Alexa - Teach me Spanish - A Study of Autonomous Use of Voice-activated Personal Assistants for Language Learning

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Ophelia

Voice-activated Personal Assistants (VAPAs) such as Alexa and Siri can support autonomous language learning by enabling learners to ask questions about target-language culture and interact with an intelligent assistant in the target language. They may assist with word lookup, spelling and pronunciation checking, and can motivate learners to produce output. Yet VAPAs are mainly designed for a user’s first language, and many learners underuse their potential. This study collects data on university students using VAPAs for Spanish learning at a UK higher-education institution. Findings indicate most participants own VAPAs, but only a small proportion use them for language learning, suggesting opportunities for further user engagement. The paper argues for incorporating VAPAs into recommended resources for autonomous study and practice.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Voice-activated personal assistants and language learning: an overview

The EuroCALL Review Volume 32, No. 2, 2025, 117-131 ISSN: 1695-2618 [https://doi.org/10.4995/eurocall.2025.23897](https://doi.org/10.4995/eurocall.2025.23897) RESEARCH PAPER Alexa–Teach me Spanish: A Study of Autonomous Use of Voice-activated Personal Assistants for Language Learning Fernando Rosell-Aguilar Arden University, United Kingdom [frosellaguilar@arden.ac.uk](frosellaguilar@arden.ac.uk) How to cite this article: Rosell-Aguilar, F. (2025) . Alexa – Teach me Spanish: A Study of Autonomous Use of Voice-activated Personal Assistants for Language Learning. The EuroCALL Review, 32 (2), 117-131. [https://doi.org/10.4995/eurocall.2025.23897](https://doi.org/10.4995/eurocall.2025.23897) Abstract Voice-activated Personal Assistants (VAPAs), such as Alexa or Siri, can be utilised for autonomous language learning purposes ranging from asking simple questions about the culture of the target language to interaction in the target language with the intelligent assistant. These technologies can help with tasks such as looking up words, spelling, and pronunciation checking, as well as motivating learners to produce output in their target language. However, VAPAs are primarily designed to be utilised in the user’s first language rather than a second language, and learners often overlook their potential to assist in their language learning process. This paper reports on a study to gather data on university student use of VAPAs. The research questions asked students taking Spanish language modules at a UK Higher Education institution about their use of VAPAs for language learning. The results show that most participants own a device with a VAPA, and some use it for language learning purposes, although this is a relatively small proportion. They also identify potential further user engagement. The paper concludes that the potential of VAPAs for language learning needs to be included in the range of resources that students are directed to for autonomous language learning study and practice. Keywords Voice-activated Personal Assistants; Intelligent Assistants; Mobile-assisted language learning; Autonomous learning. 1. Introduction The rise in ownership of devices with voice-activated personal assistants (VAPAs) has the potential to significantly impact the field of autonomous language learning. VAPAs are digital devices or applications that use voice recognition and natural language processing technology to enable users to interact with them through voice commands. The use of VAPAs has gained interest in recent years due to their ability to provide personalised and interactive language learning experiences for autonomous learners outside the classroom context. VAPAs such as Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, Google Assistant or Gemini can provide assistance for language learning purposes, from simple questions about the culture of the target language to interaction in the target language with the intelligent assistant. These technologies can help with tasks such as looking up words, spelling, and pronunciation checking, as well as motivating learners to produce output in their target language (Underwood, 2021) . However, unlike apps specifically designed for language learning which are often used by language learners for autonomous learning or to support formal studies (Rosell-Aguilar, 2016), VAPAs are predominantly designed for use in the user's first language as opposed to a second language, with learners frequently neglecting their capacity to enhance the language acquisition process. This paper examines the existing research on the use of VAPAs for language learning, highlights their potential uses, benefits and limitations, and reports on a study carried outwith tertiary students of Spanish before indicating potential future research directions. 2. Voice-activated personal assistants and language learning: an overview The field of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) has been researching the u

FAQs

What role do voice-activated personal assistants play in autonomous language learning?

They can help learners with tasks such as looking up words, checking spelling and pronunciation, and motivating learners to produce output in the target language.

Why might learners not use VAPAs effectively for second-language learning?

VAPAs are primarily designed for use in a user’s first language, and learners often overlook their potential to support second-language acquisition.

What did the study find about university students’ use of VAPAs for Spanish learning?

Most participants owned a device with a VAPA, but only a relatively small proportion used it for language learning. The results also point to potential for further user engagement.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Ophelia