scholarly journals Effects of Practice Variability on Second-Language Speech Production Training

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Lindsay Bu ◽  
Marisa Nagano ◽  
Daphna Harel ◽  
Tara McAllister
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Motor Learning ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
High Variability ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Practice Variability ◽  
Second Language Speech Production ◽  
Speech Motor

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Mastering the phonetics of a second language (L2) involves a component of speech-motor skill, and it has been suggested that L2 learners aiming to achieve a more native-like pronunciation could benefit from practice structured in accordance with the <i>principles of motor learning</i>. <b><i>Participants and Methods:</i></b> This study investigated the influence one such principle, high versus low variability in practice, has on speech-motor learning for Korean adults seeking to acquire native-like production of English rhotics. Practice incorporated a commercially available intraoral placement device (“R Buddy,” Speech Buddies Inc.). In a single-subject across-behaviors design, 8 participants were pseudorandomly assigned to practice rhotic targets in a low-variability (single word) or high-variability (multiple words) practice condition. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The hypothesized advantage for high-variability over low-variability practice was observed in the short-term time frame. However, long-term learning was limited in nature for both conditions. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> These results suggest that future research should incorporate high-variability practice while identifying additional manipulations to maximize the magnitude of long-term generalization learning.

Aging Couples: Benefits and Costs of Long Intimate Relations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria I. Michalowski ◽  
Denis Gerstorf ◽  
Christiane A. Hoppmann
Keyword(s):  
Time Frame ◽  
Multiple Time Scales ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multiple Time ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Intimate Relations ◽  
Benefits And Costs ◽  
Over Time

Aging does not occur in isolation, but often involves significant others such as spouses. Whether such dyadic associations involve gains or losses depends on a myriad of factors, including the time frame under consideration. What is beneficial in the short term may not be so in the long term, and vice versa. Similarly, what is beneficial for one partner may be costly for the other, or the couple unit over time. Daily dynamics between partners involving emotion processes, health behaviors, and collaborative cognition may accumulate over years to affect the longer-term physical and mental health outcomes of either partner or both partners across adulthood and into old age. Future research should move beyond an individual-focused approach to aging and consider the importance of and interactions among multiple time scales to better understand how, when, and why older spouses shape each other’s aging trajectories, both for better and for worse.

scholarly journals The Impact of Feedback Frequency on Performance in a Novel Speech Motor Learning Task

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (6S) ◽  
pp. 1712-1725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mara Steinberg Lowe ◽  
Adam Buchwald
Keyword(s):  
Motor Learning ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Term Retention ◽  
Long Term Retention ◽  
Speech Motor Learning ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Speech Motor

Purpose This study investigated whether whole nonword accuracy, phoneme accuracy, and acoustic duration measures were influenced by the amount of feedback speakers without impairment received during a novel speech motor learning task. Method Thirty-two native English speakers completed a nonword production task across 3 time points: practice, short-term retention, and long-term retention. During practice, participants received knowledge of results feedback according to a randomly assigned schedule (100%, 50%, 20%, or 0%). Changes in nonword accuracy, phoneme accuracy, nonword duration, and initial-cluster duration were compared among feedback groups, sessions, and stimulus properties. Results All participants improved phoneme and whole nonword accuracy at short-term and long-term retention time points. Participants also refined productions of nonwords, as indicated by a decrease in nonword duration across sessions. The 50% group exhibited the largest reduction in duration between practice and long-term retention for nonwords with native and nonnative clusters. Conclusions All speakers, regardless of feedback schedule, learned new speech motor behaviors quickly with a high degree of accuracy and refined their speech motor skills for perceptually accurate productions. Acoustic measurements may capture more subtle, subperceptual changes that may occur during speech motor learning. Supplemental Materials https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.5116324

A History of Concussion Does Not Lead to an Increase in Ocular Near Point of Convergence

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (09) ◽  
pp. 682-687
Author(s):  
Paul van Donkelaar ◽  
Jill Dierijck ◽  
Alexander Wright ◽  
Jonathan Smirl
Keyword(s):  
Previous History ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
T Test ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Dose Response Relationship ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mean Time ◽  
Larger Sample

AbstractOcular near point of convergence (NPC) has been shown to be sensitive to the effects of concussion and subconcussive impacts. To determine if NPC is also sensitive to a previous history of concussion, male contact-sport athletes either with (n=26) or without (n=16) a history of at least one previous concussion had their NPC assessed. The results showed that participants with a history of concussion displayed NPC values (9.4±1.6 cm) indistinguishable from those with no history of concussion (8.4±2.1 cm, t-test, p=0.09). This was the case regardless of whether 1, 2, or 3 or more concussions had occurred and despite the fact participants with concussion (mean time since last concussion: 1136 days) suffered from an increased number and severity of symptoms as assessed with the SCAT 3 (3.6±2.2 vs. 2.13±1.89 symptoms, 6.1±4.1 vs. 3.19±2.99 severity, t-test, p<0.05). Taken together, these results imply that NPC may not be a suitable tool to assess the potential long-term effects of one or more concussions over a longer time frame. Future research using larger sample sizes is warranted to evaluate the potential dose-response relationship between number of prior concussions and NPC.

scholarly journals Declarative and Procedural Memory as Individual Differences in Second Language Aptitude

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Buffington ◽  
Kara Morgan-Short
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Memory Systems ◽  
Procedural Memory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Language Aptitude

Domain-general approaches to second language acquisition (SLA) have considered how individual differences in cognitive abilities contribute to foreign language aptitude. Here, we specifically consider the role of two, long-term, cognitive memory systems, i.e., declarative and procedural memory, as individual differences in SLA. In doing so, we define and review evidence for the long-term declarative and procedural memory systems, consider theories that address a role for declarative and procedural memory in L2 acquisition, discuss evidence in support of the claims that these theories make, and conclude with discussion of important directions and questions for future research on the role of declarative and procedural memory as individual differences in assessing L2 aptitude.

