A holographic mobile-based application for practicing pronunciation of basic English vocabulary for Spanish speaking children

Learning the correct pronunciation of English words is a necessary but often boring task for English learners (ELs). Can technology be used to motivate ELs to practice pronouncing words correctly? The authors adapted the HolograFX game and developed a mobile app in which a 3D holographic robot acts as a virtual teacher. An experiment with 70 Spanish preschoolers was conducted to test the app. Results showed the mobile app had a significant impact on children's motivation to practice pronouncing vocabulary. As a result, the children using the app improved their pronunciation more than those exposed to traditional teaching methods.