Investigating the Effectiveness of a Signal-based Approach in Improving Learners’ Decoding of Connected Speech The Case Study of Second-year Students, University of M’sila
الكلمات المفتاحية:
top-down، bottom-up listening comprehension، diagnostic approach، connected speech decodingالملخص
This study examines the effectiveness of connected speech (CS) instruction in improving learners’ decoding of spoken English. It follows the trend of a balanced listening session that focuses on both top-down and bottom-up modes. It attempts to integrate CS instruction into the listening comprehension lessons following a diagnostic approach that uncovers CS features which may cause comprehension breakdown. An experimental group (N= 19) received listening lessons with an extended post-listening phase to address the CS features diagnosed as problematic during listening. A control group (N= 19) received similar lessons without specific focus on CS. The pre-test results revealed that CS aspects pose serious obstacles in decoding and segmenting speech for the participants, with a possible negative interference from top-down processing. The experimental group has shown a statistically significant improvement after the treatment. A post-treatment interview revealed positive reactions to the instruction, and a reported relative improvement in listening comprehension.
التنزيلات
المراجع
. Bloomer, A., Griffiths, P., & Merrison, A. J. (2005). Introducing Language in Use: A Course Book. Psychology Press.
. Bowler, B., & Cunningham, S. (2003). Upper-intermediate New Headway Pronunciation Course. Oxford University Press.
. Brown, G. (1990). Listening to Spoken English. London: Longman.
. Brown, J. D., & Hilferty, A. (2006). The effectiveness of teaching reduced forms for listening comprehension. In J. D. Brown, & K. Kondo-Brown (Eds.), Perspectives on Teaching Connected Speech to Second Language Speakers (pp. 51-58). University of Hawaii, National Foreign Language Resource Center.
. Brown, J. D., & Kondo-Brown, K. (2006). Introducing connected speech. In K. K.-B. James Dean Brown (Ed.), Perspectives on Teaching Connected Speech to Second Language Speakers (pp. 1-15). National Foreign Language Resource Center, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa.
. Buck, G. (2001). Assessing Listening. Cambridge: Cambride University Press.
. Carrelle, P. L., & Eisterhold, J. C. (1983, December). Schema theory and ESL reading pedagogy. TESOL Quarterly, 17(4), 553-573.
. Celce-Murcia, M., M.Brinton, D., & Goodwin, J. M. (1996). Teaching Pronunciation: A Reference for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
. Chenjun, D., & Li, L. (2012, April). The effectiveness of explicit instruction of certain decoding skills in improving Chinese EFL listeners' general comprehension performance. Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics, 35(2), 243-255.
. Cohen, J. (1992). A power primer. Psychological Bulletin, 155-159.
. Cunningham, S., & Bowler, B. (2003). Intermediate New Headway Pronunciation Course. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
. Dalton, C., & Seidlhofer, B. (1994). Pronunciation. Oxford University Press.
. Dretzke, B. (1998). Modern British and American English Pronunciation: A Basic Textbook. UTB.
. Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based Language Learning and Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
. Field, J. (2003, October). Promoting perception: Lexical segmentation in L2 listening. ELT Journal, 57/4, 325-334.
. Field, J. (2005). Language and the Mind. London: Routledge.
. Field, J. (2008a). Listening in the Language Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
. Field, J. (2008b, October). Revising segmentation hypothesis in first and second language listening. System, 35-51.
. Field, J. (2013). Cognitive validity. In A. Gernapayeh, & L. Taylor (Eds.), Examining Listening: Research and Practice in Assessing Second Language Listening (pp. 77-151). Cambridge University Press.
. Gilbert, J. B. (2005). Clear Speech. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
. Goh, C. C. (2000, April). A cognitive perspective on language learners' listening comprehension problems. System, 28, 55-75.
. Harmer, J. (2004). Just Listening and Speaking: For Class or Self-study. Intermediate. London: Marshall Cavendish.
. Harmer, J., & Elsworth, S. (1989). The Listening File: Authentic Interviews with Language Activities. Longman.
