Citation AsiaCALL Online Journal Received: 11/06/2021 ISSN 1936-9859; https://asiacall.info/acoj Revision: 11/07/2021 Vol. 12, No. 4, 2021 Accepted: 12/07/2021 pp. 46-65 Online: 12/07/2021 CITATION | Nguyen, C. H., Nguyen, H. T., & Le, T. Q. (2021). Boosting English Majors’ Ability in Pronouncing Stressed Vowels via Blue Canoe, a Mobile-based Application: A Focus on Vietnamese EFL Learners. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 12(4), 46-65. Boosting English Majors’ Ability in Pronouncing Stressed Vowels via Blue Canoe, a Mobile-based Application: A Focus on Vietnamese EFL Learners Cuong Huy Nguyen 1*, Ha Thi Nguyen1, Thao Quang Le1 1Faculty of Foreign Languages, Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam *Correspondence: Nguyen Huy Cuong, Van Lang University, Vietnam. E-mail: cuong.nh@vlu.edu.vn Abstract There is no doubt that teaching and learning English pronunciation is one of the major concerns facing EFL/ESL educators and experts. Specifically, stressed vowel practice instruction has been considered a massive challenge among Vietnamese teachers because these two languages possess certain distinctive features in phonetics. This new digital age indicates that mobile- based applications have actively promoted EFL/ESL learners’ sound production. Thus, this paper pinpointed how digital apps affected learning vowels among English learners and discussed their attitudes towards the apps with the help of 32 first-year students majoring in English at Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City. A pre-test and post-test were used to see if there was a significant distinction in the participants’ ability to acquire vowel sounds. In addition, a five-point Likert scale questionnaire was employed to test how content they were when they used the app. The results show that with mean scores of 6.88 and 11.177 in the pre- test and post-test, respectively, students in the experimental group improved than their counterparts in the other group (M=6.0 in the pre-test and 8.47 in the post-test). Hence, an explanation for the better performance in the intervened group is that the participants practiced pronouncing vowels with the application Blue Canoe during the course. In addition, these participants also had a favorable attitude towards the mobile-based application in their phonetics class, with a mean score of 3.96 on the questionnaire. Keywords: mobile game-based apps/ activities, English pronunciation/ vowel sounds, oral fluency. 1. Introduction As English has been widely used as a means of international communication, the question of how to produce its sounds intelligibly has generated deep concerns among ESL/EFL learners and educators (Nguyen & Nguyen, 2007; Vang, 2003). Dhillon (2016) and Jones (2018) stated that pronunciation is the principal element of successful oral communication. If they do not acquire good and clear pronunciation, even if they might use proper grammar and vocabulary, their speech still becomes unintelligible (Celce-Murcia, Brinton, & Goodwin, 2010). Do (2021) and Van et al. (2021) also states that pronuncitation is seen as one of the most crucial features in the area of learning english. mailto:cuong.nh@vlu.edu.vn ACOJ- ISSN 1936-9859 C. H. Nguyen, H. T. Nguyen, T. Q. Le Vol. 12; No. 04; 2021 47 However, several studies have shown that pronunciation teaching in EFL classrooms is often traditional, unplanned, and is mainly about on-spot error correction. For example, Hismanoglu and Hismanoglu's (2010) research findings indicate that most EFL teachers prefer using reading aloud, dictionaries, and dialogues in their phonetics class. Also, Foote et al. (2016) also demonstrate that when teaching pronunciation, most EFL teachers tend to apply some techniques that are mainly related to giving corrective feedback on their students' errors instead of incorporating teaching episodes into their lesson plans. Similarly, as Wahid and Sulong (2013) noted, EFL teachers at a university in Malaysia focus too much on correcting their students’ pronunciation errors rather than giving explicit pronunciation instructions. Consequently, the students are quickly bored with and discouraged from learning and practicing English pronunciation. One of the most apparent reasons why learning English pronunciation is a huge challenge for most students is related to vowel sounds. A study conducted by Pham and McLeod (2016) demonstrates that learners of English encounter several vowel-related difficulties when they study English pronunciation because its vowel system seems to be more complex than that in their mother tongue. Additionally, regardless of their ability to distinguish vowels and consonants in minimal pairs, students still find it challenging to pronounce vowel sounds in multi-syllabic words (Al-Rubaat & Alshammari, 2019; Heggie & Wade-Woolley, 2017). Alongside the speedy development of technology, using computerized applications in teaching pronunciation is a must since they are such a powerful tool to better English learners’ pronunciation and boost their interest in learning the language (McCauley, Nguyen, & McDonald, 2016). Similarly, according to Godwin-Jones (2014), digital games or mobile-based games have great potential in teaching and learning foreign languages thanks to cellphones - a major technological advancement. Candilas (2021), Tran and Nguyen (2021) confirms that with technology support, online synchronous learning, a digital teaching platform, is seen as the best use for English learning and can be an indispensable tool in education in the time of the pandemic. In Vietnam, despite their capability of enhancing English learners' pronunciation, using mobile games in class has not gained much attention from EFL/ESL teachers. Particularly, teachers are still more likely to use traditional activities such as transcription practice and minimal pair drills, which are not easy for many L2 adult learners to improve their pronunciation (Hismanoglu & Hismanoglu, 2010). Besides, little research on integrating technology in English pronunciation instruction has been conducted (McCauley et al., 2016). According to Nguyen (2021), technology is the most effective tool to help the students acquire vocabulary and other aspects of learning a foreign language. Hence, the current study is carried out with two primary objectives: (1) to investigate if Blue Canoe can assist EFL students at the faculty of foreign languages in Van Lang University in improving their vowel production of English multi-syllabic words and (2) to ascertain their attitudes towards such application. ACOJ-ISSN 1936-9859 AsiaCALL Online Journal Vol. 12; No. 4; 2021 48 For the purposes set out above, the study addresses the following research questions: 1. What are the effects of using Blue Canoe on learning stressed vowels among first-year English majors? 