SphinxSpeak

ELS 226: Technical Writing in the Professions

Department of Arts and Sciences
AB English Language

Submitted by:
Mayono, Cleere P.
Pansoy, Lance Kristoffer L.

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 DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCT AND PRODUCT FUNCTIONS
SphinxSpeak is an innovative and immersive language-learning app designed to take your Arabic language skills to new heights. Named after the
enigmatic Sphinx and inspired by Thoth, the Egyptian god of writing and creator of languages, this app combines the mystery of the Arabic language
with cutting-edge technology to provide a unique and engaging learning experience.

Why SphinxSpeak?
1. Pronunciation, Fluency, and Proficiency

Master the art of articulation, fluidity, and language proficiency through engaging lessons tailored to enhance your spoken and written
communication skills.
2. International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

Delve into the nuances of accurate pronunciation using the International Phonetic Alphabet, a powerful tool that aids in perfecting the sounds of
countless languages.
3. Vocabulary Building

Immerse yourself in the world of language by learning everyday words, expanding your lexicon, and acquiring essential vocabulary for effective
communication.
4. Grammar Mastery

Navigate the intricacies of grammar with a focus on Subject-Verb-Object (SVA) structures, ensuring a solid foundation in the language's
grammatical nuances.
5. Cultural Insights

Gain cultural insights that go beyond language basics. SphinxSpeak integrates cultural lessons to provide users with a deeper understanding of
Arab customs, traditions, and societal norms, fostering a well-rounded appreciation of the language and its context.
6. Assessment and Progress Tracking

Evaluate your language proficiency with comprehensive assessments and track your progress over time, allowing you to measure your
achievements and identify areas for improvement.
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 7. Engaging Learning Features

Immerse yourself in a diverse range of learning tools, including audio and text exercises, flashcards, quizzes, mini -games, and a language
proficiency test, ensuring a dynamic and interactive learning experience.
8. Community Support

Connect with a vibrant community of language learners and native speakers. Engage in language exchange, join discussion forums, and participate
in group activities to enhance your Arabic communication skills in a supportive and collaborative environment.
9. Cross-Platform Accessibility

SphinxSpeak is available on multiple platforms, including smartphones, tablets, and desktops, ensuring that you can seamlessly transition between
devices and learn Arabic on the go.
10. Offline Learning Mode

Access lessons anytime, anywhere, with SphinxSpeak's offline learning mode. Download lessons for offline use, ensuring that you can continue
your language learning journey even without an internet connection.

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 SPHINXSPEAK: YOUR GATEWAY TO LANGUAGE MASTERY
I. Getting Started on SphinxSpeak

First: Download the SphinxSpeak app on your smartphone from the App Store (iOS), Google Play Store (Android), or head to
www.sphinxspeak.com to download and install the app on your computer.

Second: You’ll be asked to create a SphinxSpeak account or if you already have one, you’ll need to sign in.

Third: You’ll be asked about your goals in learning the language, but don’t worry! You can always adjust your goals later.

Fourth: You’ll be asked whether you want to start learning the basics of the language, or if you already know some of it, you will answer a quiz
designed to determine your proficiency level and the most suitable learning materials for you.

Fifth: For SphinxSpeak Premium subscribers, once your goals and proficiency level are set, SphinxSpeak will tailor a personalized learning plan
for you. This plan will include daily lessons, practice exercises, and quizzes to help you progress efficiently.

II. How to Learn with SphinxSpeak

The home screen is designed as a path that you’ll follow step by step. The path is organized into “units”, which cover specific learning objectives.
Units are made up of “levels”, which look like stepping stones on your path! Levels include several “lessons,” and by completing the lessons, you
can slowly advance from one path to the next.

Lessons Our lessons use interactive exercises to get you to speak, read, write, and listen right from the start. As you
progress along the path, you'll work through more challenging exercises and will do even more speaking and
writing in the language.

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 Guidebook Each unit has a guidebook that offers tips about vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, as well as a summary
of key phrases! These short explanations help you focus your attention on the most important parts of your
lessons. Find them by tapping on the book icon at the top of each Unit.

Stories These short, fun dialogues get you reading and listening to conversational language. You'll be picking up words
and phrases without even feeling like you're studying! If you see levels with the book icon in your path, that
means your course has Stories!

