The Impact of Mobile-Assisted Pronunciation Training on Intelligibility and Comprehensibility in EFL Learners

With the growing popularity of AI-assisted learning tools, learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) can take advantage of these tools to simulate English-speaking environments and receive prompt feedback on their speaking. This study explores the impact of a mobile-assisted pronunciation training (MAPT) application called 'English Fun Dubbing' on improving the speaking skills of Pre-university EFL learners mainly in two aspects: intelligibility and comprehensibility. Two groups of undergraduate preparatory students (N = 70) were enrolled in the quasi-experimental research. The experimental group completed their after-school homework using the MAPT app for 10 weeks, while the control group followed traditional learning methods. Post-test results indicated statistically significant improvements in both intelligibility and comprehensibility for the experimental group compared to the control. Additionally, qualitative analysis from questionnaires and semi-structured interviews highlighted that AI-enhanced MAPT increased learner engagement and motivation. Rather than emphasizing native pronunciation standards, this study highlights the communicative outcomes of language teaching and offers practical recommendations for educators and policymakers on integrating MAPT into the EFL curriculum.