Investigating the use of ai based applications in teaching english pronunciation at some primary schools in hue city

2.2.1.Definition of artificial intelligence AI 52.2.3.Definition of AI English language learning and AI-based applications 7 2.2.4.Advantages and disadvantages of using AI-based applicat

HUE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF ENGLISH

-INVESTIGATING THE USE OF AI-BASED APPLICATIONS

IN TEACHING ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION AT SOME

PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN HUE CITY

NGUYEN HA KHANH VY SUPERVISOR: TRAN THI THU SUONG, M.Ed

Hue, April 2023

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

With this statement, I hereby declare that this research paper is solely my ownwork I certify that I have not received any unauthorized assistance in preparing thispaper and that all sources used in this paper have been appropriately acknowledged

Author

Nguyen Ha Khanh Vy

This research paper aimed to investigate the use of AI-based applications forteaching English pronunciation in selected primary schools in Hue City, namely PhuCat, Xuan Phu, Thuan Thanh, Le Loi, and Vi Da Data were collected and analyzedboth quantitatively and qualitatively: a questionnaire was administered to 35teachers (8 males and 27 females) across the 5 primary schools in Hue City and 5teachers were selected randomly for interviews The findings showed that teacherswere highly aware of the importance of AI-based applications in supporting theteaching of English pronunciation to primary students, with popular tools includingDuolingo, Elsa Speak, LingoDeer, and so on The study also identified a number ofdifficulties teachers encountered in utilizing these applications and offeredrecommendations for improving the effectiveness of their pronunciation lessons

TÓM TẮT

Nghiên cứu này nhằm tìm hiểu nhận thức của giáo viên tiếng Anh về việc sửdụng các ứng dụng trí tuệ nhân tạo trong quá trình dạy phát âm tiếng Anh tại một sốtrường tiểu học được lựa chọn trên địa bàn thành phố Huế bao gồm các Phù Cát,Xuân Phú, Thuận Thành, Lê Lợi và Vĩ Dạ Dữ liệu được thu thập và phân tích cả vềmặt định lượng và định tính: nghiên cứu này tiến hành khảo sát trên bảng câu hỏicủa 35 giáo viên (8 nam và 27 nữ) tại 5 trường tiểu học ở Thành phố Huế và 5 giáoviên trong số 35 giáo viên được chọn ngẫu nhiên để trả lời phỏng vấn phỏng vấn.Kết quả cho thấy, các giáo viên đã có nhận thức đúng về các ứng dựa trên nền tảng

AI và việc tích hợp chúng vào dạy phát âm cho học sinh tiểu học, với các công cụphổ biến như Duolingo, Elsa Speak, LingoDeer, Nghiên cứu cũng chỉ ra một sốkhó khăn mà giáo viên gặp phải khi sử dụng các ứng dụng này và đưa ra các khuyếnnghị để cải thiện hiệu quả của các bài học phát âm của họ

My initial gratitude goes to my supervisor, Ms Tran Thi Thu Suong, for herhelp and guidance in many areas With her help, I could have the appropriateorientation for my research Also, she spent time reviewing drafts of my paper Thisstudy has been improved a lot due to the modifications that she recommended

I would like to thank the English teachers of five primary schools in Hue Cityfor helping me complete the survey They engaged enthusiastically in thequestionnaire and interviews The responses they shared became valuable data forsupporting my paper

I would also like to thank all the lecturers in the Faculty of English forimparting the necessary knowledge and skills to me during my time at theuniversity

Moreover, thanks are due to my close friends, who helped me collect relevantmaterials and gave me support as well as advice

Finally, I wish to extend my thanks to all members of my family, especially

my parents, who gave me precious encouragement during my writing process

2.2.1.Definition of artificial intelligence (AI) 5

2.2.3.Definition of AI English language learning and AI-based applications 7

2.2.4.Advantages and disadvantages of using AI-based applications in language

2.2.7.Principles in Teaching English to Young Learners 15

2.2.8.Teaching pronunciation to young language learners 17

2.2.9.Principles for effective use of AI-based applications in teaching English

2.2.10.Perspectives on applying AI in education 19

4.2 The perceptions of English teachers about AI-based applications at some

4.2.1 Teachers’ perceptions of using AI-based applications 294.1.2 Teachers’ frequency of using AI-based applications 334.1.3 Purposes of using AI-based applications in teaching English pronunciation 35

4.2 The commonly used AI-based applications for teaching English pronunciation

4.2.1 The criteria for selecting AI-based applications 374.2.2 The commonly used AI-based applications 384.3 The ways of using AI-basedapplications to teaching English pronunciation toyoung learners at some primary schools in Hue city 414.3.1 The ways of using AI-based applications 414.3.2 Teachers’ and students’ reflections when using AI-based applications in

4.4 The difficulties teachers faced when using AI-based applications and theirrecommendations to improve teaching and learning English with the support of

REFERENCES 59

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Dependability statistics of Cronbach alpha

Table 2: Purposes of using AI-based applications in teaching Englishpronunciation

Table 3: The commonly used AI-based applications

Table 4: Summary of participants’ responses about teachers’ feeling

Table 5: Statement about teachers’ reflections

Table 6: Summary of participants’ responses about students’ feelings based onteachers’ reflections

Table 7: Statement about students’ feelings based on teachers’ reflectionsTable 8: Difficulties of using AI-based applications

Table 9: Recommendations for teachers when using AI-based applications

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 4.1: Definition of artificial intelligence (AI)

