Speakeasy nihongo: mobile application for Japanese beginner learners

Learning a new language can open doors to exciting opportunities, but it also presents several challenges. For most learners, acquiring fluency involves more than just memorizing vocabulary or understanding grammar rules. Effective communication requires mastering not only the words but also the sounds and rhythms of the language. However, many learners face difficulties when trying to develop their language skills, especially in areas that go beyond reading and writing. This project focuses on the development of a Japanese language learning app called SpeakEasy Nihongo: Mobile Application for Japanese Beginner Learners. The main aim of the app is to help beginner learners improve their Japanese pronunciation through interactive quizzes and lessons. Unlike typical language apps, this app puts a strong focus on pronunciation feedback and engagement by combining AI, speech recognition, and gamification features. The app allows users to practice Hiragana, Katakana, numbers, and other basic vocabulary. Each lesson comes with audio, allowing users to hear the correct pronunciation before recording their own. The app uses Microsoft Azure’s Speech API to score users’ pronunciation and provide instant feedback, making it easier for learners to identify and correct mistakes. One of the main advantages of this app is that it gives learners the chance to self-practice pronunciation with feedback, which is often lacking in beginner-level apps. The gamified quizzes and audio-based tasks also help increase motivation and keep the learning experience fun. This research followed a development-based methodology which involved requirement analysis, interface design, system development using Flutter and user testing. A User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) was used to evaluate the interface and app features. The results showed positive feedback across all six UEQ scales, especially in areas like Perspicuity and Stimulation. Based on these findings, future improvements could include adding more lessons, expanding chatbot functions, and enhancing voice input accuracy for more natural learning.