The effects of high versus low talker variability and individual aptitude on phonetic training of Mandarin lexical tones

Phonetic Contrasts ◽

Mandarin Tones ◽

High variability training has been found to be more effective than low variability training when learning various non-native phonetic contrasts. However, little research has considered whether this applies to the learning of tone contrasts. The only two relevant studies suggested that the effect of high variability training depends on the perceptual aptitude of participants (Perrachione, Lee, Ha, & Wong, 2011; Sadakata & McQueen, 2014). The present study extends these findings by examining the interaction between individual aptitude and input variability using natural, meaningful second language input (both previous studies used pseudowords). Sixty English speakers took part in an eight session phonetic training paradigm. They were assigned to high/low/high-blocked variability training groups and learned real Mandarin tones and words. Individual aptitude was measured following previous work. Learning was measured using one discrimination task, one identification task and two production tasks. All tasks assessed generalisation. All groups improved in both the production and perception of tones which transferred to untrained voices and items, demonstrating the effectiveness of training despite the increased complexity compared with previous research. Although the low variability group exhibited an advantage with the training stimuli, there was no evidence for a benefit of high-variability in any of the tests of generalisation. Moreover, although aptitude significantly predicted performance in discrimination, identification and training tasks, no interaction between individual aptitude and variability was revealed. Additional Bayes Factor analyses indicated substantial evidence for the null for the hypotheses of a benefit of high-variability in generalisation, however the evidence regarding the interaction was ambiguous. We discuss these results in light of previous findings.

The effects of high versus low talker variability and individual aptitude on phonetic training of Mandarin lexical tones

10.7287/peerj.preprints.27063v2 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Hanyu Dong ◽

Meghan Clayards ◽

Helen Brown ◽

Elizabeth Wonnacott

Keyword(s):

Bayes Factor ◽

High Variability ◽

English Speakers ◽

Factor Analyses ◽

Substantial Evidence ◽

Talker Variability ◽

Phonetic Contrasts ◽

Mandarin Tones ◽

High variability training has been found to be more effective than low variability training when learning various non-native phonetic contrasts. However, little research has considered whether this applies to the learning of tone contrasts. The only two relevant studies suggested that the effect of high variability training depends on the perceptual aptitude of participants (Perrachione, Lee, Ha, & Wong, 2011; Sadakata & McQueen, 2014). The present study extends these findings by examining the interaction between individual aptitude and input variability using natural, meaningful second language input (both previous studies used pseudowords). Sixty English speakers took part in an eight session phonetic training paradigm. They were assigned to high/low/high-blocked variability training groups and learned real Mandarin tones and words. Individual aptitude was measured following previous work. Learning was measured using one discrimination task, one identification task and two production tasks. All tasks assessed generalisation. All groups improved in both the production and perception of tones which transferred to untrained voices and items, demonstrating the effectiveness of training despite the increased complexity compared with previous research. Although the low variability group exhibited an advantage with the training stimuli, there was no evidence for a benefit of high-variability in any of the tests of generalisation. Moreover, although aptitude significantly predicted performance in discrimination, identification and training tasks, no interaction between individual aptitude and variability was revealed. Additional Bayes Factor analyses indicated substantial evidence for the null for the hypotheses of a benefit of high-variability in generalisation, however the evidence regarding the interaction was ambiguous. We discuss these results in light of previous findings.

The effects of high versus low talker variability and individual aptitude on phonetic training of Mandarin lexical tones

10.7287/peerj.preprints.27063v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Hanyu Dong ◽

Meghan Clayards ◽

Helen Brown ◽

Elizabeth Wonnacott

Keyword(s):

Discrimination Task ◽

High Variability ◽

English Speakers ◽

Identification Task ◽

Talker Variability ◽

Lexical Tones ◽

Phonetic Contrasts ◽

Mandarin Tones ◽

High variability training has been found more effective than low variability training in learning various non-native phonetic contrasts. However, little research has considered whether this applies to the learning of tone contrasts. The only two relevant studies suggested that the effect of high variability training depends on the perceptual aptitude of participants (Perrachione, Lee, Ha, & Wong, 2011; Sadakata & McQueen, 2014). The present study extends these findings by examining the interaction between individual aptitude and input variability using natural, meaningful L2 input (both previous studies used pseudowords). Sixty English speakers took part in an eight session phonetic training paradigm. They were assigned to high/low/high-blocking variability training groups and learned real Mandarin tones and words. Individual aptitude was measured following previous work. Learning was measured using one discrimination task, one identification task and two production tasks. All tasks assessed the generalisation of learning. Overall, all groups improved in both production and perception of tones which transferred to novel voices and items, demonstrating the effectiveness of training despite the increased complexity compared with previous research. Although the low variability group exhibited an advantage with the training stimuli, there was no evidence that the different variability training led to different performance in any of the tests of generalisation. Moreover, although aptitude significantly predicted performance in discrimination, identification and training tasks, no interaction between individual aptitude and variability was revealed. We discuss these results in light of previous findings.