Alphabet or Character Since the Arabic language uses non-Roman scripts, we provide lessons focused on the letters or characters
Lessons and their sounds and meanings.

Practice Practice is built into your path to ensure you’re regularly revisiting the material and maintaining a strong
foundation as you move forward on your learning journey. For additional practice, if you’re not a SphinxSpeak
Premium subscriber, you can tap a gilded node along the path to review the lesson anytime. For subscribers,
you can visit the Knowledge Sphere to choose from several sets of practice sessions.

Knowledge Sphere The Knowledge Sphere can only be accessed by subscribing to SphinxSpeak Premium. To access the
Knowledge Sphere, tap the Knowledge Sphere section from the app's main menu, which is indicated by the
Egyptian god Thoth’s silhouette. Here, you can interact with your tutor, access your personalized learning plan,
and feedback tailored by your tutor based on your recent performance. Users can also browse different
categories, such as grammar, vocabulary, or cultural insights, to find content that aligns with their interests and
learning objectives.

III. Gamification for Motivation

Elevate your learning experience through gamification, a powerful motivational tool that transforms language learning into an exciting and rewarding
journey. Earn rewards, achieve milestones, and compete with other language learners to maintain a high level of engagement and enthusiasm.
SphinxSpeak's gamification features make learning a language a fun and interactive experience, keeping you motivated and dedicated to reaching

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your language learning goals. Whether it's earning badges, climbing leaderboards, or completing challenges, gamification ensures that each step
of your language learning journey is not just educational but also thoroughly enjoyable.

Experience Points (XP) Experience Points (XP) can be earned by completing lessons and unlocking new units.

Mini Games Mini Games are a way of making language learning fun! You can practice recent mistakes with mini games by
tapping the practice button and clicking on the game console button.

In-app Currencies An innovative in-app currency system has been integrated to further enrich your learning experience. As you
progress through lessons, participate in mini-games, and achieve milestones, you'll earn in-app currencies
(Pebbles and Peridots) that can be exchanged for rewards within the app.

Achievements Unlock a plethora of achievements by accomplishing specific language-learning milestones. From mastering a
challenging grammar concept to completing a streak of consecutive logins, achievements not only serve as a
testament to your progress but also contribute to your overall Experience Points.

Weekly Leaderboard Experience points will be used to showcase and gauge your progress against other language learners.
Compete for the top spots and gain recognition for your dedication to learning languages.

League Based on your proficiency level, you will be assigned to a league where you will climb the ranks by accumulating
Experience Points. Leagues provide a sense of friendly competition, fostering a supportive community where
learners of similar abilities can engage and share their language learning journey.

Day-Streak Cultivate a consistent learning habit with the Day-Streak feature. Log in daily to extend your streak, earning
bonus Experience Points and unlocking exclusive rewards. The longer your streak, the more you enhance your
language skills, making learning a daily habit.

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 Log-in Rewards As a token of appreciation for your commitment, SphinxSpeak offers login rewards. Simply log in daily to receive
valuable in-app currencies, bonus Experience Points, or even exclusive access to premium features. These
rewards are designed to motivate you to stay on track with your language learning goals.

IV. Socialization
Break free from the solitary nature of traditional language learning and embrace the social aspect of SphinxSpeak. Connect wi th fellow language
learners, engage in conversations, and participate in vibrant discussion forums. Socialization enhances your learning experience by providing a
platform to share insights, seek advice, and celebrate collective successes. Collaborate with language enthusiasts worldwide and create a
supportive community that motivates you to excel in your language journey.

Peer Review System for Peer review systems where learners can provide constructive feedback on each other's spoken and written
Speaking and Writing exercises are available to enhance collaboration and communication among learners.

Real-Time Language Practice Users are encouraged to join real-time language practice sessions where they can converse with others in the
Sessions language they are learning. These sessions are facilitated by language tutors or advanced learners.

Language Enthusiast Feature stories or interviews with language enthusiasts within the SphinxSpeak community. Highlighting the
Spotlights achievements and experiences of fellow learners creates a sense of inspiration and motivation.

Community Events Stay engaged with community events hosted within SphinxSpeak. Whether it's language-related quizzes,
themed discussions, or live Q&A sessions with language experts, these occasions occur regularly.

