The present study performs a three-level meta-analysis to investigate the overall effectiveness of automated writing evaluation (AWE) on EFL/ESL student writing performance. 24 primary studies representing 85 between-group effect sizes and 34 studies representing 178 within-group effect sizes found from 1993 to 2021 were separately meta-analyzed.…

Automated corrective feedback (ACF), in which a computer system helps language learners identify and correct errors in their writing or speech, is considered an important tool for language instruction by many researchers. Such systems allow learners to correct their own mistakes, thereby reducing teacher workload and potentially preventing issues…

Texts used in L2 classrooms have traditionally been simplified manually, but recent technological advances allow us to investigate whether automatic text simplification (ATS) software can help L2 learners comprehend texts in second and foreign languages. Participants were divided into low and high L2 reading proficiency groups and assigned to read…

The release of ChatGPT has marked the dawn of a new information revolution that will transform how people communicate and make meaning. However, to date, little is known about the implications of ChatGPT for L2 composition instruction. To address this gap, the present study uses a systematic review design to synthesize available research on the…

In 2016, Lawley proposed an easy-to-build spellchecker specifically designed to help second language (L2) learners in their writing process by facilitating self-correction. The aim was to overcome the disadvantages to L2 learners posed by generic spellcheckers (GSC), such as that embedded in Microsoft Word. Drawbacks include autocorrection,…

Automated writing evaluation (AWE) software is an increasingly popular tool for English second language learners. However, research on the accuracy of such software has been both scarce and largely limited in its scope. As such, this article broadens the field of research on AWE accuracy by using a mixed design to holistically evaluate the…

The implementation of computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) has been proven to be successful in improving learners' pronunciation abilities. Automatic speech recognition (ASR) software was used to provide mediated support to 103 pre-intermediate level students (62 males and 41 females). After experiencing a two-semester of CAPT…

Automated writing evaluation (AWE) programs have been widely utilized in writing classrooms and have been increasing gradually, yet teachers' and students' attitudes in relation to AWE, Grammarly, have still remained uncharted in Afghanistan. The current study explored teachers' and students' attitudes toward the efficacy and/or inefficacy of…

As a result of the Japanese Ministry of Education's recent edict that students' written and spoken English should be assessed in university entrance exams, there is an urgent need for tools to help teachers and students prepare for these exams. Although some commercial tools already exist, they are generally expensive and inflexible. To address…

A significant barrier to effective communication in a second language is the awareness and accurate reproduction of phonetic sounds absent in the mother tongue. This study investigated whether the automated evaluation of phonetic accuracy using speech recognition technology could improve the pronunciation skills of 105 (88 female, 17 male) Thai…

With the advancement of automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology, ASR-based pronunciation assessment can diagnose learners' pronunciation problems. Meanwhile, ASR-based pronunciation training allows more opportunities for pronunciation practice. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of ASR technology in diagnosing English…

Our study examines written corrective feedback generated by two online grammar checkers (GCs), Grammarly and Virtual Writing Tutor, and by the grammar checking function of Microsoft Word. We tested the technology on a wide range of grammatical error types from two sources: a set of authentic ESL compositions and a series of simple sentences we…

This study investigated how learning styles (visual/verbal) and the use of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) software affect English as a Second Language adult learners' improvement during a 12-week course focusing on pronunciation. In the control group (n = 28), the teacher corrected and gave feedback on the adult learners' pronunciation;…

This study investigates the use of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems to epitomize second language (L2) listeners' problems in perception of TED talks. ASR-generated transcripts of videos often involve recognition errors, which may indicate difficult segments for L2 listeners. This paper aims to discover the root-causes of the ASR errors…

In this article, the author presents the history of human-to-computer interaction based upon the design of sophisticated computerized speech recognition algorithms. Advancements such as the arrival of cloud-based computing and software like Google's Web Speech API allows anyone with an Internet connection and Chrome browser to take advantage of…