UCL Discovery Stage
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery Stage

Training Child Learners on Nonnative Vowel Contrasts With Phonetic Training: The Role of Task and Variability

Brekelmans, Gwen; Evans, Bronwen G; Wonnacott, Elizabeth; (2024) Training Child Learners on Nonnative Vowel Contrasts With Phonetic Training: The Role of Task and Variability. Language Learning 10.1111/lang.12677. (In press).

[thumbnail of Brekelmans_Evans_Wonnacott_NL-Training_preprint_072024_inpress.pdf] Text
Brekelmans_Evans_Wonnacott_NL-Training_preprint_072024_inpress.pdf - Accepted Version
Access restricted to UCL open access staff until 26 September 2025.

Download (971kB)

Abstract

Substantial research suggests that high variability (multitalker) phonetic training helps second language (L2) adults improve differentiation of challenging nonnative speech sounds. Is such training also useful for L2 children? Existing studies have mixed findings and important limitations. We investigate the potential benefits of computerized phonetic training for 50 Dutch 7-year-olds and 39 11-year-olds trained on English vowel contrasts in a 2-week study in a classroom setting. Half received multitalker, and half received single-talker input (i.e., high variability vs. low variability; HV vs. LV), with learning evaluated by a battery of tests. Both groups improved in training; however, 11-year-olds improved more. Moreover, 11-year-olds showed generalization to novel talkers, and 7-year-olds did not, with Bayes factor analyses providing evidence for the null. Generalisation in 11-year-olds was no greater following HV than LV input, with evidence for the null on one of two tasks where generalization was found. Results are discussed in terms of the interplay between age, task demands, and talker variability.

Type: Article
Title: Training Child Learners on Nonnative Vowel Contrasts With Phonetic Training: The Role of Task and Variability
DOI: 10.1111/lang.12677
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12677
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: second language acquisition, speech perception, input variability, phonetic training
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences > Speech, Hearing and Phonetic Sciences
URI: https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10194915
Downloads since deposit
36Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item