L2 pronunciation training: the potential of AI-assisted and construction-based methods

Pronunciation tends to receive relatively little attention in second language teaching, but it can significantly affect speakers' social and communicative success and the assessment of their language proficiency. The goal of this project is to promote the pronunciation training of Estonian as a second language and raise awareness in this area. The project will identify the best practices in pronunciation teaching based on existing research results and the companion volume of the European Framework of Reference for Languages, analyze potential gaps in the pronunciation instruction practices and materials of Estonian as a second language, assess the usability of AI applications in computer-based pronunciation training, and explore the potential of speech act-centered and construction-based pronunciation teaching. The project's results will be applied in speech synthesis, the pronunciation exercises of the Institute of the Estonian Language, and the portal Learner’s Sõnaveeb.