By María Rojas – Education degree student
Not knowing the correct pronunciation of some words and sounds can lead to big problems. In order to communicate correctly, we need more than grammar rules and verb tenses. Pronunciation and speaking skills importance has risen. However, how can ESL students practice their pronunciation outside the class?
Learning English in a country where Spanish is spoken can generate big barriers to practice it. Therefore, in recent years, and thanks to technology, different apps have been created to practice pronunciation. It only takes responsibility and eagerness to learn. Here are some apps that can be very useful for students who want to keep practicing pronunciation:
1. Elsa speak: English Accent Coach
This is a digital coach that will help students practice American English. This coach will figure out the mistakes students make in their pronunciation and will show them how to improve those mistakes. Students will be able to record themselves and listen to the corrections. The best thing about this app is that, first, you must take a test in order to place your pronunciation level, and then start with the correct practice for your level.
2. English Pronunciation App
This app will check student’s pronunciation (phonetics) through recordings and will show them how to properly pronounce those sounds. The creator of this app understood that speaking skill and right pronunciation is essential for good communication, that is why this app is focused on phonetics. Even though, this app does not provide a test or a leveling, practicing phonetic sounds trough this app will be very helpful.
3. Forvo
Last but not least, Forvo is an app that can be used to practice many languages. This app includes more than 325 languages. It lets students record their pronunciation, listen to sentences, words and sounds anywhere, and learn through different exercises that the app provides. With this app, students are able to search for the correct pronunciation of a word, and the listening exercises are recorded by Native speakers.
Using technology in favor of education can lead to a fun and different learning process. As English students, we can find thousands of applications that can work for us. Nowadays, online courses and digital learning has become a trend. This benefits all of us because we get more resources and more ways to improve our English skills.