Figure 4.2: The possible use of AI-based applications

Figure 4.3: Teachers’Explanationss and Guidance

Figure 4.4: Teachers’ frequency of using AI-based applications

Figure 4.5: Parts be supported by AI-based applications in teachingpronunciation

Figure 4.6: Criteria for selecting AI-based applications

Figure 4.7: Lesson stages are supported by AI-based applications

Figure 4.8: Teachers’ feelings about using AI-based applications

Figure 4.9: Students’ feelings about using AI-based applications

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale of the research

Learning English as a foreign language in Vietnam has long been an urgentmatter Proof of this urgent need is the Project on Foreign Languages in the NationalEducation System 2020, chaired by the Ministry of Education and Training, whichdemonstrates the necessity of learning foreign languages, including English, to meethuman resource requirements for the industrialization and modernization of thecountry until 2020 in the context of globalization and international integration Thisproject of the Ministry of Education and Training addresses the issue of makingEnglish a compulsory subject Currently, English is an elective subject for grades 1and 2 However, according to the 2018 general education program, English is acompulsory subject at the primary level from grade 3 onwards, and maybe later thissubject will become a compulsory subject from grade 1 onwards From there, it isrealized that teaching and learning English is a must, especially for primary students(the golden age for learning foreign languages) With the requirements of society,English learning not only stops at school but also includes children's self-study andself-discovery with the help of teachers and parents Along with the development oftechnology, artificial intelligence (AI) also plays a certain role in life Nowadays,the application of information technology in teaching is essential The role of AI is

to improve the quality of education Particularly in primary education, AI helpsimprove skills such as pronunciation, listening, speaking, writing, reading, etc AIhelps create a more vivid and diverse foreign language learning environment thantraditional ones This is beneficial when it matches the personality traits of primaryschool students With these two factors mentioned, there are many parents, teachers,and schools interested in implementing AI apps to teach English Currently, therehave been some studies on the use of AI in teaching English, like Tam's (2020),with the study "Application of information technology to increase interest inEnglish lessons," and the study of La Rosa's (2023) research on "Challenges of

However, these studies have mainly focused on higher education levels, such ashigh school and university Presently, there are very few studies on the use ofAI-based applications in primary school English teaching, especially in Hue City.Therefore, the purpose of this study is to survey the need to use AI-basedapplications that English teachers use in their teaching process for primary schoolstudents in Hue City.

1.2 Research aims

The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of AI-based applications forteaching English pronunciation in selected primary schools in Hue City Besidesthat, this study finds out the commonly used AI-based applications by teachers tosupport the teaching of English pronunciation to primary students The study alsoidentified a number of difficulties teachers encountered in utilizing theseapplications and offered recommendations for improving the effectiveness of theirpronunciation lessons

1.4 Scope of the research

This study focuses on the use of AI-based applications in teaching Englishpronunciation in some primary schools in Hue City namely Phu Cat, Xuan Phu,Thuan Thanh, Le Loi, and Vy Da Primary Schools

1.5 Significance of the study

Although there has been much research on the utilization of AI-basedapplications in teaching English there has not been limited investigation into theactual use of these applications, the commonly used applications, and how to usethese applications effectively in teaching English pronunciation at some primaryschools, especially in Hue City Therefore, this research paper hopes to fill thisresearch gap by providing insight into the reality of using AI-based applications inteaching English at specific schools in the city

It is hoped that the finding of this research paper could be of reasonableimportance for primary school teachers by helping them identify what AIapplications are appropriate and how to use them effectively in their Englishclassrooms

1.6 Organization of the Study.

This study is divided into five main chapters, as follows:

Chapter 1: The Introduction provides the background, aims, research

questions, and organization of the study

Chapter 2: Literature Review presents the previous studies related to this

topic, key concepts about AI, teaching technology with AI, and AI applications, aswell as theories of teaching English and pronunciation to young language learners

Chapter 3: Research Design and Methodology presented research methods,

subjects, procedures, and instruments used for data collection, and hand analysis, aswell as the rationale for the researcher’s employment of those instruments

Chapter 4: Findings and Discussions cncentrateds mainly on the results

obtained from the analysis of the questionnaires and interviews, addressing the fourresearch questions, and then providing a comprehensive discussion based on thedata collected in the study

Chapter 5: Conclusion and Implications presents a summary of the study,

highlights the key results of the research, identifies the limitations that needimproving, and offers suggestions for further research

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction

This chapter consists of two parts The first part aims to present the definitions

of artificial intelligence (AI), teaching technology with AI (AIEd), and AI-basedapplications in learning English and pronunciation Besides, insights into younglearners’ characteristics, principles of teaching English to young learners, principles

of effective use of AI-based applications in teaching English to young learners,different applications of AI in English, advantages and disadvantages of AI-basedapplications in language teaching and learning, and perspectives when applying AI

in education Some relevant previous studies in the same field are also reviewed inthe second part

2.2 Theoretical Background

2.2.1 Definition of artificial intelligence (AI)

Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is a useful tool in search and discovery.Artificial intelligence appears in many different fields and plays an important role inall fields So many definitions of artificial intelligence have been written Here aresome definitions of artificial intelligence collected by the researcher

Copeland (2023) defined artificial intelligence as follows: "Artificialintelligence (AI) is the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot toperform tasks that would normally involve intelligent creatures."

Based on Rich & Knight (1991), artificial intelligence (AI) is the study of how

to turn computers into tools that do better things than humans According to Badaró,Ibaez, and Agüero (2013), artificial intelligence is created by simulating thecapabilities and intelligence of the human brain Artificial intelligence is said to be apart of computer science; it consists of systems that exhibit characteristics related tohuman intelligence

Artificial intelligence is the process of simulating human intelligence throughmachines (Burns, 2018) Features that AI can handle on its own such as naturallanguage processing, speech recognition, etc Barrio (2018) also gives a point of

view on the difference between AI and humans AI is limited by programminglanguages and has much greater power than humans, but it lacks emotion So, AI isjust the computer's ability to process information and calculations, and it doesn'tunderstand what they are processing.