High or low? Comparing high and low-variability phonetic training in adult and child second language learners

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.3209 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. e3209 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Anastasia Giannakopoulou ◽

Helen Brown ◽

Meghan Clayards ◽

Elizabeth Wonnacott

Keyword(s):

Word Learning ◽

Age Groups ◽

High Variability ◽

Talker Variability ◽

Multiple Voices ◽

Phonetic Learning ◽

Lexical Learning ◽

Phonetic Contrasts ◽

BackgroundHigh talker variability (i.e., multiple voices in the input) has been found effective in training nonnative phonetic contrasts in adults. A small number of studies suggest that children also benefit from high-variability phonetic training with some evidence that they show greater learning (more plasticity) than adults given matched input, although results are mixed. However, no study has directly compared the effectiveness of high versus low talker variability in children.MethodsNative Greek-speaking eight-year-olds (N= 52), and adults (N= 41) were exposed to the English /i/-/ɪ/ contrast in 10 training sessions through a computerized word-learning game. Pre- and post-training tests examined discrimination of the contrast as well as lexical learning. Participants were randomly assigned to high (four talkers) or low (one talker) variability training conditions.ResultsBoth age groups improved during training, and both improved more while trained with a single talker. Results of a three-interval oddity discrimination test did not show the predicted benefit of high-variability training in either age group. Instead, children showed an effect in thereversedirection—i.e., reliably greater improvements in discrimination following single talker training, even for untrained generalization items, although the result is qualified by (accidental) differences between participant groups at pre-test. Adults showed a numeric advantage for high-variability but were inconsistent with respect to voice and word novelty. In addition, no effect of variability was found for lexical learning. There was no evidence of greater plasticity for phonetic learning in child learners.DiscussionThis paper adds to the handful of studies demonstrating that, like adults, child learners can improve their discrimination of a phonetic contrast via computerized training. There was no evidence of a benefit of training with multiple talkers, either for discrimination or word learning. The results also do not support the findings of greater plasticity in child learners found in a previous paper (Giannakopoulou, Uther & Ylinen, 2013a). We discuss these results in terms of various differences between training and test tasks used in the current work compared with previous literature.

High or low? Comparing high and low-variability phonetic training in adult and child second language learners

10.7287/peerj.preprints.2870 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Anastasia Giannakopoulou ◽

Helen Brown ◽

Meghan Clayards ◽

Elizabeth Wonnacott

Keyword(s):

Word Learning ◽

Age Groups ◽

High Variability ◽

Talker Variability ◽

Multiple Voices ◽

Phonetic Learning ◽

Lexical Learning ◽

Phonetic Contrasts ◽

Background. High talker variability (i.e. multiple voices in the input) has been found effective in training non-native phonetic contrasts in adults. A small number of studies suggest that children also benefit from high-variability phonetic training with some evidence that they show greater learning (more plasticity) than adults given matched input, although results are mixed. However no study has directly compared the effectiveness of high versus low talker variability in children. Methods. Native Greek speaking 8-year-olds (N=52), and adults (N=41) were exposed to the English /i/-/ɪ/ contrast in ten training sessions through a computerized word-learning game. Pre- and post-training tests examined discrimination of the contrast as well as lexical learning. Participants were randomly assigned to high (4 talkers) or low (1 talker) variability training conditions. Results. Both age groups improved during training, and both improved more while trained with a single talker. Results of a 3-interval oddity discrimination test did not show the predicted benefit of high-variability in training in either age group. Instead, children showed an effect in the reverse direction – i.e. reliably greater improvements in discrimination following single talker training, even for untrained generalization items, although the result is qualified by (accidental) differences in participant groups at pre-test. Adults showed a numeric advantage for high-variability but were inconsistent with respect to voice and word novelty. In addition, no effect of variability was found for lexical learning. There was no evidence of greater plasticity for phonetic learning in child learners. Discussion. This paper adds to the handful of studies demonstrating that, like adults, child learners can improve their discrimination of a phonetic contrast via computerized training. There was no evidence of a benefit of training with multiple talkers, either for discrimination or word learning. The results also do not support the findings of greater plasticity in child learning found in a previous paper (Giannakopoulou et al., 2013a). We discuss these results in terms of various differences between training and test tasks used in the current work compared with previous literature.

