User experiences from L2 children using a speech learning application: implications for developing speech training applications for children

Abstract

We investigated user experiences from 117 Finnish children aged between 8-12 years old in a trial of an English language learning programme that used automatic speech recognition (ASR). We used measures that encompassed both affective reactions as well as questions tapping into the childrens' sense of pedagogical utility. We also tested their perception of sound quality and compared reactions of game and non-game-based versions of the application. Results showed that children expressed higher affective ratings for the game compared to non-game version of the application. Children also expressed a preference to play with a friend compared to playing alone or playing within a group. They found assessment of their speech useful although didn’t necessarily enjoy hearing their own voices. The results are discussed in terms of the implications for user interface (UI) design in speech learning applications for children.