From all definitions above, this study takes Copeland's statement (2023),which defines artificial intelligence as the ability of machines to handle tasks related

to humans, especially in education

2.2.2 Teaching technology with AI

AI research aims to accurately describe aspects of intellectual processing andlearning (to obtain knowledge) and to create systems and machines that simulatelearning and intellectual processing (Herrera & Muñoz, 2017)

Since its birth in 1956, the development process of AI has shown that theachievements of each of the following stages are the result of inheritance,promotion of suitable parts, and reduction and correction of parts, which isinconsistent with previous periods Over the years, AI has done a lot of things andstill has not done some things that were predicted But it cannot be denied that,since the introduction of artificial intelligence into education, teaching has becomemore effective thanks to the support of these devices

Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIEd) was born in the 1970s It focuses

on the research, development, and evaluation of computer software to improveteaching and learning Long-term goals are portrayed as being to collecting learnerfeedback, assessing learner performance and pointing out weaknesses,individualizing a learner or group of learners, and ultimately using techniques tosupport learners AI supports learning and developing teaching and learningtheories

AIEd plays an important role by combining science-oriented research (AI) andpsychology/pedagogy (education) (Ginsberg, 2012) While AI is like a learningmachine and puts human-like intelligence at its core, education focuses on fosteringlearning capacity and human intelligence AIEd knowledge helps bridge this gap by

providing techniques to foster more effective and intelligent interactions withpeople to improve educational outcomes (Ertel, 2017)

Shortly, it may not be possible to see the popular appearance of "teacherrobots" that completely replace the role of teachers, but by researching anddeploying products using artificial intelligence, it may be possible At present, theteaching and learning processes have initially made positive changes

According to Sjodén (2008), the core problem is that technology is not usedfor "perfectly" modeling human characteristics (such as the ability to communicate

or intelligence), but simply enough to elicit social schemas that engage students inproductive interactions for learning

2.2.3 Definition of AI English language learning and AI-based applications

2.2.3.1 Definition of AI in English language learning (ELL)

Ribeiro (2020) states that AI in English language learning (ELL) is the easiest wayfor learners to study English Because English is considered a complex,grammatical structure language, it is always difficult for learners Mehrotra (2019)definites "AI in English learning as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools forteaching and learning English The tools include speech-to-text, text-to-speech, andnatural language understanding Intelligent algorithms can also be used to score andgive detailed feedback to learners." Kanda (2004) defines AI in ELL as the use ofalgorithms and computer systems to assist learners in developing theircommunication skills while also providing self-assessment and feedback on thelearning path for learners AI in ELL refers to educational methods combined withtools and resources provided by AI to support the purpose of language learning andcultural acquisition for learners as defined by Osfroverkaia & Anderecva (2019).From the above definitions, the writer may conclude that AI in the English language

is a means to help people approach the language through tools such as chatbots,applications, etc to help users develop their language practice skills

2.2.3.2 Definition of AI-based applications

According to Nicola (2004), AI-based applications are applications whosesoftware programs use artificial intelligence to perform tasks normally required byhuman intelligence These apps are designed to enable automation, aid indecision-making, predict outcomes, and improve overall efficiency in a variety ofsectors such as health, finance, transportation, and more transport, language,service, etc.

Based on Tucci (2021), AI-based applications in foreign language teaching aretools that use artificial intelligence to help learners enhance their language skills.These apps are designed to provide features such as pronunciation, reading practice,writing practice, speaking practice, listening practice, and grammar practice Asidesfrom the above feature, the information is also automatically evaluated andprovided feedback to learners Currently, the appearance of AI-based applications inforeign language learning is very popular Typically, some prominent applicationsappear such as Duolingo, Elsa Speak, Memrise, LingoDeer, etc

2.2.4 Advantages and disadvantages of using AI-based applications in language teaching and learning

AI plays an essential role in education, so the continuous development of AI-basedapplications in this field also helps a lot in teaching, especially in English Besidesthose benefits, which also come with certain limitations, this section will show theadvantages and disadvantages of AI-based applications in language teaching andlearning

2.2.4.1 Advantages of using AI-based applications in language teaching and learning.

According to Anand (2021), the advantages of using AI-based applications inlanguage teaching are as follows:

First, it provides instant feedback AI apps can automatically score tests thatusers have taken and point out common mistakes made by users, then recommendmethods to prevent users from making these errors again This gives users moremotivation to correct mistakes immediately instead of following the traditional

learning methods after testing is done and having to wait for a long time to receiveresults, which may reduce users’ motivation These apps can also identify gaps in ateacher's curriculum and assist them in determining what needs improvement in alecture or practice assignment.

Second, AI-based applications can be more deeply involved in the learningprocess Students can learn anytime, anywhere, depending on them, setting theirown goals and following a personalized curriculum powered by AI AI apps helpsupport the development of fun games, quizzes, and learning and integrate academicprograms with student interests

Third, AI develops chatbots into partners to learn foreign languages Thesechatbots assist in responding to learners' messages by answering questions andgiving advice on how to enhance Learners will not have to face the fear of talking

to real people through chatbots Some famous chatbots are Duolingo, Andy,Memrise, Rosetta Stone, etc

Finally, the AI will not condemn or punish learners when they give wronganswers AI will analyze the data based on the test results of learners if theyencounter mistakes AI will point out those mistakes directly without threatening orcriticizing the users Because AI is a computer system, it doesn't have humanemotions, so learners won't feel scared or unconfident when they're wrong

2.2.4.2 Disadvantages of AI-based applications in English teaching and learning

Besides the advantages pointed out above, there are still many disadvantages

of AI-based applications in English teaching and learning, as pointed out by Singh(2022) below:

First, AI apps reduce human interactions Students may lose the ability topractice and learn social skills because they cannot communicate with real peopleduring the learning process This affects students as they enter society and need a lot

of interaction at work or socializing They can create a lot of language barriers for

students because AI apps sometimes don't comprehend the specific context or themeaning of each user.

