Smart Speakers Show Promise in Supporting Children's Speech Development

Recent research conducted by Cardiff University suggests that smart speakers could serve as an effective and engaging tool to assist children facing speech challenges. The study highlights that off-the-shelf smart home devices, like popular virtual assistants, may help children practice speaking more slowly and clearly in a fun and accessible way. Led by the university's School of Psychology, the study involved 11 families with children aged between 3 and 10 years who experience speech difficulties.

During the trial period, which lasted between four to six weeks, children interacted daily with the smart speakers by engaging in games, listening to stories, music, jokes, and podcasts. The researchers analyzed activity data from the devices, conducted surveys and interviews with parents and children, and monitored changes in speech clarity.

Findings showed that children tended to speak louder and slower when interacting with the smart speakers, often repeating words and phrases—behavior that is typical during speech therapy. Notably, speech clarity improved over time, with more significant gains observed in children who used the devices more frequently.

Dr. Georgina Powell, the lead researcher, emphasized the potential of smart speakers as a supplemental tool for speech development, especially for children on waiting lists for therapy or between sessions. Parents reported increased motivation and willingness in their children to communicate, with some attributing improvements to singing or repeating phrases prompted by the device.

Throughout the study, children issued over 2,100 commands, predominantly around games, jokes, sounds, and requests for media content. Many children initiated conversations, and voice recordings indicated clearer speech after device usage. Additionally, children showed a higher propensity to repeat commands with the smart speakers compared to conversations with people, which may help reduce social anxiety or embarrassment associated with speaking.

Dr. Powell noted that smart speakers could help bypass social barriers, foster self-motivated learning, and provide immediate feedback and rewarding content, all of which support speech practice. However, she stressed that more extensive research is necessary to determine optimal usage strategies, benefits for specific age groups, and particular speech disorders.

Overall, this innovative approach demonstrates promising potential to complement traditional speech therapy and support children in developing clearer communication skills in a fun and interactive manner.