2. Do students have positive attitudes towards using mobile apps on learning vowels? The research has significantly contributed to EFL/ESL teaching and learning in Vietnam’s context. Indeed, it has pointed out how digital games affect English majors' vowel sound production and their positive feedback on applying computerized applications in pronunciation class. Thus, the findings have supported using handy technological devices to foster learning outcomes in English language teaching. These two inputs from the study have also enabled teachers of English to have a clear point of choosing appropriate games and activities that can enhance their students' vowel pronunciation and minimize their negative feelings in the age of technological advancement. 2. Literature review What are vowel sounds? According to Celce-Murcia et al. (2010), there are 14 vowel sounds in American English, including simple phonemes with a glide movement (/iy/, /ey/, /ow/, /uw/) and without it (/ɪ/, /ε/, /æ/, /ɑ/, /ͻ/, /ʊ/ and /ʌ/) and three diphthongs (complex vowels) (/ay/, /aw/ and /ͻy/) (p. 114- 125). Their classification depends on the height of the body of the tongue (high, mid, and low); how forward or backward the tongue is in the oral cavity (front, central, or back); the degree of muscular tension (tense or lax); and the position of the lips (rounded or unrounded) (Lane, 2010, pp. 163-164). Roach (2009) says that the main distinction between vowel sounds and consonant sounds is that vowels do not obstruct the airflow when it passes from the larynx to the lips (p.10). He also reports that phonetically, such sounds are always found at the center of a syllable. Intelligibility and Vowel Quality in Stressed Syllables Zielinski (2006) defines intelligibility as how well a speech is understood by listeners or how much a listener can recognize words, phrases. It should also focus on English pronunciation teaching and learning (Lane, 2010, p. 2). That means as English has become a globally spoken language, EFL teachers need to attempt to help their learners to achieve mutual intelligibility instead of forcing them to achieve native-like pronunciation (Jenkins, 2002). If pronunciation teaching aims to obtain intelligibility, identifying which speech feature is the leading contributor to the overall intelligibility is a must. According to Lesner, Sandridge, and Kricos (1987), incorrect vowel production has a negative effect on speakers’ intelligibility. In other words, in oral communication, a speech is likely to be misinterpreted if the speakers do not produce accurate vowel sounds. Several studies then support this viewpoint. Research by Rogers and Dalby (2005) shows a positive correlation between vowel production accuracy of Mandarin speakers of English and their overall intelligibility. Similarly, Bent, Bradlow, and Smith (2007) investigated the relationship between the intelligibility of Chinese speakers of ACOJ- ISSN 1936-9859 C. H. Nguyen, H. T. Nguyen, T. Q. Le Vol. 12; No. 04; 2021 49 English and accurate segment production in different word positions. Native English speakers are then asked to listen to the participants and write these sentences down. The findings demonstrate that vowel sounds contributed more information to overall auditory speech intelligibility than their counterpart. Another aspect of intelligible pronunciation is stress placement. Valcke and Pavón (2015) noted that this element is crucial to interpreting messages in statements. They believe that native English speakers generally attach great importance to the quality of the vowel in a stressed syllable than other features that constitute stress when they listen to non-native English speakers. This could be explained that correct stressed syllables help them identify a word much more easily. In other words, misplaced stress leads to intelligibility loss and vowel quality change (Richards, 2016) Pronunciation teaching approaches One of the most popular approaches used in teaching L2 pronunciation and is still prior is the audio-lingual approach. The primary purpose of this approach is to help adult students to memorize grammatical sentence patterns by drilling (Larsen-Freeman, 2000). With the approach, teachers emphasize dialogues, minimal pair drills, and morphemes (Celce-Murcia, Brinton, & Goodwin, 1991). In fact, the more learners repeat the whole or part of a dialogue in L1, the more the learners can emphasize the importance of proper pronunciation, intonation, stress, etc. However, according to Odisho (2007), teaching L2 pronunciation through memorization in the form of 'repeat-after-me activities appears more effective for children than for adults. In his book, Odisho (2014) believes that since the human brain tends to control all senses to gather more information to make decisions, it does not rely on one sensory source. EFL teachers generally fail to teach adult learners English pronunciation since pronunciation is also conveyed via the visual sensory modality and kinesthetic sensory modality. They apply the traditional pronunciation approach relying heavily on the auditory sensory modality (model, hear and pronounce) solely. Consequently, a new pronunciation teaching approach, the Multisensory, Multicognitive Approach (MMA), is proposed. Odisho (2007) notes that teaching L2 pronunciation with a multisensory approach means EFL learners are required not only to hear and make sounds but also to see and feel them in the context of natural speech. Similarly, in L2 classes, the metacognitive approach gives students more encouragement to do more than one simple task. For instance, they have to listen to the sounds carefully and store them in short- term memory. After that, the L2 learners need to compare those sounds with ones already part of their psycholinguistic inventory using all cognitive processes. Game-based learning According to Qian and Clark (2016), game-based learning refers to an environment in which game activities help students acquire better knowledge and skill acquisition. These games could be divided into two different kinds, including entertaining games and educational games. Although they are both employed in the learning environment, their purposes are slightly ACOJ-ISSN 1936-9859 AsiaCALL Online Journal Vol. 12; No. 4; 2021 50 different. The first is mainly designed for fun, while the latter is used for educational purposes (Connolly et al., 2012). However, choosing appropriate games in language learning is a consideration for many English teachers. Shanahan, Hermans, and Haytko (2006) stated that effective-in-class games must have five fundamental characteristics. First, the games must be related to the learning outcomes. Their rules also are easy to understand by players, but they must less important than the learning. Such games then provide more motivation for the students to perform better. Finally, these students can give feedback on the games to their teachers. Corno and Snow (1986) also believe that educators can