Abstract
Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) tools have revolutionized the field of pronunciation assessment, offering significant opportunities and notable limitations. This talk explores the dual facets of ASR technology inevaluating spoken language proficiency. On the opportunity side, ASRtools provide scalable, cost-effective, and immediate feedback, making them accessible for language learners worldwide. They can analyze various phonetic and prosodic features, offering detailed insights into pronunciation accuracy and fluency. However, limitations persist, including the tools‘ sensitivity to diverse accents, dialects, and speech disorders, which can lead to inaccurate assessments. Additionally, ASRsystems may struggle with contextual nuances and the subtleties of natural speech, potentially overlooking critical aspects of pronunciation. This talk will delve into current advancements, practical applications, and ongoing challenges in leveraging ASR for pronunciation assessment, aiming to provide a balanced perspective on how these tools can be effectively integrated into language learning and evaluation frameworks.
| Date | 24 January 2025 (Friday) |
| Time | 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. |
| Venue | Online through Zoom (The Zoom link will be sent to you one day prior to the seminar.) |
| Speaker | Ms Christy CHAN Senior Tutor & Coordinator of Bespoke Language Services and Scholarship, Chan Feng Men-ling Chan Shuk-lin Language Centre Support, City University of Hong KongDr Pauli LAI Senior Lecturer, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| Language | English |
| Target | For staff |
Participation in these workshops can be counted towards the Certificate Course “Introduction to Teaching in Higher Education”under the theme “Learning and Teaching Support”.
Speaker 1
Ms Christy CHAN
Ms Christy Chan is Senior Tutor and Coordinator of bespoke English services at the CFML CSL English Language Centre at the City University of Hong Kong. She specializes in curriculum design for English for the discipline, English across the curriculum, and quality assurance in education. She co-led four UGC Teaching and Learning Grants on integrating technology in English education, promoting professional development among university teachers, and multimodality in English teaching and learning. She is recipient of the UGC Teaching Award 2022 (Collaborative Team), Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Silver Award 2022 (ICT tools, edu apps, instructional technologies), and Finalist Edtech Cool Tool Award 2021.
Speaker 2
Dr Pauli LAI
Dr. Pauli Lai is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Electrical andElectronic Engineering at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She specializes in databases and programming, with a keen focus on leveraging AI and EdTech to enhance teaching methodologies. Passionate about innovative pedagogies, she has led several funded projects totaling over 4.6 million. Dr. Lai has received several honors, including the eLearning Forum Asia Silver Award in 2022 and the Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award in2024. Her interdisciplinary team also won the Smart Omnichannel Campus Gold Award and the Global Education Award at the 2024 QS Reimagine Education Awards.
