Title: Exploring Learners' Pronunciation Practice Using a Character Agent: Chiefly on Consonant Clusters
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to review the Adaptive MS-Agent in the structure of the CAL (character agent for learning) system, and to exemplify the method of practicing consonants and consonant clusters using a character agent. To achieve this purpose, the Basic Vocabulary List of the National Curriculum is analysed in terms of the types of consonants and consonant clusters, the agent functioning as a helper for e-learning and giving learners an adaptive coaching in the process of e-learning is reviewed in the structure of the CAL, and the types of English consonant clusters (initial consonant clusters, medial consonant clusters, and final consonant clusters) and consonants are reviewed. Learners of English commit errors such as nasalization, lateralization, palatalization, and glottalization in pronouncing consonant clusters due to the difference of syllable structure between Korean and English. These errors could be caused by the misapplication of typical phonological rules of Korean to English. The errors of consonant clusters considered in this study are ‘vowel insertion’ and ‘assimilation’. In this study, it is shown that such errors on consonant clusters can be corrected through the formal pronunciation practice using a character agent employed to play key roles in virtual environments.