Second, AI affects the financial problems of schools Applications containing

AI are developed by education researchers who have many years of experience inthis field, and they need money to continue running their studies Therefore, manyschools will not have enough funds to purchase AI applications to improve teachingquality

Third, AI-based applications lack emotional intelligence These apps areproducts of artificial intelligence, so they only make objective comments andassessments based on a pre-programmed system, completely without emotions.Maybe users will feel quite bored and uncomfortable when facing these reviews.Finally, AI-based applications can be addictive Students may lose interest inlearning because they are more interested in AI apps As AI becomes more andmore advanced, many people are also becoming increasingly concerned about theimpact of technology on society Students may find these apps more valuable andattractive than their teachers, so they will prioritize choosing these apps to learninstead of learning with the teacher It's a daunting prospect for both educatorslooking to protect their careers from automation

2.2.5 Different applications of AI English

2.2.5.1 Duolingo

According to Wikipedia (2023), Duolingo is a free language learning platformlaunched in June 2012 and designed to provide lessons related to vocabulary,pronunciation, and grammar It uses a variety of games and interactive activities toimprove learners' language skills according to different routes or topics Here aresome features of Duolingo:

- Duolingo provides pronunciation lessons to help learners practicepronunciation skills through practical exercises and practice of sound recognition

- Duolingo has a function to help learners test their pronunciation bysubmitting their readings and voice recordings to be tested and evaluated

- Duolingo provides intonation, pronunciation lessons, and standardpronunciation in English by practicing listening and pronouncing sentences in theexercises.

- Duolingo uses AI speech recognition technology to check and evaluate thepronunciation accuracy of learners Then providing suggestions and corrections toimprove the pronunciation skills of learners

2.2.5.2 Elsa Speak

Following Wikipedia (2023), Elsa Speak, which stands for English LanguageSpeech Assistant, is an English-speaking and communication learning applicationthat was first launched in 2015 by Vietnamese CEO Van Dinh Hong Vu and hisfriends Elsa Speak corrects pronunciation for each syllable, and it also gives instantcomments on those mistakes and corrective instructions There are some features ofthis app:

- Elsa Speak uses AI speech recognition technology to analyze the users’voices and give feedback on pronunciation, increasing the users’ ability to improvetheir pronunciation

- Elsa has a variety of tests for users to test and improve their pronunciationskills The test is designed with fact-based questions, helping learners practicepronouncing words in sentences

- Elsa provides learners with a lot of topics from basic to advanced, such asfamily, traveling, communication, and so on, to help them use real-life situationsand standard pronunciation

- Elsa has supporting tools such as translations, instructions to pronouncenew words, etc To help users understand the meaning and pronunciation of newwords

- Elsa also provides the test and practice, users will be evaluated on a scale

of 0 to 100 to know their results and help identify the need for improvement inpronunciation

2.2.5.3 Memrise

According to Wikipedia (2023), Memrise is a live learning app that offerscourses in English and many other languages It uses the "mems" learning method,which combines the application of vocabulary learning techniques and recallsthrough images, audio, and video to help users learn flexibly and increase memorycapacity Here are the features of Memrise:

- Memrise provides learners with lessons presented via video or audio thatmake it easy for learners to grasp and learn standard pronunciation

- Memrise also provides learners with thousands of new words and examples

of sentences related to those words Learners will learn to pronounce new words assoon as they learn them

- This app has quizzes and games that help users practice and test theirpronunciation skills

2.2.5.4 LingoDeer

According to Kardon (2016), LingoDeer is an online English learningapplication that includes courses from basic to advanced levels These are somefeatures of this app:

- LingoDeer provides audio materials for listening and pronunciation withnative standard audio samples

- LingoDeer provides learners with many exercises to practice listening andspeaking, helping to improve pronunciation skills

- The application gives questions and detailed explanations about thepronunciation of words or sentences to help learners better understand and avoidmistakes

- This app uses smart recording technology to improve users' pronunciation byhelping them compare and contrast their sounds with those of native speakers

- Users are provided with daily conversation sentences to learn pronunciation,vocabulary, and grammar in each specific context

2.2.5.5 Bucha learns English

Bucha Learn English, as defined by Harman (2019), is a site-targeted app for users toimprove their English, vocabulary, and pronunciation skills through short videos.

By providing practical materials, Bucha Learn English helps learners improve theirpronunciation in difficult everyday communication situations Here are somefeatures of the application:

- Bucha uses native speakers' voices to guide learners with standard pronunciation

- Users are provided with short videos to practice pronunciation skills and listen toformal and natural speech

- Users can combine pronunciation learning with practical activities to help themapply their knowledge in everyday communication situations

- The application allows users to practice pronunciation through many differentexercises, helping to develop skills from basic to advanced

2.2.5.6 ABA English

According to Carolin (2020), ABA English is an online English learningapplication that provides basic to advanced courses including pronunciation,grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, and listening Here are some features of theapp:

- ABA English focuses largely on pronunciation skills in its courses

- ABA English uses native speakers' voices to help users practice standardpronunciation

- Users are provided with pronunciation exercises to practice and improvetheir skills

- ABA English offers tests related to pronunciation skills to test users' skillsand get detailed feedback

2.2.5.7 Dino English

Dino English by Vegan (2021) is defined as an online English learningapplication designed for children It provides lessons and games that help childrenlearn English vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing, and pronunciation There arethe following features of the app:

- Dino English uses pronunciation videos and songs to help children practicetheir pronunciation skills.