achieve educational purposes successfully if they can satisfy the needs of students with different learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic styles). In that case, games are the optimum choice because they can offer teachers and educators countless opportunities to implement that task. Benefits of games in language learning Educational games are regarded as one of the most effective tools for teachers and students because they can support traditional teaching methods (Lujan & DiCarlo, 2006). For teachers, games can help them teach their students complex content (Cardona et al., 2007) and allow them to have discussions with their peers about the target concepts (Odenweller, Hsu, & DiCarlo, 1998). For students, games add more enjoyment to their learning environment (Wang, 2010). Zhu (2012) adds that for learners of foreign languages, games, especially language games, will become their preference if those games are used effectively in classrooms. Therefore, the students can enjoy learning the target language with high motivation (Reese & Wells, 2007) while their anxiety is lowered. Benefits of mobile devices in pronunciation learning The widespread use of mobile phones to develop language skills in education is not a new concept. In fact, integrating these devices has had several considerable merits for language learners (Murphy, 2011). One of these advantages is to improve students’ foreign language pronunciation. Wilson (2008) discovers that by utilizing interactive English pronunciation apps, EFL students are likely to enhance their pronunciation skills because they offer numerous practical exercises and native speakers’ instant feedback to users (Agusalim, Assidiqi, & Muhammad, 2014). Similar findings found in research by Xiao and Luo (2017) indicate that students who learned phonetics with the Liulishu app outperformed those who did not. The second merit of using mobile devices for learning is that they are more accessible and user- friendly than desktop computers (Stockwell, 2007). That means students do not need to stay in any set location but still get access to learning materials without attending a face-to-face class. Another plus point of this practice is that teachers can facilitate their students’ studies with fun mobile games in an interactive and fascinating environment by using portable devices such as smartphones or tablets. Thus, not only do the students become autonomous (Ertmer, 2005), but their learning motivation also increases (Ebrahimzadeh & Alavi, 2016). ACOJ- ISSN 1936-9859 C. H. Nguyen, H. T. Nguyen, T. Q. Le Vol. 12; No. 04; 2021 51 Benefits of mobile games in pronunciation According to Gee (2007) and Prensky (2006), playing mobile games has become extremely popular recently and offered promising benefits when used in language classrooms. Apart from the benefits mentioned above of games in L2 learning, mobile games will assist students in improving their language acquisition (Chiu, Kao, & Reynolds, 2012). Suppose EFL learners are engaged in mobile game-based activities. In that case, they are likely to gradually level up their language proficiency, such as writing development (Allen, Crossley, Snow, & McNamara, 2012) and better oral proficiency (Lan, 2014). Moreover, a study conducted by Young and Wang (2014) demonstrates a remarkable improvement in students' pronunciation performance after they use mobile games in their EFL class. This conclusion is strengthened by the research findings of Berry (2021). In his study, a video game called Spaceteam ESL was used as the main treatment for Korean speakers of English with the ages of 18 and 22 in 3 experimental groups (EG). After a 15-week semester, he found out those students improved more significantly than those who utilized paper-based pronunciation exercises. Related studies The use of games in language teaching and learning, especially in teaching pronunciation, has received considerable attention in recent years. Nguyen (2015) gets the most out of Bingo, Noughts, and Crosses and other games to enhance second-year non-English major students' pronunciation at Ha Noi University. Her study findings show that students at different English levels can make huge progress in their pronunciation after receiving the treatment. The results also reveal that her students have a positive attitude towards the game usage in their pronunciation class. Another study conducted by Nguyen (2016) has the same results in her English class at Khanh Hoa University. In her study, minimal pairs are chosen as a key solution to her freshmen's pronunciation problem. After six-week treatment, not only do the students make enormous improvements, but they also take a favorable attitude to learning pronunciation. A similar result is found in Suhaili’s and Kurniawan’s research (2019) when they employ BINGO games in their classroom setting to improve their students' pronunciation. After reviewing the studies, the researchers conclude that while pronunciation games can help students improve their segmental features such as vowel and consonant production and boost their motivation to learn the subject, such games focus too much on monosyllabic words. Hence, the researchers wonder if any game might help them enhance their vowel sound production in multi-syllabic words. 3. Methods Pedagogical Setting & Participants The study was carried out with the help of 32 English- majored freshmen at Van Lang University. They were randomly chosen and belonged to two different Phonetics classes scheduled by the Faculty of Foreign Languages. Therefore, one class was the control group, ACOJ-ISSN 1936-9859 AsiaCALL Online Journal Vol. 12; No. 4; 2021 52 and the other was the experimental group in this study. Design of the Study The current paper was conducted using a mixed-method. Particularly, a pre-test, a post-test, and a questionnaire were employed to investigate the effects of the apps on students’ vowel pronunciation and their attitudes towards the apps. Tests To ensure the same level of difficulty, the pre-test and post-test resemble and consist of 14 multi-syllabic words, as listed in Table 1. Each of the words was manipulated to determine the participants’ ability to pronounce one specific vowel. These words in the tests were selected from books for teaching English to L2 adult learners such as ‘American Accent Training’ by Cook (2017), ‘Clear Speech: Pronunciation and Listening Comprehension in North American English’ by Gilbert (2012), and ‘Master Mastering the American Accent’ by Mojsin (2009), and were stated to be the most commonly mispronounced words in Norman’s paper (2000). Additionally, these words were taught to the students during the course. The tests were administered for both groups in the class during school time. Each participant was asked to read aloud the words in 1 to 2 minutes. All of the students’ performance in the test was recorded and marked manually by