A Practical Guide to Speech Technologies for Second Language Learning

A practical guide to demystifying speech technologies and integrating them into world languages coursesSpeech technologies—such as speech recognition and speech synthesis—have become increasingly present in everyday life, yet many language teachers lack guidance on how to meaningfully integrate them into classroom practice. A Practical Guide to Speech Technologies for Second Language Learning addresses this gap by providing accessible explanations of key concepts, with no specialized background or training needed. Grounded in CALL (computer-assisted language learning) and SLA theory, the book shows how speech technologies can support language learning and teaching in principled and pedagogically sound ways. The book focuses on speech synthesis and speech recognition technologies, providing practical tips and considerations for teaching speaking, listening, and pronunciation. Each section provides clear explanations of how the technologies function, insights from theory and research, and practical classroom examples, helping readers understand both their potential and limitations. The book also provides examples of activities for both English and French as second languages, and it illustrates how these technologies can be readily extended to a variety of languages. This practical guide shows world language instructors how to integrate speech technologies into their courses. It will be useful for teachers, teacher trainers, and CALL researchers.