This presentation was prepared for National Workshop on how Audacity - sound editing software - can be effectively used for development of Listening and Speaking skills.

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A Workshop on
Enhancing Listening and Speaking
Skills Using Advanced Sound Editing
Software - Audacity
Dr. Dilip Barad,
Dept. of English
Bhavnagar University
Bhavnagar.
dilipbarad@gmail.com
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Major concern as e-resource
developer… WHY? HOW?
• Today, English teachers of S/F language are
constrained to become familiar with emerging
learning technologies.
• Not only that, s/he has to use resources
prepared by other teachers, but also to
prepare his own e-resources and e-materials.
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Key Issue….
• Well, the major problem is that it is not all
English teachers’ cup of tea.
• In such case what can be done???
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Using existing software / programme /
web resources…
• The best of all idea is to use existing e-resources
available. These software are primarily prepared
for other purposes but can be utilized for ELL.
• So, if a teacher wants to improve writing skills of
the students, he can use MS Office - Word,
writeboard, blogger.com, orkut, face book,
moodle -LMS, wikieducator etc.
• If reading skills need to be improved, again above
mentioned e-resources can be effectively utilized.
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From LSRW, LS skills and available
resources…
• So far as RW skills are concerned, available
resources can be of immense help to teachers.
• But the million dollar question is ‘how to
make effective use of available e-resources
for LS skills’??
• B’coz listening and speaking skills are
different than the other two skills it needs to
be given special attention.
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Available LS skill development material
and its disadvantage…
• Most of Listening materials used in the class
of ESL/EFL are developed by native speakers.
• These western courseware are designed to
meet general purposes and therefore cannot
address needs of learner in specific context.
• Often they are culturally biased (Supiyan,
1996).
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Preparing LS skill material and its
advantages…
• If listening skill material is developed by the
teacher looking at the level of students and
context, it contributes to skill development.
• Studies have reported that learners respond
to computer aided / mediated teaching
learning materials produced by their own
teachers more effectively than prepared by
other agencies (Bloomer, 1985).
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Major difference in language lab and sound editing software:
Features Language Lab programme Audacity, Praat, Wavepad,
Audition, sound forge etc
1. Voice Recording Yes Yes
2. Measure frequency – Yes Yes*
voice modulation of
recorded voice with pre-
recorded voice
3. Models of pronunciation Yes* No
– pre-recorded
4. Editing Recorded Voice No Yes
5. Preparing listening skills No Yes
test
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But how to do it??
Is it easy to do it??
Can all teachers do it ??
• Here again, the teacher need not sit with the
programmer to prepare programme/software.
• S/He just has to use some existing software or
download some open-source sound editing
programme and learn the basics to operate it.
• It is as easy as child’s play: - Record, Edit and
Play…
• And see how wonderfully you can teach your
students the most useful skills – listening and
speaking.
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Audacity - Sound editing programmes
• There are several such software available
at premium cost as well as free-ware .
• Eg. Audacity, wavepad, praat, Adobe
Audition, Sound Forge, Magix audio
cleaning lab, Goldwave, etc…
• We shall have hands on experience of
how to record and edit sound on
Audacity.
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Outline of the workshop
• Overview of Audacity interface: record, cut,
copy, paste, delete, insert, silence, pluck …
• Demo of audio effects: amplify, normalize,
equalize …
• Participants record a self-introduction of 1 min
duration and improve their recordings using
features of Audacity.
• How to download and install? (Audacity, LAME
and FFmpeg)
• How to convert audio files into mp3 format?
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Why Audacity?
•Audacity is one of the most frequently downloaded digital audio
editors in the world. * Tens of millions of people have used it to
record a podcast, create a demo CD of their garage band, transfer
old vinyl records to CD, or just have fun with audio.
•But there are dozens of other software programs with similar
capabilities...why should you choose Audacity?
•The simplest reason? Because it's free.
•Another reason to choose Audacity is that it's the only audio
editing software that runs on Windows, Mac and Linux
computers.
•The most important reason - easiest to use
•Audacity is not likely to die: Open-Source Software
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• Free Download from
http://audacity.soundforge.net/
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Mainframe of Audacity
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The most important buttons…
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Now let us have hands-on experience
of Audacity…
• The exe file of audacity is already downloaded
on your desktop.
• Double-Click on the icon with ‘head-phone
and fiery frequency’.
• You will see ‘getting started’ window – this
gives basic introductory links to learn more
about audacity. Close this window – click OK.
• We are on the mainframe of Audacity.
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Editing recorded clip
Click ‘R’ to record
•
Click ‘P’ to pause and again ‘P’ for continue recording
•
Click ‘Spacebar’ for stop.
•
Click ‘Spacebar to listen. SAVE it on desktop.
•
• Add ‘Pluck’:
– Put cursor line after ‘I am …………
– Generate>Pluck>duration 4 sec>ok.
– Put cursor on ‘I am working as ……. At ………
– Generate>Risset Drum>OK.
* Now play the track.
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Cut unnecessary audio:
• The length of falling sound of ‘pluck’ is very
long.
• Select the ‘tail’ of pluck by putting cursor and
dragging the mouse.
• ‘Delet’ the selected part.
• Similarly Copy and Paste function…
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Adding background score
• File>Import>Audio>Browse:sample music in My
Music(My Docu).
• Message FFmpeg not found.
• To install FFmpeg:
• Desktop>Audacity>ffmpeg>extract files. Close window.
• Come to Audacity: Edit>Preference>Import/Export>Find
library>OK>Browse it from desktop>avformat-52.dll>click
OK> OK
• File>Import>Audio>Browse:sample music in My
Music(My Docu).
• Volume control on background score.
• Copy a track from background and paste it on your
recorded track.
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Converting into mp3 file format:
• To share this listeneing skill material with students –
convert it into mp3 format to play it in mobile or
CD/DVD player
• File>Export>file name>save as type> select mp3>type
details if required> OK.
• LAME required: Locate Lame
• Desktop>Audacity>right click books icon>extract
files>OK>new folder libmp3lame>open>close window
• File>Export>file name>save as type> select mp3>type
details if required> OK> Locate Lame >
Browse>desktop>Audacity>lame folder>open> OK.
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Thank You…
• Your suggestions / comments /
questions / observations are
invited:
• Write me at:
• dilipbarad@gmail.com
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