learners must be able to hear the differences between sounds before they can articulate them correctly. This is especially relevant for Japanese learners of English, as the North American English vowel system contains more sounds than the Japanese system. This presentation will show how these differences can cause misunderstandings and introduce a free segmental training tool to help learners improve their comprehensibility. Participants will also learn how to use AI prompts for speaking activities that reinforce segmental discrimination, providing engaging ways to enhance practice. Focusing on segmentals provides a strong foundation for speech clarity and can help learners naturally develop their intonation and rhythm without needing separate lessons on these features. Attendees will leave with useful insights and tools that promote both student independence and better learning outcomes.
KEYWORDS
pronunciation
segmentals
comprehensibility
AI-enhanced learning
| TITLE | AI-Powered Segmental Sound Training for EFL Comprehensibility |
|---|---|
| RELEVANT SIG | Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) |
| FORMAT | Practice-oriented Oral Face-to-face presentation (25 minutes, including Q&A) |