Language Clubs Join or create virtual language clubs within SphinxSpeak where learners with shared interests or proficiency
levels can connect, engage, and practice together.

Local Discussion Forums Specific regional dialects or variations of the learned languages are tackled in these forums, allowing users to
explore language nuances and cultural differences within their target language.

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 V. SphinxSpeak Premium: Unlock More
One of the ways we keep SphinxSpeak free for everyone is by offering SphinxSpeak Premium, a paid subscription that gets learners extra perks
while supporting our mission to help develop the best education in the world and make it universally accessible. Besides helping deliver excellent
language teaching to learners around the world, SphinxSpeak Premium subscribers also get:

No Ads Skip the ads the free users see at the end of every lesson.

Unlimited Peridots Turn on unlimited Peridots so they never run out whenever you make mistakes!

Knowledge Sphere The Knowledge Sphere is a special feature within SphinxSpeak designed to provide premium subscribers with
an enriched and personalized learning experience. It serves as an interactive hub where you can access
language tutors, additional resources, practice sessions, and targeted lessons to deepen your understanding
of the language.

Access to Tutors Unlock the Knowledge Sphere and get access to a language tutor.

Personalized Learning Plan Sharpen your language skills with special practice lessons focused on correcting your recent mistakes, and
other personalized practice sessions in the Knowledge Sphere.

SphinxSpeak Premium Plans:

Premium Solo Access premium features with 1 premium account.

Premium Student Students get 25% off Premium for up to 4 years.

 Renew every 12 months (up to 3 times).

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 Premium Family 5 people living together each get their own Premium account for 1 discounted price.

Premium Trial If you have never had Premium or have never been a member of a Premium plan, you can try any plan for a
reduced rate or even for free.

 For free trials, you still need to enter a valid payment method to sign up. This is so we can confirm your
country or region and process payments if you want to keep Premium after the trial ends.

VI. Settings and Personalization

Head to your profile (the person icon) and then the settings page to get the learning experience that's right for you: turn on reminders to help make
studying a habit and include speaking and listening practice in your lessons!

Profile Page Here, you can edit details such as your name, username, bio, and avatar. You can also see your achievements,
friends list, and statistics, which include your day streak, total experience points, current league, and the number
of your top 3 finishes in the weekly leaderboard.

Settings You can change your lesson experience preferences, privacy settings, notifications, as well as account control
and security here.

Speaking and Listening For a more personalized learning experience, you can turn the speaking and listening exercises on or off.
However, we suggest turning on the speaking and listening exercises for a more fun and effective learning
Exercises experience.

Practice Reminders Practice reminders help make studying a habit! You can adjust and schedule a reminder here.

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Start learning a new language today by downloading SphinxSpeak!

For more information or assistance, contact our Customer Support:

Email: support@sphinxspeak.com

In-App Messaging: Access the customer support team directly through the in-app messaging feature.
Our team is here to help you make the most out of your language-learning journey!
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 REFLECTION

Mayono, Cleere P.
c.mayono.137688.tc@umindanao.edu.ph

“As first timers, making this manual was a tough challenge we had to face. Both of us sat in our rooms filled with frustrations because we did not
know how to approach this project. We had artistic freedom and full control of how we could start this as Professor Villarubia never gave us a
format to follow. However, this ‘freedom’ was also the one that restricted us and caused us to progress painfully slow. This, along with our lack of
experience left us feeling intimidated and overwhelmed during the whole process. To overcome these hurdles, we learned how to collaborate
with each other and reach a mutual decision through discussions and thorough research. Eventually, we finished the manual with time to spare
and I could not be prouder for us.”

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 REFLECTION

Pansoy, Lance Kristoffer L.

l.pansoy.141223.tc@umindanao.edu.ph

“The challenge of making the manual both informative and engaging stagnated its completion. This collaborative effort required an extensive
investment of time, given the many factors that needed consideration and attention to detail. To achieve our desired results, we grappled with
decisions about what to include and exclude, and layers and layers of complexities were encountered during the creative process. However, it
was within these challenges that the depth and richness of the manual were shaped, mirroring the journey of language learning itself because
not only did it demand determination but also a strategy to unlearn, relearn, and conquer obstacles. The manual emerged not merely as a guide
but as a testament to the resilience needed to master a new language, and I am absolutely glad that it is finished.”

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