. Harmer, J., & Lethaby, C. (2005). Just Listening and Speaking: For Class or Self-study. Upper-intermediate. Marshall Cavendish Education.
. Henrichsen, L. E. (1984). Sandhi-variation: A filter of input for learners of ESL. Language Learning, 34(3), 103-126.
. Hewings, M. (2004). Pronunciation Practice Activities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
. Hulstijn, J. H. (2001). Intentional and incidental second-language vocabulary learning: A reappraisal of elaboration, rehearsal and automaticity. In P. Robinson (Ed.), Cognition and Second Language Instruction (pp. 258-286). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
. Ito, Y. (2001). Effect of reduced forms on input-intake process. Second Language Studies, 20(1), 99-124.
. Ito, Y. (2006). The comprehension of English reduced forms by second language learners and its effects on input-intake process. In J. D. Brown, & K. Kondo-Brown (Eds.), Perspectives on Teaching Connected Speech to Second Language Speakers (pp. 67-81). University of Hawaii, National Foreign Language Resource Centre.
. Ito, Y. (2006). The significance of reduced forms in L2 pedagogy. In J. D. Brown, & K. Kondo-Brown (Eds.), Perspectives on Teaching Connected Speech to Second Language Speakers (pp. 17-25). University of Hawaii, National Foreign Language Resource Centre.
. Kenworthy, J. (1987). Teaching English Pronunciation. New York: Longman.
. Labed, N. (2001, July-September). Laboratory or Practitiatory? El-Mutargim(2), 63-67.
. Ladefoged, P. (2001). A Course in Phonetics (4th ed.). Heinle & Heinle.
. Lynch, T. (2006). Academic listening: Marrying top and bottom. In E. Uso-Juan, & A. Martinez-Flor (Eds.), Current Trends in the Development and Teaching of the Four Language Skills (pp. 91-110). Berlin.
. Lynch, T. (2009). Teaching Second Language Listening. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
. Matsuzawa, T. (2006). Comprehension of English reduced forms by Japanese business people and the effectiveness of instruction. In K. K.-B. James Dean Brown (Ed.), Perspectives on Teaching Connected Speech to Second Language Speakers (pp. 59-66). University of Hawaii, National Foreign Language Resource Centre.
. Mitchell, R., & Myles, F. (2004). Second Language Learning Theories (Second Edition, ed.). Hodder Arnold.
. Morley, J. (2001). Aural comprehension instruction: Principles and practices. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (pp. 69-85).
. Nunan, D. (2002). Listening in language learning. In J. C. Richards, & W. A. Renandya (Eds.), Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice (pp. 238-241). New York: Cambridge University Press.
. Peterson, P. W. (2001). Skills and strategies for profecient listening. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (3rd ed., pp. 87-100). Heinle and Heinle.
. Roach, P. (2009). English Phonetics and Phonology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
. Shapiro, S., & Wilk, M. B. (1965). An analysis of variance test for normality (Complete samples). Biometrika, 52(3), 591-611.
. Skehan, P. (1998). A Cognitive Approach to Language Learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
. Toda, T. (2006). Focus on form in teaching connected speech. In J. D. Brown, & K. Kondo-Brown (Eds.), Perspectives on Teaching Connected Speech to Second Language Speakers (pp. 189-205). University of Hawaii, National Foreign Language Resource Centre.
. Tomitch, L. M. (1988). Schema Activation and Text Comprehension.
. Tsui, A. B., & Fullilove, J. (1998). Bottom-up or top-down processing as a discriminator of L2 listening performance. Applied Linguistics, 19(4), 432-451.
. Vandergrift, L., & Goh, C. C. (2012). Teaching and Learning Second Language Listening. New York: Routledge.
. Weinstein, N. (2001). Whaddaya Say? Guided Practice in Relaxed Speech (2nd ed.). Longman.
. Wilson, M. (2003, October). Discovery listening: Improving erceptual processing. ELT Journal, 57(4), 335-343.
. Wu, Y. (1998). What do tests of listening comprehension test: A retrospection study of EFL test-takers performing a multiple-choice task. Language Testing, 15(1), 21-44.