two experienced teachers who are experts in teaching and researching English phonetics features. Table 1. List of words in the pre-test and post-test vowels words vowels words /i/ police /ɑ/ photographer /ɪ/ interesting /u/ canoeing /eɪ/ maintain /ʊ/ understood /ɛ/ vegetable /oʊ/ pronouns /æ/ Titanic /aʊ/ allow /ər/ purchase /ɔɪ/ annoying /ʌ/ comfortable /aɪ/ childhood Questionnaire The questionnaire applied only for the experimental group was designed based on Parreno and Eamoraphan (2017) and Berry (2021). The reason for choosing these two sources lies in that their questions were made to figure out subjects’ perceptions of digital games in EFL learning. To fit the purpose of the current study, the authors selected and modified these questions into ACOJ- ISSN 1936-9859 C. H. Nguyen, H. T. Nguyen, T. Q. Le Vol. 12; No. 04; 2021 53 statements in the questionnaire consisting of two separated parts. In the first part, subjects’ personal information (e.g., course, class) was included. The information in this part was confidential and only served to ensure that students were in the experimental group. The second part presented six statements about students’ attitudes towards the mobile apps, and a five-point Likert scale (1- strongly disagree, 2- disagree, 3- no idea, 4- agree, 5- strongly agree) was used. Additionally, the reliability of the questionnaire was .825, which was an acceptable rate. Treatment A mobile application for pronunciation practice, namely Blue Canoe, served as the treatment for the current experiment. There are several reasons why this application was chosen for the research. First, it uses the proven 20-year-old brain-based methodology called Color Vowel System, which is based on Finger’s model (1985) and has been used in several renowned international education organizations such as the Peace Corps, the U.S. Department of State, Harvard, and Yale University. Another reason is that the multisensory and metacognitive approach (Odisho, 2007, 2014) is applied to Blue Canoe, which means learning vowels with the app is suitable for all different learning styles, including visual, auditory, and auditory kinesthetic styles. The free version of the mobile application was made to help activate our brain to learn sounds through images, music, and movement. More specifically, when L2 learners use the app, they are first trained to identify and memorize 14 English vowels by looking at the color vowel chart and listening to vowels which rhyme with different colors. For example, long I sound, and the phrase 'white tie' is in rhyme, while short I sound rhymes with the phrase 'silver pin.' After that, several quizzes with audios included in the app are used to teach the learners how important it is for the stressed syllable and stressed vowel quality to be in intelligible pronunciation. Finally, the learners can experience a fascinating and fun game called Color it Out to show how intelligible their pronunciation is with native English speakers' feedback included in the game. Data collection & analysis The tests and the questionnaire were delivered to the participants during school time. The procedure of the experiment lasted for five weeks (from week 3 to week 8, based on the school syllabus) and was summarised as follows: Week 1: Introducing the features of English pronunciation Week 2: Giving pre-test Week 3, 4, 5, 7, 8: Applying the treatment (Week 6: Mid-term test) Week 9: Giving post-test Week 10: Delivering the questionnaire via Google forms ACOJ-ISSN 1936-9859 AsiaCALL Online Journal Vol. 12; No. 4; 2021 54 From week 3 to week 8 (except week 6 when students had to attend a midterm test), the intervened class learned and practiced vowel sounds with Blue Canoe during two-hour lessons chorally, individually, and in pairs. At the end of each lesson, the students are asked to play the game Color It Out in the application with their friends in about 15 minutes, either in pairs or in small groups, so as to consolidate their knowledge about the vowel sounds. However, students in the control groups were instructed through the audio-lingual method. That is to say, the participants only listened and repeated after the models provided by the teacher right from the beginning of the lesson, and then they practiced with minimal pair drills and dialogues. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS 26.0. Before administering the treatment for the experimental group, independent samples t-tests were used to figure out whether there were any differences in the pre-test and post-test results in both groups. Then, after five weeks of applying the treatment for the experimental group, a paired sample t-test comparing the results of the tests was calculated for each of the groups. Data from the questionnaire was also computed right after the test analysis. 4. Results/Findings and discussion The results from the pre-test and post-test in both groups indicated the significance of the treatment applied to the intervened class. A more detailed look at the figures for the test result analysis revealed that the students in the experimental group gained more improvement than the control group. Following the authors’ earlier discussion, with the intention of examining to identify whether there were any marked discrepancies in participated students’ pronunciation, independent samples t-tests and reliability were operated. The statistics clearly signified the consistency of the pre-test in both classes. Particularly, Cronbach’s Alpha of the pre-test was 0.702 for the control group and 0.78 for the intervened group, as shown in Table 2, Table 3, and Table 4 below. Table 2. Reliability of pre-test in the control group Cronbach’s Alpha N of Items .702 14 Table 3. Reliability of pre-test in intervened group Cronbach’s Alpha N of Items .78 14 ACOJ- ISSN 1936-9859 C. H. Nguyen, H. T. Nguyen, T. Q. Le Vol. 12; No. 04; 2021 55 Students’ accurate stressed vowels before the intervention Table 4. Results of independent t-test between the pre-tests in the two groups Variable M SD t df p Vowel production Control group 6.0 2.55 -.986 32 .331 Experimental group 6.88 2.67 Note. * The t and df were not adjusted because variances were equal. * Independent Samples t-test As can be seen from Table 4, the mean score of the students in the control group was slightly lower than that in the experimental group, at 6.0 and 6.88, respectively. However, the result of the independent samples t-test with the p-value, p = .331 > .05, illustrated no significant difference in the ability to produce accurate stressed vowel sounds of the students in the two groups. This means that before the treatment was applied, the two groups’ vowel production was similar. Therefore, the experiment fulfilled the criteria and was approved. Research question 1: What are the effects of using mobile games on learning stressed vowels among first-year English majors at Van Lang University (VLU)? Table 5. Results of pre-test and post-test paired samples t-test in the control group (CG) Variable M SD Correlatio n Mean difference t df p Vowel production of CG Pre-test 6.0 2.065 .510 -2.47 -4.388 16 .000 Post-test 8.47 2.549 Note. Paired Samples t-test ACOJ-ISSN 1936-9859 AsiaCALL Online Journal Vol. 12; No. 4; 2021 56 Table 6. Results of pre-test and post-test paired samples t-test in the experimental group (EG) Variable M SD Correlation Mean difference t df p Vowel production of EG Pre-test 6.88 2.214 .713 -4.29 -9.337 16 .000 Post-test 11.177 2.667 Note. Paired Samples t-test Tables 5 and 6 show the results of a paired samples t-test between the pre-test and the post-test in the control and experimental groups, respectively. Regarding to the former, the mean score of the pre-test was 6.0 (M = 6.0, SD = 2.065) while that of the post-test was slightly higher, at 8.47 (M = 8.47, SD = 2.549). The mean difference between the tests was -2.47 and the results of the paired-samples t-test (t = -4.388) was .000 (p = .000 < .05). These statistics illustrate that the distinction in the tests of the control group was statistically significant. Hence, it can be concluded that the participants gained improvement during the course without the treatment. For the control group, the mean difference between the mean score of the pre-test (M = 6.88) and that of the post-test (M = 11.177) was -4.29. In addition, the paired samples t-test had a p- value of .000 (p = .000 < .05). Thus, there was a statistically significant difference in the test scores. The findings are consistent with those in Wilson’s study (2008), in which students made great progress in their English consonant and vowel pronunciation after they used mobile applications. The outstanding achievement in the student's score in the present study can be explained by the fact that the mobile application used includes practical activities and games and immediate feedback to users, as well as by the fact that it boosted student's learning ability with the combination of different senses such as hearing, feeling, and sight. With the application of the multisensory and multicognitive approach mentioned earlier, the pronunciation learning process of the experimental group took place in different stages, from listening to the vowels, storing them, comparing them with the ones in their psycholinguistic inventory to articulating the desired sounds. ACOJ- ISSN 1936-9859 C. H. Nguyen, H. T. Nguyen, T. Q. Le Vol. 12; No. 04; 2021 57 Table 7. Results of independent t-test between the post-tests in the two groups Variable M SD Correlation t df p Vowel production Post-test (EG) 11.177 2.214 2.706 3.684 32 .001 Post-test (CG) 8.47 2.065 Note. Independent Samples t-test Another independent samples t-test was made between the data collected from the post-test in both groups to make the point clearer. In Table 7, statistics from t-test analysis (t = 3.684, p = .001 < .05) reveal a statistically significant divergence in the post-test scores between these two groups. Also, the mean difference of the group using Blue Canoe appeared higher than that of the other group. These figures indicate that using mobile pronunciation applications had a positive effect on participants’ vowel pronunciation. The result of this study supports Xiao and Luo (2017), who found that when students made use of mobile apps, they outperformed those who studied in a traditional phonetics class where students are taught with the audio-lingual approach in order to memorize patterns by drilling. However, such an approach seems to be more effective with children than adult learners (Odisho, 2007, 2014). Therefore, students in the experimental group experience the new approach in which they can control many senses to get information and produce the target sounds. This explains why there is a remarkable difference in the mean score of the post-test in the two groups, which means the treatment group with the use of the mobile application performs better than the control group learning with the traditional approach. Accordingly, students would improve their stressed vowel production more considerably if they learned pronunciation with a mobile application like Blue Canoe. Research question 2: Do students have positive attitudes towards using mobile games on learning vowels? A survey was delivered to intervened samples right after the post-test to examine students' viewpoints on mobile apps in learning phonetics. Data from the questionnaire were collected and analyzed via SPSS program 26.0. The reliability stood at 0.825, which was highly accepted (Table 8). Statistics from this survey (Table 9) indicate that most students had positive attitudes towards Blue Canoe, with a mean score of 3.956. Remarkably, most of the students strongly agreed that they would continue to use it in class (M=4.467), followed by the idea that they could hear the vowel sounds more clearly (M=4.267). Although they were generally on the side of that digital application use in class, not many students are for the points that the app could assist them in pronouncing words or getting feedback easily with the lowest mean scores of 3.6 and 3.667, respectively. Regarding the two statements investigating whether they felt confident or were interested in manipulating the digital apps, the participants tended to reach agreement ACOJ-ISSN 1936-9859 AsiaCALL Online Journal Vol. 12; No. 4; 2021 58 on level (M= 3.8 and 3.93, correspondingly). Overall, this finding is similar to the one by Nguyen (2015) and by Ghounane (2019), where it was found that students had a positive attitude to the use of mobile games or mobile applications. With the use of Blue Canoe, students felt more confident and would continue to use it in the future, which shows that the application has provided them with both satisfaction and interest. Obviously, the application is easy to install on a mobile phone, which they can carry anywhere and do some practice at any time. The fact that the students wanted to keep using them with a mean score of 4.47, which is remarkably high, shows the possibility of continuous use for pronunciation improvement. One of the reasons for the interest in the application is that they could get helpful feedback from the application when they produced the sounds. Instant feedback is one of the essential features of a mobile application game (Agusalim et al., 2014); therefore, in this study context, the feedback students got immediately made them feel happy and keep track of their study progress. Moreover, students found the sound of the app clear to hear, with the second-highest mean score of 4.27, which indicates that the sound system's quality in the app gets students involved in the activities they do with it and creates a sense of satisfaction. Ultimately, they felt they pronounced the words more easily. Table 8. Reliability of the questionnaire Cronbach’s Alpha