Pronunciation Power
Product Information
Software title: Pronunciation Power
Publisher: English Computerized Learning, Inc
Address: 888 Terrace Plaza, 4445 Calgary Trail South Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6H 5R7
Telephone: 403-448-1032
Fax: 403-448-1895
Email address: info@englishlearning.com
Website URL: http://www.englishlearning.com
Cost(s): Stand-alone Version (one copy): $84.--
There is a discount for buying multiple copies.
Reviewer Information
Name: Raquel Kellermann
Title: ESL Instructor/Computer Lab Coordinator
Program: Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center, Adult ESL
Address: 885 Washington Street, Boston MA 02111
Phone: 617-635-5133
Fax: 617-635-5132
Email: rkellermann@hotmail.com
Date of Review: March 15, 1998
Description of Software Program
Instruction Type: Any level; though intermediate and advanced students are able to profit from written descriptions of sound production. There are plenty of color graphics and photographs.
Curriculum Area: pronunciation
Software Types: drill and practice, tutorial, assessment
Back-up Disks Available? no
Network/Site License Available? no
Program editing features included? no
Inspection copy available? Yes
Demo disk available? Yes
Demo Free? Yes
Trial period? Yes
Full version available for trial period? Yes
Length of trial period: 30 days
General Description: Pronunciation software which allows users to tailor the activities to their needs. All 52 sounds of (American) English are presented and are followed by speech analysis activities, lessons, and four different kinds of exercises (Sample Words, Comparative Words, Listening Discrimination, Sentences). Focus is on pronouncing English clearly and on differentiating between words with similar sounds.
Purposes: Pronunciation Power claims to "cover the most serious pronunciation problems of most language groups." Allows user to practice all 52 sounds of English. Aims to show link between listening and speaking and improve those skills. Explains to user how sounds are produced using speech instruments. International Phonetic Alphabet is used to illustrate correlation between letter and sound.
Intended audience: Anyone age 8 and up wanting to improve their pronunciation. Words and sentences are for intermediate to advanced English learners.
Instructional Mode:
Can be used individually or in small groups. Possible to present to a class using large screen.
Instructional Format
Pronunciation Power has an in-built help mode. Interface is in color; graphics and sound enhance learning. User has control over what activities to do; no "branching" based upon performance. Program uses interactivity well; users assess their progress by approximating sounds. Recording and playback allows for comparison.
Program Format
Illustrations and photographs are used to illustrate the production of sounds. All writing can be listened to by clicking the voice button.
Management Format
There is no record-keeping system; no password is necessary. Users do not receive scores. Teacher can direct student on which sound to concentrate and which activities to do.
Manuals and Student Support Materials
Program comes with an 18-page User Manual, which includes a glossary. The manual is in-depth and written in pretty technical language; it is suitable for teachers and high-level students who are interested in phonology.
Technical Support
The publisher maintains a web site; there's an e-mail address; and toll number. I communicated with a company representative via e-mail and received a reply within a day.
Hardware Requirements
Platforms:
IBM: Windows 3.11 and Windows 95, MPC2 compliant, 486/66 MHz or greater processor
Macintosh: 40 MHz 68040 or better or any Power Mac, System 7 or higher
CD-ROM Minimum double speed
Hard Disk space required: 5 MB (all platforms)
RAM memory requirements:
Windows 95: minimum of 12 MB RAM
Windows 3.11: minimum of 8MB RAM
MAC: 6 MB of free RAM
SoundCard and graphics card required
Peripherals: Mouse; high quality microphone; speakers
Keyboard Skills Needed: medium
Curriculum Integration Comments:
Pronuncation Power is useful as a supplement to conversation classes. It allows for high flexibility, as users can select the particular sound they want to focus on. Students can practice English sounds in a non-threatening environment, repeating the sound over and over again. Because of the small linguistic area covered and the monotony of the activities (listening, producing), Pronunciation Power may be useful for short, intensive practice by students. Students in my classes navigate around for 20-30 minutes before getting bored and wanting to go onto something with more substance. This may also be a good way to introduce students to the phonetic alphabet.
Evaluative Comments:
Strengths: For those people who think that their ESL computer lab should own one piece of pronunciation software, this is a good choice. Users can focus on sound only, or hone their listening discrimination, such as when one sound is compared to another that is simililar, but has a different meaning. Sounds are contextualized in sentences for higher-level students. The mechanical interplay of speech instruments is described minutely.
Weaknesses: Beginning students cannot profit from the (somewhat technical) explanations and descriptions of how the sounds are produced. Pronunciation Power can get pretty scientific at times, such as when the user produces the sound wave of a particular sound, and is able to compare it to the one produced by a native speaker. The activities can become monotonous since they are based on imitation of sound; also, student is assumed to have already developed the ability to discriminate between fine nuances of sounds. I noticed that some students did not actually hear the difference between /s/ and /sh/ or /l/ and /r/ and continued without correcting themselves.
Overall Rating: Good/Excellent