RUI: Effects of hand gesture on auditory and vocabulary learning of a second language

学习听到新奇的语音是掌握第二语言(L2)的主要挑战之一。以前使用强化听觉训练的研究已经帮助学习者感知具有挑战性和陌生的语音，但到目前为止还没有一种方法能持续地将学习者带到母语水平。高露洁大学的Yukari Hirata和Spencer Kelly的这项研究项目试图通过将听觉指令与通过手势传达的视觉和运动信息结合起来，来改进以前的方法。具体地说，平田和凯利将探索观察和产生不同类型的手势如何帮助以英语为母语的人学习日语中的新语音。Hirata和Kelly将使用行为和大脑测量来研究这个问题，并将探索掌握这些新的语音是否也能带来更好的二语词汇学习。鉴于世界各地人们之间的接触越来越多，开发有效和高效的二语教学策略比以往任何时候都更加重要。该项目还允许将研究整合到以本科生为主的机构的本科生的教育经验中，让他们接触到科学探究的兴奋。最后，加强用于外语学习的行为和神经研究的校内实验室设施(可供多个学科使用)将丰富和多样化本科生科学教育。

Learning to hear novel speech sounds is one of the major challenges of mastering a second language (L2). Previous work using intensive auditory training has helped learners perceive challenging and unfamiliar speech sounds but no method to date has consistently brought learners to native levels. This research project by Yukari Hirata and Spencer Kelly at Colgate University attempts to improve upon previous methods by coupling auditory instruction with visual and motor information conveyed though hand gestures. Specifically, Hirata and Kelly will explore how observing and producing different types of gestures helps native English speakers learn novel speech sounds in Japanese. Hirata and Kelly will investigate this question using behavioral and brain measures and will explore whether mastering these novel speech sounds also leads to better L2 vocabulary learning.Given the increasing contact among people all over the world, developing effective and efficient strategies for L2 teaching is more important than ever. The project also allows for integration of research into the educational experience of undergraduate students at a primarily undergraduate institution, exposing them to the excitement of scientific inquiry. Finally, strengthening on-campus laboratory facilities (that can be used by several disciplines) for the behavioral and neural investigation of foreign language learning will enrich and diversify undergraduate science education.