Maria Uther

MOBILE DEVICES FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING: MULTIMEDIA APPROACHES

This paper examines the use of mobile devices for language learning. In particular we consider how different multimedia and interface modalities can be used to facilitate mobile language learning. The use of multimedia is considered within the context of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) theories. In particular, we examine the Interaction Framework, Schemata Theory, SLA Universal Grammar related theories and Multimedia Learning Theory. Two case studies serve to illuminate: the audio-based training of a system called MAC and the image-based training of another called PhotoStudy. We also suggest evaluation techniques that should be used to test the application of these theories to Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL).

Mobile Language Learning with Multimedia and Multi-modal Interfaces

This paper focuses on the issue of how mobile devices can enhance the language learning experience, and how to evaluate such systems. To this end we consider some of the different multimedia and interface modalities in use in the mobile language learning field, focusing in particular on experiences from two case studies: the audio-based training of MAC (M. Uther et al., 2005) and the image based training of PhotoStudy (S.R.H. Joseph et al., 2005). In addition we provide an overview of the current support for audio and visual interaction as well as developments in the mobile augmented and virtual reality spheres and other possible modalities

Enhanced plasticity in spoken language acquisition for child learners: Evidence from phonetic training studies in child and adult learners of English

Speech sounds that contain multiple phonetic cues are often difficult for foreign-language learners, especially if certain cues are weighted differently in the foreign and native languages. Greek adult and child speakers of English were studied to determine the effect of native language on second-language (L2) cue weighting and, in particular, to explore whether perceptual training could help to improve accuracy in phoneme identification and discrimination. Two forms of stimuli were used: natural (unedited) stimuli and ‘modified’ vowel duration stimuli which were edited to ensure that duration could not be used as a cue in the tasks. Results show the Greek speakers performed poorly when they were unable to use the duration cue as compared with the native English speakers. After high-variability training, performance was improved for both Greek adult (20 –30 years) and child (7 –8 years) groups. However, the degree of improvement was most pronounced for children. This suggests enhanced plasticity for spoken language in this developmental stage. These data have impact on informing the strategies used for teaching spoken language in English as additional language (EAL) populations in different age groups.

Back vs. stack: training the correct mental model affects web browsing

This study explored the issue of how web users understand how the back button works on a standard web browser. Sixty participants were divided into two groups: those who were taught the correct mental model (stack-based) vs. those who did not receive any mental model information. The participants were then given a scenario-based task in which they were required to predict which pages would be available with a back button and those which would not be. The participants were then required to perform a standardised web browsing task and the amount of page traverses and back button usages were measured. Results showed that there were significantly fewer page traverses as a result of the mental model condition, suggesting a more efficient web page browsing resulted from the mental model training. In addition, there were surprisingly very few incorrect usages of the back button, possibly due to floor effects caused by demand characteristics. These data suggest that there is clearly an effect on web browsing navigation as a function of being taught the correct mental model.

Using the Internet for speech research: an evaluative study examining affect in speech

The Internet has rarely been used in auditory perception studies due to concerns about standardisation and calibration across different systems and settings. However, not all auditory research is based on the investigation of fine-grained differences in auditory thresholds. Where meaningful ‘real-world’ listening, for instance the perception of speech, is concerned, the Internet may be a more appropriate and ecologically valid setting to collect data. This study compared affective ratings of low-pass-filtered infant-, foreigner- and British adult-directed speech obtained with traditional methods in the laboratory, with those obtained from an Internet sample. Dropout rates and demographic distribution of participants in the Internet condition were also assessed. The results show that affective ratings were similar for both the Internet and laboratory samples. These findings indicate the viability of Internet-based research into affective speech perception and suggest that precise acoustic environmental control may not always be necessary.

Motherese and Chinese: Evidence of acoustic changes in speech directed at infants and foreigners

Infant‐directed speech (IDS) is characterized by hyperarticulation, increased pitch, and high emotional affect, which is in turn thought to reflect a linguistic and emotional role for IDS. If the linguistic role is an independent contributor of the changes in IDS, then similar hyperarticulation should also occur in foreigner‐directed speech (FDS) but without positive affective changes. To test this, nine mothers were recorded talking to their infants, and British‐ and foreign‐adult confederates. Mothers were provided with toys to elicit the target words shark, sheep, and shoe, containing the corner vowels /a/, /i/, and /u/. Speech samples were analyzed to determine mean pitch and formant 1 and 2 (F1/F2) values of target vowels. Low‐pass filtered speech samples of the mother’s interactions in each condition were rated on positive and negative vocal affect by 24 independent raters. Results showed that mothers hyperarticulated their vowels (indexed by F1/F2 values) in both IDS and FDS relative to ADS. Furthe...