High or low? Comparing high and low-variability phonetic training in adult and child second language learners

10.7287/peerj.preprints.2870v2 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Anastasia Giannakopoulou ◽

Helen Brown ◽

Meghan Clayards ◽

Elizabeth Wonnacott

Keyword(s):

Word Learning ◽

Age Groups ◽

High Variability ◽

Talker Variability ◽

Multiple Voices ◽

Phonetic Learning ◽

Lexical Learning ◽

Phonetic Contrasts ◽

Background. High talker variability (i.e. multiple voices in the input) has been found effective in training non-native phonetic contrasts in adults. A small number of studies suggest that children also benefit from high-variability phonetic training with some evidence that they show greater learning (more plasticity) than adults given matched input, although results are mixed. However no study has directly compared the effectiveness of high versus low talker variability in children. Methods. Native Greek speaking 8-year-olds (N=52), and adults (N=41) were exposed to the English /i/-/ɪ/ contrast in ten training sessions through a computerized word-learning game. Pre- and post-training tests examined discrimination of the contrast as well as lexical learning. Participants were randomly assigned to high (4 talkers) or low (1 talker) variability training conditions. Results. Both age groups improved during training, and both improved more while trained with a single talker. Results of a 3-interval oddity discrimination test did not show the predicted benefit of high-variability in training in either age group. Instead, children showed an effect in the reverse direction – i.e. reliably greater improvements in discrimination following single talker training, even for untrained generalization items, although the result is qualified by (accidental) differences in participant groups at pre-test. Adults showed a numeric advantage for high-variability but were inconsistent with respect to voice and word novelty. In addition, no effect of variability was found for lexical learning. There was no evidence of greater plasticity for phonetic learning in child learners. Discussion. This paper adds to the handful of studies demonstrating that, like adults, child learners can improve their discrimination of a phonetic contrast via computerized training. There was no evidence of a benefit of training with multiple talkers, either for discrimination or word learning. The results also do not support the findings of greater plasticity in child learning found in a previous paper (Giannakopoulou et al., 2013a). We discuss these results in terms of various differences between training and test tasks used in the current work compared with previous literature.

The role of talker variability in the perceptual learning of Mandarin tones by American English listeners

Journal of Second Language Pronunciation ◽

10.1075/jslp.19010.sil ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alif Silpachai

Keyword(s):

Perceptual Learning ◽

American English ◽

High Variability ◽

Talker Variability ◽

Training Paradigm ◽

Tone Perception ◽

English Speaking ◽

Mandarin Tones ◽

Better Than

Abstract Research on segmentals has suggested that a key component of High Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT) is high talker variability. However, the extent to which high talker variability improves perception of tones is unclear. This study examined the effects of high talker variability on the perception of Mandarin tones (Tones 1–4) by English-speaking listeners. A training paradigm that used multiple talkers (multitalker group) was compared with a paradigm that used one talker (single-talker group). The results showed that the multitalker group outperformed the single-talker group, and they retained their learning better than the single-talker group did for 6 months. Neither group, however, improved their perception of Tone 1 or generalized their learning of monosyllables to disyllables. The results suggest that although high talker variability can effectively improve tone perception, it does not improve the perception of more tone categories or yield generalization of learning to more contexts compared to low talker variability.

High or low? Comparing high and low-variability phonetic training in adult and child second language learners

10.7287/peerj.preprints.2870v1 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Anastasia Giannakopoulou ◽

Helen Brown ◽

Meghan Clayards ◽

Elizabeth Wonnacott

Keyword(s):