- Dino English uses native speakers' voices along with lively sounds to helpchildren form and practice standard pronunciation skills

- The app also provides pronunciation games like "Pronunciation Puzzle" and

"Phonics Maze" to help kids practice their pronunciation skills in a fun way

- Learners are provided with detailed and ongoing guidance on the sounds inEnglish that help with the correct pronunciation

2.2.6 Young learners' characteristics

According to Cameron (2001, pp 6), Linse (2005, pp 3), Shin (2016, pp.25-31), etc., there are different definitions of young learners' characteristics Curtainand Dahlberd (2009) found that children are natural language learners He pointedout the features:

First, young learners have a limited attention span as well as a lot of physicalactivity Additionally, children are more engaged with their surroundings and aremore immersed in the real and tangible According to Scott and Ytreberg (1990),children's understanding originates through their hands, eyes, and hearing, thereforethe physical world dominates them all

Secondly, kids have an amazing ability to locate and create joy It must bementioned that they can occasionally dazzle at the most inconvenient times toappreciate it They add individuality and drama to everything they do Similarly, nomatter how we interpret an exercise, someone in the class is always developing theirinterpretation Curtain and Dahlberg (2009) argue that foreign language acquisitiontheory can help explain receptive children's perplexing predicament When put in aforeign language setting, children appear to learn languages faster and with lesseffort than their parents The children are in an atmosphere where they aresurrounded by a language that makes sense to them based on the context and howthe instructor speaks to them

Thirdly, kids have time to sort through the language they hear and comprehendbefore beginning to use it for their expressive purposes.

As learners, children are frequently passionate and animated They prefer to satisfytheir teacher over their peers As young children are rewarded, they become moremotivated It is critical to encourage their excitement from the start of theireducation They will participate in an activity even if they have no idea why or how.Yet they lose interest more quickly and are less able to keep themselves engaged indifficult tasks While speaking in a new language, children generally appear lessfrightened than adults, and their uninhibitedness appears to help them acquirenative-like accents, but these generalizations obscure the subtleties of thedistinctions and the abilities required to educate them

2.2.7 Principles in Teaching English to Young Learners

Williams (1998) reiterates his teaching experience as a teacher of children bygiving ten principles for teaching English to young learners as follows:

First, let's begin by training at the children’s level He claims that childrenhave life experience and awareness of their environments, is skilled at making sense

of what they observe, and have already acquired at least one language As a result,assignments and activities in the classroom must be planned to be suitable andaccessible to children's levels

The second thing is promoting inter-child interaction It is an important aspect

of a teacher's responsibility to foster inter-child contact Learning is an interactiveprocess in which learners may improve by engaging with their peers

The third is allowing students to communicate ideas and opinions Teachersmust remember that, via instruction, they must provide chances for pupils to discussideas and opinions One of the most successful methods to accomplish this is toassist young language learners in exploring their thoughts and expressingthemselves via conversation with their companions According to Edwards (1968),collaborative conversation is important in helping youngsters create and arrive atcommon meanings and understandings

Fourth, teachers should encourage children to think critically and contribute.Thomas also highlights the importance of learners in the learning process,recommending that they be "encouraged to think and contribute" to the lesson'ssuccess Learning is viewed as an active, cognitive process in which learners areviewed as active explorers working on language and ideas rather than as emptyheads passively waiting to be filled with instructor information.

Fifth, teachers can create cognitively and linguistically difficult tasks.According to Cameron (2001), while developing activities for educating children,teachers must ensure that they are "cognitively and linguistically difficult" enough

to keep kids interested in learning Both too simple and too tough chores canquickly lead to children's dissatisfaction Teachers should give activities that aredemanding but not so easy or difficult that they are beyond the students' abilities,because tasks that are too difficult discourage students from trying, while those thatare too easy generate boredom and undermine feelings of competence andself-efficacy As a result, obstacles in the learning process will improve children'smotivation to keep studying

Sixth, teachers may use language appropriately in suitable settings Language

is best taught when the circumstances and situations in which it is utilized areestablished It will be difficult for children to absorb complex linguistic informationunless it is used in actual and familiar circumstances Stories, songs, and plays areexamples of how young learners can be exposed to understandable, meaningfullanguage at the discourse level in their classes

The seventh, class should be filled with relevant and useful activities forstudents Children will be able to fully comprehend the aims of activities beforehaving to cope with them Learners should be aware of the task's objectives,including language acquisition and content According to Scott and Ytreberg(1998), specific goals will assist in answering children's inquiries about what willhappen and why they are performing the chores This will help kids feelcomfortable and satisfied in the classroom, allowing them to be "encouraged to

become autonomous and adventurous in their language acquisition" (Scott &Ytreberg, 1998).