N of Items .825 6 Table 9. Descriptive statistics on students’ attitudes towards the mobile apps N Range Minimum Maximum Mean feel confident 16 3 2 5 3.80 want to continue using the apps 16 2 3 5 4.47 can hear the sound more clearly 16 2 3 5 4.27 can pronoun words more easily 16 4 1 5 3.60 be interested in the game 16 3 2 5 3.93 can get useful feedback 16 4 1 5 3.67 Valid N (listwise) 16 ACOJ- ISSN 1936-9859 C. H. Nguyen, H. T. Nguyen, T. Q. Le Vol. 12; No. 04; 2021 59 5. Conclusion In conclusion, the current research was conducted to investigate the effects of using mobile apps in enhancing English vowel pronunciation among EFL majors at Van Lang University and their attitudes towards using the apps in Phonetics class. The results showed that there was a considerable difference in the post-test results between the control group (M=8.47) and the experimental group (M=11.177). In addition, the independent samples t-tests (p= .331 and .001) and paired samples t-tests (p=0) in the pre-test and the post-test indicated that the subjects were treated fairly during the experiment. Particularly, students in the intervened class could pronounce better at difficult sounds with more accurate stresses (e.g., Titanic, purchase) than those in the other class. Therefore, it was concluded that using a mobile app like Blue Canoe has enabled students to perform better in pronouncing English vowels. This is because it facilitates the combination of different senses in learning from students. For this reason, English teachers should apply the multisensory and multicognitive approach in their teaching pronunciation to reach a better possibility of success. More specifically, the implementation of a mobile application like Blue Canoe can be recommended in the classroom, especially in the pronunciation class. Instead of using traditional games or activities that only adopt an audio-lingual approach, teachers should take the above-mentioned approach into account to get the best from students’ learning practice. For students, the use of this application is highly suggested for its easy accessibility and effectiveness. It is suitable for varied kinds of learners, for it activates different senses in a learner. Besides, based on the result of the questionnaire (M=3.956), it was stated that the participants had positive attitudes towards using the mobile app in practicing vowel sounds. This finding confirms the potential for utilizing the app in a long-term period, which can even result in better performance in students’ vowel articulation. Although the paper has shown some significance in the field, limitations could not be avoided. Firstly, the time for the treatment only lasted for five weeks, and there were only 16 participants, so the results could not be generalized. Secondly, the test was focused on American vowels; thus, the results were not applicable for other English language varieties' sounds. Finally, only a questionnaire was administered in the research, which was not enough to investigate all of the students' attitudes in depth. In connection with suggestions for further research, the following issues should be taken into consideration. First, there should be a larger number of participants so that the results can be more generalized. Furthermore, it is highly recommended that other features of English pronunciation should be included in future investigations. Regarding tools for measuring learners’ attitudes towards the treatment, questionnaires, interviews, and observations should be used for gaining more students’ detailed opinions about manipulating mobile applications in ESL/EFL classrooms. ACOJ-ISSN 1936-9859 AsiaCALL Online Journal Vol. 12; No. 4; 2021 60 References Agusalim, I. D., Assidiqi, M. H., & Muhammad, A. F. (2014). Developing Mobile Application of Interactive English Pronunciation Training to Improve EFL Students’ Pronunciation Skill Journal of Education and Practice, 5(33), 135-139. Al-Rubaat, A. M., & Alshammari, H. A. (2019). Analysis of Phonetic and Phonological Constraints of Saudi EFL Learners. English Language Teaching, 13(1), 63-72. doi:http://doi:10.5539/elt.v13n1p63 Allen, L. K., Crossley, S. A., Snow, E. L., & McNamara, D. (2012). L2 Writing Practice: Game Enjoyment as a Key to Engagement. Language Learning & Technology, 18(2), 124-150. doi:https://doi.org/10125/44373 Bent, T., Bradlow, A. R., & Smith, B. L. (2007). Segmental Errors in Different Word Positions and Their Effects on Intelligibility of Non-native Speech. In O.-S. Bohn & M. J. Munro (Eds.), Language experience in second language speech learning: In honor of James Emil Flege (1 ed., pp. 331–347). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company. Berry, D. M. (2021). Level up Your Pronunciation: Impact of a Mobile Game. MEXTESOL Journal, 41(1), 1-12. Retrieved from EJ1289011.pdf (ed.gov) Candilas, K. (2021). Developing English-Speaking Skills through Socratic Questioning in Online Synchronous Learning. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 12(3), 74-81. Retrieved from https://asiacall.info/acoj/index.php/journal/article/view/52 Cardona, T., Spiegel, C., Alves, G., Ducommun, J., Andrea Henriques-Pons, & Araújo-Jorge, T. (2007). Introducing DNA Concepts to Swiss High School Students Based on a Brazilian Educational Game. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 35(6), 416-421. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.95 Celce-Murcia, M., Brinton, D. M., & Goodwin, J. M. (1991). Teaching Pronunciation. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (1 ed., pp. 136- 153). New York: Newbury House. Celce-Murcia, M., Brinton, D. M., & Goodwin, J. M. (2010). English pronunciation: A course book and reference guide (2 ed.). Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press. Chiu, Y.-h., Kao, C.-w., & Reynolds, B. L. (2012). The Relative Effectiveness of Digital Game‐ Based Learning Types in English as a Foreign Language Setting: A Meta‐Analysis. British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(4), 104-107. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2012.01295.x Connolly, T. M., Boyle, E. A., MacArthur, E., Hainey, T., & Boyle, J. M. (2012). A Systematic Literature Review of Empirical Evidence on Computer Games and Serious Games. Computers & Education, 59(2), 661-686. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.03.004 Cook, A. (2017). American Accent Training (4 ed.). New York: Barron's Educational Series. http://doi:10.5539/elt.v13n1p63 https://doi.org/10125/44373 https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1289011.pdf https://asiacall.info/acoj/index.php/journal/article/view/52 https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.95 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2012.01295.x https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.03.004 ACOJ- ISSN 1936-9859 C. H. Nguyen, H. T. Nguyen, T. Q. Le Vol. 12; No. 04; 2021 61 Corno, L., & Snow, R. (1986). Adapting Teaching to Individual Differences among Learners (3 ed.). New York: Macmillan. Dhillon, B. P. S. (2016). Does mother tongue affect the English pronunciation? Paper presented at the the International Journal of Language, Education, Humanities, and Innovation, Indonesia. Do, L. M. (2021). The Role Pronunciation Teaching in EFL Classrooms: Beliefs and Practices of Teachers and Students. