by Liu Cao(Cara), English Language Centre, School of Languages, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
AudioPen is an Al-powered web app that lets you convert voice into clearly reworded text. It is like an assistant that types out and revises what you say. It can easily provide personalized feedback to improve students' accuracy in spoken language, including vocabulary and grammar.
For the paid version (Image 1), teachers can also modify the style of the feedback.
Image 1
(All images in the article can be clicked to enlarge.)
Purpose
To give feedback on student’s output of short answer questions to help students’ improve their speaking, especially in grammar and vocabulary accuracy
Focus area
Feedback on speaking accuracy.
Set-ups:
- A microphone is needed.
- APP available for both phone and computer browsers. (It is accessible in Mainland China.)
- Log-in/sign-up is required if the feedback needs to be saved.
Procedure:
Step 1:
Go to settings and choose English for both input and output languages (Image 2).
Step 2:
Simply click the “Recording” button (Image 3) and let students answer the question prompt. (Image 4)
The free version allows 3 minutes of speaking for each attempt.
Step 3:
Waiting for the AI to generate and rewrite the students’ input.
Step 4:
Click: “View the original transcript ” (Image 5) and copy the student’s answer transcript (Image 6) to anywhere you want to share with students (e.g. Etherpad/Padlet/Learning Mall)
Step 5:
Click the copy button under the rewritten version (Image 7) by Audio Pen and paste it somewhere to share with your student.
Step 6:
Ask the student to compare which language aspects/vocabulary are improved by Audio Pen and whether they think the rewritten version is better. (Image 8, the activity worksheet is available) under "Additional Information" below.
Step 7:
Then ask the student to record themselves answering the same question again using the improved language recommended by Audio Pen, to practice the improved language.
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Image 7
Image 8. The activity worksheet.
Caveats and alternatives:
One-on-one Tutorial
As Audio Pen requires one-on-one microphone recording, it is highly suitable for speaking tutorial feedback.
Self-study Tool
When the Input Language is chosen as “auto-detect” (Image 9), Audio Pen can recognize students’ input mixed with Chinese and English and then transcribe the Chinese expressions into Pinyin. Then, the rewritten version can be translated into proper English, as the right sample shows. (Image 10)
Therefore, students can also be encouraged to use it as a self-study tool after they are familiar with its features, especially for those who often complain, “I don’t know how to say that in my 2nd language.”
Image 9
Image 10
Additional information:
- For the paid prime version, teachers can also modify the output length and language styles. Image 11 is an example rewritten by Audio Pen in a customized style and added length.
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There are multiple styles to choose from and you can also craft your own styles (Image 12). Though some of the rewritten styles are not suitable for our context, teachers can use the different style samples to increase students’ awareness of language styles. On the right of image 12 are some examples of different styles.
- Other features, such as allowing for longer recording (up to 15min), uploading audios, saving unlimited notes, etc., are restricted to the paid prime version (Image 13). To learn more about prime functions, you can click here. A demo video is available here.
- A worksheet for an example activity can be downloaded below.
Image 11. Sample: Rewritten with modified style and length
Image 12. Transcribed and Rewritten by Audio Pen
Image 13
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