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

学习听到新的语音是掌握第二语言（L2）的主要挑战之一。以前的工作使用密集的听觉训练，帮助学习者感知具有挑战性的和不熟悉的语音，但迄今为止没有一种方法始终使学习者达到母语水平。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。具体来说，Hirata和Kelly将探索观察和产生不同类型的手势如何帮助英语母语者学习日语中的新颖语音。Hirata和Kelly将通过行为和大脑的测量来研究这个问题，并探讨掌握这些新奇的语音是否也能更好地学习第二语言词汇。鉴于世界各地人们之间的接触越来越多，制定有效的第二语言教学策略比以往任何时候都更重要。该项目还允许将研究纳入本科生的教育经验，主要是本科院校，让他们接触到科学探究的兴奋。最后，加强校内实验室设施（可用于几个学科）的外语学习的行为和神经研究将丰富和多样化本科科学教育。

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.