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 1(1), 47–53. Retrieved from http://i-jte.org/index.php/journal/article/view/7 Ebrahimzadeh, M., & Alavi, S. (2016). Motivating EFL Students: E-Learning Enjoyment as a Predictor of Vocabulary Learning through Digital Video Games. Cogent Education, 3(1), 1-13. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2016.1255400 Ertmer, P. A. (2005). Teacher Pedagogical Beliefs: The Final Frontier in Our Quest for Technology Integration. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 53(4), 25-39. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02504683 Finger, J. (1985). Teaching Pronunciation with the Vowel Colour Chart. TEST Canada Journal, 2(2), 43-50. doi:https://doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v2i2.461 Foote, J. A., Trofimovich, P., Collins, L., & Urzúa, F. S. (2016). Pronunciation teaching practices in communicative second language classes. The Language Learning Journal, 44(2), 181-196. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2013.784345 Gee, J. P. (2007). Good Video Games + Good Learning: Collected Essays on Video Games, Learning and Literacy (1 ed.). Bern, Switzerland: Peter Lang Inc. Ghounane, N. (2019). The Attitudes of Second Year EFL Students at Dr Moulay Tahar University towards Learning English Pronunciation through Mobile Assisted Language. Arab World English Journal, 5(110-123). doi:http://doi:10.24093/AWEJ/CALL5.9 Gilbert, J. B. (2012). Clear Speech: Pronunciation and Listening Comprehension in North American English (4 ed.). Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press. Godwin-Jones, R. (2014). Games in Language Learning: Opportunities and Challenges. Language Learning & Technology, 18(2), 9-19. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10125/44363 Heggie, L., & Wade-Woolley, L. (2017). Reading Longer Words: Insights Into Multi-syllabic Word Reading. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 2(1), 86-94. doi:10.1044/persp2.SIG1.86 Hismanoglu, M., & Hismanoglu, S. (2010). Language Teachers’ Preferences of Pronunciation Teaching Techniques: Traditional or Modern? Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 983-989. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.138 Jenkins, J. (2002). A Sociolinguistically-Based, Empirically-Researched Pronunciation Syllabus for English as an International Language. Applied Linguistics, 23(1), 83-103. http://i-jte.org/index.php/journal/article/view/7 https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2016.1255400 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02504683 https://doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v2i2.461 https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2013.784345 http://doi:10.24093/AWEJ/CALL5.9 http://dx.doi.org/10125/44363 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.138 ACOJ-ISSN 1936-9859 AsiaCALL Online Journal Vol. 12; No. 4; 2021 62 doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/23.1.83 Jones, T. (2018). Pronunciation with other areas of language. In O. Kang, R. I. Thomson, & J. M. Murphy (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary English Pronunciation (1 ed., pp. 370-384). London and New York: Routledge. Lan, K. Y. (2014). Does Second Life Improve Mandarin Learning by Overseas Chinese Students? Language Learning & Technology, 18(2), 36-56. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10125/44365 Lane, L. (2010). Tips for Teaching Pronunciation: A Practical Approach (1 ed.). The United States: Pearson Education ESL. Larsen-Freeman, D. (2000). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching (2 ed.). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. Lesner, S., Sandridge, S., & Kricos, P. (1987). Training Influences on Visual Consonant and Sentence Recognition. Ear and Hearing, 8(5), 283-287. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/00003446-198710000-00005 Lujan, H. L., & DiCarlo, S. E. (2006). Too Much Teaching, Not Enough Learning: What Is the Solution? Advances in Physiology Education, 30(1), 17-22. doi:https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00061.2005 McCauley, B., Nguyen, N., & McDonald, M. (2016). Understanding the Motivations of Vietnamese Millennial Mobile Gamers: A Pilot Study. Paper presented at the International Conference on Emerging Trends in Business, Economics and Management, Dubai, UAE. Mojsin, L. (2009). Mastering the American Accent (2 Ed.). New York: Barron's Educational Series. Murphy, G. D. (2011). Post-PC Devices: A Summary of Early iPad Technology Adoption in Tertiary Environments. E-journal of Business Education & Scholarship of Teaching, 5(1), 18-32. Nguyen, H., & Nguyen, T. (2007). Teaching English in Primary Schools in Vietnam: An Overview. Current Issues in Language Planning, 8(2), 162-173. doi:http://doi:10.2167/cilp106.0 Nguyen, N. T. T. (2021). A review of the effects of media on foreign language vocabulary acquisition. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 1(1), 30–37. Retrieved from http://i-jte.org/index.php/journal/article/view/5 Nguyen, T. (2015). Using Games to Improve Pronunciation of the Second-Year Non-English Major Students at Hanoi University of Business and Technology. World of Science, 3(2). Nguyen, V. (2016). Games Application to Improve Pronunciation for Khanh Hoa University Freshmen. Paper presented at the International Conference on English Language https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/23.1.83 http://dx.doi.org/10125/44365 https://doi.org/10.1097/00003446-198710000-00005 https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00061.2005 http://doi:10.2167/cilp106.0 http://i-jte.org/index.php/journal/article/view/5 ACOJ- ISSN 1936-9859 C. H. Nguyen, H. T. Nguyen, T. Q. Le Vol. 12; No. 04; 2021 63 Teaching 2016: Exploring New Paths to A Better Future of ELT In A Globalised World Full Programme, Ho Chi Minh City. Norman, S. (2000). My 100 Most Mispronounced Words in English. English Teaching Professional, 14. Odenweller, C. M., Hsu, C. T., & DiCarlo, S. E. (1998). Educational Card Games for Understanding Gastrointestinal Physiology. Advances in Physiology Education, 275(6), 78-84. doi:https://doi.org/10.1152/advances.1998.275.6.S78 Odisho, E. (2007). A Multisensory, Multicognitive Approach to Teaching Pronunciation. Revista de Estudos Linguisticos da Universidade do Porto, 2, 3-28. Odisho, E. Y. (2014). Pronunciation is in the Brain, not in the Mouth. Gorgias Press. Parreno, M. D. A., & Eamoraphan, S. (2017). A Study of Kindergarten 2 Students English Phonics Achievement and Their Perceptions towards the Use of English Phonics Online Games at St. Mark s International School, Thailand. Scholar : Human Sciences, 9(1), 312-326. Pham, B., & McLeod, S. (2016). Consonants, Vowels and Tones across Vietnamese Dialects. . International Journal of Speech - Language Pathology, 18(2), 122-134. doi:https://doi.org/10.3109/17549507.2015.1101162 Prensky, M. (2006). Don't Bother Me, Mom, I'm Learning!: How Computer and Video Games Are Preparing Your Kids for 21st Century Success and How You Can Help! (1 ed.). Minnesota, the USA: Paragon House. Qian, M., & Clark, K. R. (2016). Game-Based learning and 21st Century Skills: A Review of Recent Research. Computers in Human Behavior, 63, 50-58. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.05.023 Reese, C., & Wells, T. (2007). Teaching Academic Discussion Skills with a Card Game. Simulation & Gaming, 38(4), 546-555. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878107308063 Richards, M. G. (2016). Not All Word Stress Errors Are Created Equal: Validating an English Word Stress Error Gravity Hierarchy. (Doctoral dissertation), Retrieved from https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/16001 Roach, P. (2009). English Phonetics and Phonology: A Practical Course (4 ed.). Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press. Rogers, C. L., & Dalby, J. (2005). Forced-Choice Analysis of Segmental Production by Chinese Accented English Speakers. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 48(2), 306-322. doi:https://doi.org/10.1044/1092-4388(2005/021) Shanahan, K. J., Hermans, C. M., & Haytko, D. L. (2006). Overcoming Apathy and Classroom Disconnect in Marketing Courses: Employing Karaoke Jeopardy as a Content Retention Tool. Marketing Education Review, 16(1), 85-90 https://doi.org/10.1152/advances.1998.275.6.S78 https://doi.org/10.3109/17549507.2015.1101162 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.05.023 https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878107308063 https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/16001 https://doi.org/10.1044/1092-4388(2005/021 ACOJ-ISSN 1936-9859 AsiaCALL Online Journal Vol. 12; No. 4; 2021 64 doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10528008.2006.11488944 Stockwell, G. (2007). Vocabulary on the Move: Investigating an Intelligent Mobile Phone- Based Vocabulary Tutor. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 14(2), 95-110. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10125/44216 Suhaili, A., & Kurniawan, A. (2019). The Use of Pronunciation Bingo Game to Improve Students’ Pronunciation. Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature, 2(2), 170-189. doi:https://doi.org/10.47080/jeltl.v2i2.630 Tran, Vu Mai Yen, & Nguyen, Tran Uyen Nhi. (2021). The Practice of Online English Teaching and Learning with Microsoft Teams: From Students’ View. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 12(2), 51-57. Retrieved from https://asiacall.info/acoj/index.php/journal/article/view/41 Valcke, J., & Pavón, V. (2015). A Comparative Study On the Use of Pronunciation Strategies for Highlighting Information in University Lectures. In R. Wilkinson & M. L. Walsh (Eds.), Integrating Content and Language in Higher Education: From Theory to Practice (pp. 323-341). Frankfurt-am-Main: Peter Lang. Van, L. K., Dang, T. A., Pham, D. B. T., Vo, T. T. N., & Pham, V. P. H. (2021). The Effectiveness of Using Technology in Learning English. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 12(2), 24-40. Retrieved from https://asiacall.info/acoj/index.php/journal/article/view/26 Vang, X. (2003). English Language Teaching in Vietnam Today: Policy, Practice and Constraints. In H. W. K. R. Y. L. Wong (Ed.), English Language Teaching in East Asia Today (1 ed., pp. 455-474). Singapore: Times Media Private Limited. Wahid, R., & Sulong, S. (2013). The Gap between Research and Practice in the Teaching of English Pronunciation: Insights from Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices. World Applied Sciences Journal, 2(Special Issue of Studies in Language Teaching and Learning), 133- 142. doi:http://10.5829/idosi.wasj.2013.21.sltl.2147 Wang, Y. (2010). Using Communicative Language Games in Teaching and Learning English in Taiwanese Primary Schools. Journal of Engineering Technology and Education, 7(1), 126-142. Wilson, I. (2008). Using Praat and Moodle for Teaching Segmental and Suprasegmental Pronunciation. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the WorldCALL 2008 Conference: CALL Bridges the World Japan. Xiao, J., & Luo, Y. (2017). Application of Mobile Learning System in Phonetics Teaching. Paper presented at the IC4E '17: 8th International Conference on E-Education, E-Business, E- Management and E-Learning Malaysia. Young, S. S. C., & Wang, Y. H. (2014). The Game Embedded CALL System to Facilitate English Vocabulary Acquisition and Pronunciation. Educational Technology & Society, 17(3), 239-251. https://doi.org/10.1080/10528008.2006.11488944 http://dx.doi.org/10125/44216 https://doi.org/10.47080/jeltl.v2i2.630 https://asiacall.info/acoj/index.php/journal/article/view/41 https://asiacall.info/acoj/index.php/journal/article/view/26 http://10.0.22.197/idosi.wasj.2013.21.sltl.2147 ACOJ- ISSN 1936-9859 C. H. Nguyen, H. T. Nguyen, T. Q. Le Vol. 12; No. 04; 2021 65 Zhu, D. (2012). Using Games to Improve Students’ Communicative Ability. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 3(4), 801-805. doi:http://doi:10.4304/jltr.3.4.801- 805 Zielinski, B. (2006). The Intelligibility Cocktail: An Interaction Between Speaker and Listener Ingredients. Prospect: An Australia Journal of TESOL, 21(1), 22-45. Biodata Huy Cuong Nguyen has been working as an English lecturer in the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Van Lang University for 5 years. He teaches not only English skills but also English for specific purposes to English majors. Carrying out research on applying new teaching techniques to enhance students’ pronunciation is his particular interest. Ha Thi Nguyen is currently a lecturer of English in the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Van Lang University. She mainly teaches English skills to mainstream students. She is particularly interested in doing research on how to integrate Internet-based applications in English Language Teaching and on assessment in English teaching. Thao Quang Le has been teaching English as a foreign language for 9 years. He is now a lecturer in the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Van Lang University. He gives classes on four English skills and teaches courses in English linguistic components. He takes an interest in conducting research into L1 instructions in the classrooms and language assessment. http://doi:10.4304/jltr.3.4.801-805 http://doi:10.4304/jltr.3.4.801-805