Word Learning ◽

Age Groups ◽

High Variability ◽

Talker Variability ◽

Multiple Voices ◽

Phonetic Learning ◽

Lexical Learning ◽

Phonetic Contrasts ◽

Background. High talker variability (i.e. multiple voices in the input) has been found effective in training non-native phonetic contrasts in adults. A small number of studies suggest that children also benefit from high-variability phonetic training with some evidence that they show greater learning (more plasticity) than adults given matched input, although results are mixed. However no study has directly compared the effectiveness of high versus low talker variability in children. Methods. Native Greek speaking 8-year-olds (N=52), and adults (N=41) were exposed to the English /i/-/ɪ/ contrast in ten training sessions through a computerized word-learning game. Pre- and post-training tests examined discrimination of the contrast as well as lexical learning. Participants were randomly assigned to high (4 talkers) or low (1 talker) variability training conditions. Results. Both age groups improved during training, and both improved more while trained with a single talker. Results of a 3-interval oddity discrimination test did not show the predicted benefit of high-variability in training in either age group. Instead, children showed an effect in the reverse direction – i.e. reliably greater improvements in discrimination following single talker training, even for untrained generalization items, although the result is qualified by (accidental) differences in participant groups at pre-test. Adults showed a numeric advantage for high-variability but were inconsistent with respect to voice and word novelty. In addition, no effect of variability was found for lexical learning. There was no evidence of greater plasticity for phonetic learning in child learners. Discussion. This paper adds to the handful of studies demonstrating that, like adults, child learners can improve their discrimination of a phonetic contrast via computerized training. There was no evidence of a benefit of training with multiple talkers, either for discrimination or word learning. The results also do not support the findings of greater plasticity in child learning found in a previous paper (Giannakopoulou et al., 2013a). We discuss these results in terms of various differences between training and test tasks used in the current work compared with previous literature.

A Study On Employee Perception On Effectiveness Of Training Programs In Myanmar Citizens Bank

Restaurant Business ◽

10.26643/rb.v118i11.11544 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 118 (11) ◽

pp. 603-618

Author(s):

ZawZawMyint ◽

Sandeep Poddar ◽

Abhijit Ghosh ◽

Amiya Bhaumik

Keyword(s):

Research Method ◽

Training Programs ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Employee Perceptions ◽

Annual Reports ◽

Primary Data ◽

Roles And Responsibilities ◽

Descriptive Research ◽

In banking industries, employees are entrusted with different roles and responsibilities, and training enables them to carry out these roles and responsibilities efficiently by let them to learn new things. Moreover, it will prepare them to take up higher responsibilities in the future. Therefore, this study focuses to analyze the employee perceptions on effectiveness of Training Programs in Myanmar Citizens Bank (MCB). By using the descriptive research method, primary data are collected from the responsible persons and employees of MCB in head office, branches. Secondary data are gathered and scrutinized from relevant text books, records and annual reports from MCB. The research revealed that there are four kinds of training programs in MCB. Moreover, this paper revealed that MCB successfully delivered its training programs in year 2015 to 2018 and the trainees have positive perceptions on effectiveness of training programs in MCB. Based on these results, this paper pointed out the important facts that can give improvement actions for effective and efficient training programs in Myanmar Citizen Banks.

THE EVALUATION OF DISTANCE LEARNING IN PANDEMIC ERA: CASE STUDY OF FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING AGENCY OF MAKASSAR

JURNAL PAJAR (Pendidikan dan Pengajaran) ◽

10.33578/pjr.v4i6.8131 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Azwar Iskandar ◽

Achmat Subekan

Keyword(s):

Evaluation Model ◽

Financial Education ◽

Learning Gain ◽

Training Performance ◽

Implementation Evaluation ◽

Training Materials ◽

Knowledge And Attitude ◽

The objectives of this research are to: (i) evaluate the trainees’s satisfaction on trainers and training performance; (ii) evaluate learning gain or improvement of trainees’s skills, knowledge, and attitude after training; and (iii) know the significant obstacles that can reduce the effectiveness of training. Using the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model through questionnaire, interview, and descriptive statistics method, this research reveals that: (i) the overall aspect of the implementation evaluation was assessed by participants in the good category although it could not meet the level of expectations of participants that could be seen from the ratio of the average total perception to reality below 100%. On the other hand, the trainers aspect has been able to meet the expectations of participants where the overall level of trainers performance has been assessed by participants and entered into the category of very good; (ii) the results of the evaluation analysis at Level 2 (learning gain) show that most participants graduate with good predicate and get an up/up score so that it can be said that participants have gained additional knowledge after attending the training; (iii) although in general the evaluation results showed good results, there are still some obstacles faced by participants in attending the training. In terms of organizing, participants generally complained about inadequate internet quality in some areas. Meanwhile, in the trainers aspect, participants generally give feedback that teachers can multiply case studies and raise the latest issues in the confectionery of problems related to training materials.