Eighth, teachers plan activities to help students gain independence Teachersare often seen by students as reliable sources of help during the learning process It

is normal for students to be reliant on their professors But, for learners to becomeactive participants in the learning process, creating their understandings andmeanings, activities must be planned and sequenced to support and nurturedeveloping independence

Ninth, teachers should establish a comfortable, non-threatening, and engaginglearning environment Apart from developing appropriate activities for children,educators must also provide a supportive, non-threatening, and fun learningatmosphere in which children may feel comfortable and relaxed during the learningprocess Students can feel secure in a welcoming environment, and a sense ofunderstanding and challenge, as well as learning motivation, can be enhanced.Finally, teachers ensure that evaluations accurately reflect their teaching andtheir student's development Teachers take assessment extremely seriously, and it isfrequently the most formal component of the instructional activity According toThomas (1998), the form of assessment determines what is taught as well as thelearners' degree of meaningful participation in the learning process

2.2.8 Teaching pronunciation to young language learners.

2.2.8.1 Definitions of pronunciation

According to Hewings (2004) in Pronunciation Practice Activities states that

“Pronunciation is components of speech that range from the individual sound thatmake up speech is used to convey meaning” It means that components inpronunciation will help someone easily understand the speaker’s meaning

Based on Reed and Lavis (2015) in The Handbook of English Pronunciation definesthat “pronunciation is central to language use in social, interactive contexts becausepronunciation embodies the way that the speaker and the listener communicate"

Carter and Nunan (2001) in The Cambridge Guide to Teaching English to Speakers

of Other Languages state that "Pronunciation is the production and perception ofsounds in a specific language to achieve meaning in language use contexts." Itsignifies that pronunciation is a component of language that is utilized tocomprehend the meaning of language

From all definitions above, the researcher may conclude, pronunciation is the soundthat is created on the vocal cords of words or sentences It becomes an importantlanguage unit to convey meaning from the speaker to the listener

2.2.8.2 Pronunciation teaching techniques

2) Songs and rhymes

“Using songs and rhymes is considered to be a very effective way of teaching Englishpronunciation” states Amzah (2020) When combining teaching with rhythm, thelearner can dance, move or do total physical response (TPR), etc Through singingrhymes, learners can practice pronunciation drills, rhyme, or intonation Especially,songs and rhymes are very useful and loved by young language learners Applyingthem in teaching pronunciation helps create more motivation for students

3) Phonics

Phonics has been developed for native speakers of English to connect the spoken andwritten language Each letter represents a sound or sounds Young learners mustrecognize which symbols make which sounds to read This technique is alsobecoming very popular in English language teaching (ELT), where learnersrecognize letters, but do not know how to pronounce them Phonetics in ELT

teaches learners how to pronounce words in English, connecting them intosentences.

2.2.9 Principles for effective use of AI-based applications in teaching English pronunciation to young learners

The use of AI-based applications enhances the quality of the classroom Tomake the most of AI-based applications, teachers need to adhere to the followingguidelines

2.2.9.1 AIEd principles are human-centered.

The goal of AIEd is to complement and enhance people's cognitive, social,and cultural capabilities while maintaining meaningful opportunities for freedom ofchoice and ensuring people's control over the process AIEd should allow learners

to negotiate the type and frequency of support they receive, underpinning not onlytheir knowledge of metacognition and self-regulation skills (Chou et al., 2018;Daradoumis & Co Arguedas, 2020)

2.2.9.2 Privacy Policy

The use of AI and learning analytics in the education sector requires largeamounts of personal data to be generated, collected, and analyzed to optimize thelearning experience (Tzimas & Demetriadis, 2021; Pardo & Siemens, 2014).Therefore, AIEd must ensure users' consent to full information and maintain theconfidentiality of users' information, both when they provide information and whenthe system collects information about them The principle of inclusion AIEd design,development, and implementation must take into account the infrastructure,equipment, skills, and social acceptance that will support a wide range ofindividuals in the intended area, allowing access to and use of AIEd in a single-wayand fairway

2.2.10.Perspectives on applying AI in education.

According to Hekate (2023), the use of AI in education helps to personalizethe learning experience AI will analyze data from tests or topics of interest tolearners to design tests that are suitable for their abilities This provides automated

feedback and tracks each student's progress, helping to improve learning efficiencyand effectiveness so teachers can tailor strategies to each student.

Manh (2022) argues that AI helps teachers meet each student's needs moreeffectively AI helps the system with administrative tasks by providing specializedsoftware to prepare lessons and designing lessons to help teachers save a lot of time.Jordan (2022) points out the benefits of AI for students as follows: "AI makes itpossible for students to learn anytime, anywhere by connecting in any way theywant." AI also creates a learning environment close to reality, helping students havethe best view of what they are looking at This helps motivate and encouragestudents to be more active in their learning With the great development ofinformation technology in general and AI in particular, education will always takeadvantage of AI to help develop a better education system However, it is alsonecessary to consider information security, ethics, and safety issues (Jung, 2019).Although AI provides benefits to higher education, the fundamental person toguide and help students is still the teacher Teacher-student relationships orassessments of students' development cannot be provided by AI

2.3 Previous Studies related to the research

Research by Luong (2022), which presented "An Investigation intoPerceptions and Use of Visual Aids by English Teachers at Senior High Schools inCan Tho City, Viet Nam," focuses on teachers' perceptions of how to use VisualAids (VS) effectively and collects results on how teachers have used VS to engagestudents in their teaching This study was conducted on 44 senior high schoolteachers, including 20 male teachers and 24 female teachers, and 150 students fromgrade 12 The results obtained showed that the majority of teachers only usedPowerPoint (PP) to support the process Teaching and using pictures are the mostcommon styles when using VS to teach English And the results have proven theimpact of these styles after a period of use

Research by Hemas (2006), titled "The Use of AI (artificial intelligence) inEnglish Learning Among University Students: A Case Study in the English