Designing Mobile Language Learning Applications Using Multimedia: Implications from a Small-scale Prospective Learner Study

This paper sets out to provide a preliminary guidance on developing mobile language learning applications, with consideration for using multimedia. A set of initial findings are presented from a small-scale pilot learner study, along with other considerations from findings in the literature. These preliminary guidelines could be further developed in later iterations to provide an overall framework for developing and evaluating other multimedia elements in mobile language learning applications and possibly also other mobile learning applications that use multimedia extensively (e.g. musical learning).

The effect of physical appearance and accent on the elicitation of vowel hyperarticulation by British English native speakers in speech to foreigners

Speech aimed at infants and foreigners has been reported to include the physical exaggeration of vowels, that is vowel hyperarticulation. Although infants have been demonstrated to experience hyperarticulated vowels in speech directed at them, little research has been done on whether vowel hyperarticulation occurs as a result of foreign appearance, foreign accent or as a consequence of both looking and sounding foreign. The present study explored if appearance and speech separately affect the native speakers’ hyperarticulation. Fifty-two White British adult speakers communicated with one of four different confederate groups (2 types of appearance x 2 types of accent) to solve three modified versions of the DiapixUK tasks. Results indicate that not appearance but speech had an effect on native speakers’ production of vowels. Specifically, vowel space was significantly larger in speech directed to foreign-accented individuals than to individuals with native accent irrespective of their physical appearance. The acquired samples of hyperarticulatory speech will be used in perceptual identification and clarity tasks to ascertain which speech samples help native speakers to understand speech better.

Email Overload? Brain and Behavioral Responses to Common Messaging Alerts Are Heightened for Email Alerts and Are Associated With Job Involvement

We tested brain and behavioral responses to two common messaging alerts (Outlook and Android whistle) using an oddball paradigm, where participants had to detect the two alerts among a background of white noise and occasional matched, distractor stimuli. Twenty-nine participants were tested using a behavioral target detection task and a subset of 14 were tested both with event-related potential (ERP) and behavioral oddball detection. For the ERP recordings, participants were instructed to attend to a distractor DVD in one condition and in the other, to actively attend to the stimuli. We measured mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3a components and questionnaire responses to job involvement, rumination and work-life balance. There were significantly larger MMN responses to target alert signals, but only in the ignore condition. In both ignore and attend conditions, MMN was larger for the Android stimuli, probably as a result of the larger physical discriminability for the Android tone. On the other hand, there was a significant P3a for Outlook tones, but not for Android tones in the ignore condition. Neither alert showed significant P3a activity within the attend condition, but instead later frontal positivity, which was larger for the Outlook alert (in comparison to its matched distractor) and this effect was not seen for the Android tones. This was despite the Outlook alert being less perceptually discriminable compared to the Android alert. These findings suggest that the indices of attentional processing are more affected by the significance of the alert than the physical qualities. These effects were coupled with the finding that the faster reaction times to the Outlook sounds were correlated with greater job involvement. These data suggest that work-related messages might signal greater attentional switch and effort which in turn may feed into greater job involvement.

Does hyperarticulation facilitate phonemic categorization in non‐native speakers of English?

Hyperarticulation of vowel sounds occurs in certain speech registers (e.g., infant‐ and foreigner‐directed speeches). Hyperarticulation is therefore presumed to have a didactic function in facilitating phonetic categorization in language learners. This event‐related potential study tests whether hyperarticulation of vowels actually results in larger phonetic change responses [as indexed by mismatch negativity (MMN)] in native and non‐native speakers of English. Preliminary analysis of data from native English‐speaking and native Greek‐speaking participants suggests a possible marginal increase in phonetic change responses (as indexed by MMN) to hyperarticulated stimuli. However, further analyzes need to be completed before any firm conclusions can be drawn as to the benefit or otherwise of hyperarticulated speech.