Google voice typing in Google Docs as a free ASR-based L2 writing tool¶

Element · All elements
Evidence · 5 claims (4 for, 1 against) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 5 claims rest on one study

Description¶

Google voice typing in Google Docs is an automatic speech recognition tool that converts speech to text and was used by participants to compose academic texts after a short training session. The article describes it as accessible and free, noting it is "available at no cost" and already on learners' devices, which they use to compose shorter L1 text messages. It served as the treatment technology in the study's two writing tasks.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Training on using Google voice typing in Google Docs before writing tasks
• Learners' speech must be intelligible enough for the technology to transcribe

Constraints¶

• Accuracy depends on learners' fluency and pronunciation; the pandemic context with few English-speaking opportunities may have diminished ASR output accuracy

Target Learners¶

• adult ESL / English for Academic Purposes students

Target Learning Goals¶

• academic L2 writing
• pronunciation practice
• focus on content and meaning over form

Claims¶

• Through Chapelle's CALL evaluation criteria, participants experienced ASR writing as useful, authentic, meaning-focused, and matched to their proficiency level [+W]
• Adult ESL learners report above-neutral perceptions of ASR as a writing tool on usefulness, ease of use, and intention to use [+W]
• Interviews reveal ESL learners valued ASR for bypassing orthography and grammar concerns, pronunciation practice, self-efficacy, and user-friendly voice commands [+W]
• Some ESL learners felt their English was not high enough to use ASR because their speech was not always intelligible to it, although overall perceived usefulness was positive [-W]
• Among TAM constructs, result demonstrability, intention to use, and ease of use received the highest ratings while output quality was lowest [+W]

Related Elements¶

Examples¶

• Dictation/Speech-to-text
• Speech-to-Text Technology
• Dictation Software
• ASR read-aloud compare-and-repeat self-study strategy for pronunciation practice
• Word Processing for Writing Skills

Key Sources¶

• Johnson, C., & Cardoso, W. (2021). Speaking to write: examining language learners’ acceptance of automatic speech recognition as a writing tool. In N. Zoghlami et al. (Eds), CALL and professionalisation: short papers from EUROCALL 2021 (pp. 167-171). Research-publishing.net. https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2021.54.1327