Department, Universitas Airlangga," focuses on analyzing an AI platform that can

be used in imparting education as well as evaluating student performance Theresults showed that AI technology can be used as a means of developing students'English language skills And AI can be utilized to improve student's English skills.The study "Using an Artificial Intelligence Application for DevelopingPrimary School Pupils' Oral Language Skills" by Shaimaa (2020) investigates theinfluence of using AI applications on the development of oral language skills in 6thgraders implemented in Egypt (where primary education consists of six grades).The study subjects were divided into 2 groups, of which 20 students were in theexperimental group and the remaining 20 students were in the control group Theobtained results showed a statistically significant impact of combining AIapplications with the development of listening comprehension and speaking skills.Anggraini's study (2022), titled "Improving Students' Pronunciation SkillUsing ELSA Speak Application," has the aim of introducing the Elsa Speakapplication as a means of helping students improve their pronunciation skills Thisstudy carried out data collection through a pronunciation test and interviews with 30students The obtained results showed that the use of Elsa Speak has helped studentsimprove their pronunciation skills

"Application of Information Technology to Increase Interest in English Class"

by Tam (2020) analyzed the role of information technology applications as well asdiscussed some forms of technology applications to create a better environment.This study surveyed 10 quality English centers in Hanoi and 60 students studyingEnglish at Hanoi Law University The results showed that the use of informationtechnology helps the lessons become flexible and creative for learners Learners feelmore interested in English, increasing the quality of the relationship betweenteaching and learning

In Vietnam, at present, the importance of artificial intelligence is veryconcerning The application of AI to teaching foreign languages to children hasattracted the attention of many researchers and teachers Information technology is

an indispensable means of teaching foreign languages, especially to primary schoolstudents Many studies show that an application based on artificial intelligence is agood way to make foreign language teaching easier because it can bring elements oflife into the classroom environment.

2.4 Research Gaps

Many domestic and foreign researchers have mentioned the importance ofartificial intelligence in foreign language teaching However, the above studies havenot delved into the reality of using AI-based applications in teaching, especiallyteaching English pronunciation in primary schools The study by Shaimaa (2020)had subjects of primary school age but was conducted in Egypt In the studies ofAnggraini (2022) and Hemas (2006), the Elsa Speak application was mentioned, butthe research subjects were not primary school students Therefore, in this study, theresearcher investigated the reality of using AI-based applications in teachingEnglish pronunciation to primary school students and proposed appropriatemeasures that are most appropriate and effective to improve the quality of teachingand learning

2.5 Chapter Summary

The objective of Chapter 2 is to present the theoretical basis to clarify issuesdirectly related to the content of the research Thereby, the review of previousstudies has also been mentioned and discussed to point out the new and differentpoints of this study compared with previous studies What is presented in thischapter 2 will be the basis for designing questionnaires and interviews, as well asproviding clear and necessary evidence for researchers to discuss research results

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter describes the research methodology The design combines bothqualitative and quantitative methods to collect data Moreover, the participants ofthe study, the procedures for doing the research, and the data analysis are allpresented in detail in this chapter

3.2 Research Design and Approach

To find satisfactory answers to the four research questions mentioned inChapter 1, this study used both qualitative and quantitative methods because of thevarious advantages of each technique According to Smith (1988), "Quantitativeresearch involves counting and measuring events and performing the statisticalanalysis of a body of numerical data" "Employing quantitative methods allows theresearcher to achieve high levels of reliability of the gathered data due to masssurveying" (Balsley, 1970) With the participants (35 teachers) in this research, thequantitative method was an ideal choice Compared with the quantitative approach,

"quantitative researchers seek deeper truth and collect more personalized data"(Greenhalgh, 2006) "By using qualitative methods, researchers can obtain a morerealistic feel that is not possible with numerical data and statistical analysis used inquantitative research" (Bogdan et al., 1975) In addition, "this method provides acomprehensive view of the phenomenon under investigation as well as the ability tointeract with research subjects in their language and terminology" (Kirk and Miller,1986) Therefore, to know what teachers at primary schools in Hue City think aboutusing AI-based applications in teaching English pronunciation, the researchers used

a qualitative approach to explore that problem Therefore, combining bothquantitative and qualitative data will enrich the overall picture of the results that thestudy hopes to produce

3.3 Participants

The subjects of this study are 35 English teachers from 5 primary schools (PhuCat, Xuan Phu, Thuan Thanh, Le Loi, and Vi Da) Among them are 8 male teachersand 27 female teachers, ranging in age from 27 to 44 The above selection of 35teachers aims to have diversity in the many applications that teachers are using inthe process of teaching English pronunciation to primary school students.Depending on the level of students in each school, the use of AI-based applications

by teachers is not the same This makes the survey easier and more flexible toprovide the most objective and comprehensive assessment, analyze the causes, andprovide recommendations suitable for each student's level in each school year Togain more insight into the phenomenon being evaluated, five teachers were invited

to take part in the interview Five teachers were randomly selected from the fiveprimary schools mentioned above

To make the participants feel free and comfortable giving their opinions andreflections, the researchers informed them in advance that their identities would bekept secret and that the information collected from them would serve only researchpurposes Their names are referred to by pseudonyms such as T1, T2, etc All theinformation from the participants will be honestly reflected in the findings anddiscussion in Chapter 4 of the study

3.4 Procedures

This research was carried out in the following steps:

First, the researcher would collect and investigate previous works relevant tothe thesis

Second, the researcher would design a questionnaire and interview questions.Third, the version of the questionnaire was sent to 35 teachers from someprimary schools in Hue City to check the reliability of the questionnaires and eachitem included This aims at determining which items should remain and which itemsneed revising or changing The result of the first round was as satisfactory asexpected

Fourth, questionnaires were delivered to 35 teachers at some primary schools

in Hue City The questionnaires for teachers were also delivered online to themdirectly by Google Forms

Fifth, five teachers were invited to participate in the interviews The researcheronly used English for interviewing English teachers Interviews were done withindividual participants and conducted face-to-face Participants’ feedback, detailedcomments, and opinions were audiotaped and taken note of