scholarly journals Tutorial: Speech Motor Chaining Treatment for School-Age Children With Speech Sound Disorders

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan L. Preston ◽  
Megan C. Leece ◽  
Jaclyn Storto
Keyword(s):  
Motor Learning ◽  
Research Evidence ◽  
Speech Sound ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
School Age ◽  
Speech Sound Disorders ◽  
Feedback Type ◽  
Practice Variability ◽  
Speech Motor

Purpose Operationalized treatments for school-age children with speech sound disorders may result in more replicable and evidence-based interventions. This tutorial describes Speech Motor Chaining (SMC) procedures, which are designed to build complex speech around core movements by incorporating several principles of motor learning. The procedures systematically manipulate factors such as feedback type and frequency, practice variability, and stimulus complexity based on the child's performance. Method The rationale and procedures for SMC are described. Examples are presented of how to design stimuli, deliver feedback, and adapt the approach. Free resources are provided to guide clinicians through implementation of the procedure. Data on fidelity of implementation and dose per session are presented. Clinical and research evidence is provided to illustrate likely outcomes with the procedure. Results SMC is a method that can result in successful acquisition of target speech patterns and generalization to untrained words. Most clinicians can implement the procedure with over 90% fidelity, and most children can achieve over 200 trials per session. Conclusion Clinicians and researchers can use or adapt the operationally defined SMC procedures to incorporate several principles of motor learning into treatment for school-age children with speech sound disorders. Supplemental Material https://osf.io/5jmf9/

The Effectiveness of Constant, Variable, Random, and Blocked Practice in Speech-Motor Learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramesh Kaipa ◽  
Michael Robb ◽  
Richard Jones
Keyword(s):  
Motor Learning ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Practice Schedule ◽  
Speech Task ◽  
Median Split ◽  
Practice Variability ◽  
Speech Motor Learning ◽  
Temporal Learning ◽  
Variable Practice ◽  
Speech Motor

In this experiment, we investigated the role of practice variability (constant versus variable practice) and practice schedule (random versus blocked practice) on spatial and temporal learning of a speech task as a function of aging. The participants were 80 healthy individuals (40–80 years) with no history of cognitive, sensory, or motor disorders. A median split was performed to divide the participants into older and younger groups. The median split was at 59 years of age, thus placing 40 participants in each age group. The participants were assigned to one of four practice groups and practiced a nonmeaningful phrase for two consecutive days. On the third day, the participants reproduced the speech phrase without practice. Data analysis revealed that older participants involved in constant practice demonstrated superior temporal learning of the speech task over participants on variable practice. Older participants on random practice demonstrated better spatial learning of the speech task than did participants on blocked practice. In contrast, there was no effect of practice conditions on spatial and temporal learning outcomes in the younger group. The findings indicate that practice variability and practice schedule influence different aspects of a complex speech-motor learning task among older adults but not among younger adults.

Comparative Effects of High-Tech Visual Scene Displays and Low-Tech Isolated Picture Symbols on Engagement From Students With Multiple Disabilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 693-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Holyfield ◽  
Sydney Brooks ◽  
Allison Schluterman
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Multiple Disabilities ◽  
Visual Scene ◽  
Future Research ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Difference

Purpose Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is an intervention approach that can promote communication and language in children with multiple disabilities who are beginning communicators. While a wide range of AAC technologies are available, little is known about the comparative effects of specific technology options. Given that engagement can be low for beginning communicators with multiple disabilities, the current study provides initial information about the comparative effects of 2 AAC technology options—high-tech visual scene displays (VSDs) and low-tech isolated picture symbols—on engagement. Method Three elementary-age beginning communicators with multiple disabilities participated. The study used a single-subject, alternating treatment design with each technology serving as a condition. Participants interacted with their school speech-language pathologists using each of the 2 technologies across 5 sessions in a block randomized order. Results According to visual analysis and nonoverlap of all pairs calculations, all 3 participants demonstrated more engagement with the high-tech VSDs than the low-tech isolated picture symbols as measured by their seconds of gaze toward each technology option. Despite the difference in engagement observed, there was no clear difference across the 2 conditions in engagement toward the communication partner or use of the AAC. Conclusions Clinicians can consider measuring engagement when evaluating AAC technology options for children with multiple disabilities and should consider evaluating high-tech VSDs as 1 technology option for them. Future research must explore the extent to which differences in engagement to particular AAC technologies result in differences in communication and language learning over time as might be expected.

Physical and Psychological Benefits of Written Emotional Expression

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 242-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Éva Kállay
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Benefits ◽  
Cost Effective Treatment ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract. The last several decades have witnessed a substantial increase in the number of individuals suffering from both diagnosable and subsyndromal mental health problems. Consequently, the development of cost-effective treatment methods, accessible to large populations suffering from different forms of mental health problems, became imperative. A very promising intervention is the method of expressive writing (EW), which may be used in both clinically diagnosable cases and subthreshold symptomatology. This method, in which people express their feelings and thoughts related to stressful situations in writing, has been found to improve participants’ long-term psychological, physiological, behavioral, and social functioning. Based on a thorough analysis and synthesis of the published literature (also including most recent meta-analyses), the present paper presents the expressive writing method, its short- and long-term, intra-and interpersonal effects, different situations and conditions in which it has been proven to be effective, the most important mechanisms implied in the process of recovery, advantages, disadvantages, and possible pitfalls of the method, as well as variants of the original technique and future research directions.

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