Sixth, the data collected from questionnaires were categorized, ordered,processed, and analyzed in terms of statistical frequency and percentage Then theresults were presented in tables and charts Besides, the data gathered frominterviews was best examined utilizing qualitative methods to provide an insightfuldescription of the research issue

Finally, based on the results of the quantitative analysis, the researcher wouldgive some suggestions to improve the quality of teaching English pronunciation atsome primary schools in Hue City

3.5 Data collecting instruments

3.5.1 Questionnaire

The researcher chooses the questionnaire as the main instrument for tworeasons: The first reason is that, within a limited time, "the questionnaire is the bestway to collect data quickly and cheaply" (Bell, 1987) The second reason is that it iseasy to deliver questionnaires to participants and get back much information from alarge number of them However, along with the advantages, using the questionnaire

in research also reveals some disadvantages, as indicated by Oppenheim (1992).First, "questionnaires are standardized, so it is not possible to explain any points inthe questions that participants might misinterpret" Second, "respondents mayanswer superficially if the questionnaire takes a long time to complete" Last,teachers may not be willing to answer the questions because they might not wish toreveal the information or they might think that they will not benefit fromresponding Thus, the use of questionnaires may be an essential step, but it will

probably not be a sufficient step in documenting work for the quality researchproject; follow-up interviews will be required, as proposed by the Worlddaworkteam (2007).

The questionnaire (Appendix 1) is divided into two parts Part I (PersonalInformation) consists of 3 questions to investigate participants' information aboutemail, gender, and years of experience in education All participant information iscommitted to being used for research purposes only

Part II (Survey Questions) consists of four sections that focus on questions thatwill hopefully help provide information to answer the research questions

The first cluster, from sentences 1 to 6, is designed to collect data on theperceptions of English teachers about the application of AI in teaching Englishpronunciation at some primary schools in Hue City

The second cluster, from sentences 7 to 10, focuses on surveying thecommonly used AI-based applications in teaching English pronunciation at someprimary schools in Hue City

The third cluster, from sentences 11 to 12, aims to explore how applicationsbased on artificial intelligence have been used in teaching English pronunciation.The final cluster, from sentences 13 to 14, explores the difficulties teachersface when using AI-based applications to teach English pronunciation and theirrecommendations to improve the use of these applications AI-based teaching ofEnglish pronunciation

The questions include both closed and open questions Closed-ended questionsappear as multiple-choice questions Teachers were asked to choose one or moreanswers if they thought it was appropriate Besides closed questions, open-endedquestions allow teachers to freely express their opinions

3.5.2 Interviews

Along with the questionnaire, interviews were used to collect qualitative datafor the study Through interviews, the researcher could deeply investigate the realopinions and thoughts of the interviewers It is easy to clarify the participants’

answers by asking them for further explanation in case their answers were unclear

or incomplete The interview aims to supplement the questionnaire and fullyexplore the participants’ information The interview will produce qualitative data,which will reinforce the findings of the quantitative data This would also increasethe validity of the data collected and provide greater confidence in thegeneralization of the results The purpose of the interview session is to furtherunderstand the teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward the use of AI-basedapplications in teaching English pronunciation at some primary schools in Hue City.According to Oppenheim (1992), "in-depth interviews with teachers were alsoconducted to collect insightful data" because it was essential to ensure that theresearcher was in a position to access the degree of the interviewee’s interest andinvolvement and because it was also appropriate because of "the flexibility balanced

by the structure and quality of the data so obtained" (Gillham, 2005) Moreover,they were suitable tools for clarifying and reaffirming the results collected from thequestionnaire and supporting what the teachers could not write on the questionnaire.The interview is in English, and there are five core questions The first cluster,including questions 1 and 2, asks for teachers’ perceptions about AI-basedapplications Question 3 focuses on exploring more information about how they usethese applications to teach English pronunciation Meanwhile, questions 4 and 5aim to explore more information about the difficulties and recommendations ofusing AI-based applications

In this study, the interview questions for five teachers were created based onthe questionnaire so that their results could support what was investigated in thequestionnaire and ease the comparison All five teacher interviews were conductedface-to-face and lasted approximately 15 minutes for each participant

3.6 Data analysis

Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data in this study, that is statisticfrequency and percentage because they were the most effective ways to analyze andpresent the data from questionnaires, interviews, and observations, as expressed by

McMillan and Schumacher (1993): "The use of descriptive statistics is the most fundamental way to summarize data, and it is dispensable in interpreting the results

of quantitative research".

In addition, Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 was alsoused to calculate the standard deviation among the responses of participants Toensure the dependability of statistics, the research used Cronbach Alpha’s measure.The dependability of statistics is considered the overall consistency of a measure interms of statistics The result is presented in Table 1

Table 1: Dependability statistics of Cronbach alpha

Cronbach Alpha N of Items

The Alpha value was 0.903 meaning that the coefficient of dependability fromthe questionnaire was acceptable (Peterson, 1994) Therefore, the data can be usedfor analysis and discussion

After the questionnaires were finished and collected, all the answers werecategorized, ordered, processed, and analyzed in terms of statistical frequency andpercentage Then the results were presented in tables and charts In addition, resultsfrom the interviews were analyzed to provide valid information about the use ofAI-based applications in teaching English pronunciation at some primary schools inHue City

3.7 Chapter Summary

In summary, this chapter discussed the methods and processes for conductingthis investigation To gather and evaluate the data, both quantitative and qualitativetechniques were used, utilizing data-collection devices (questionnaire andinterview) The data analysis findings were provided in tables and figures Theexamined results were addressed concerning the study's objectives