Reading non-alphabetic script can be a serious challenge to second language (L2) learners with alphabetic backgrounds. Many L2 learners of Japanese or Chinese who are fluent in speaking the language do not necessarily acquire an advanced-level reading ability. The aim of my thesis was to investigate the development of L2 word recognition ability, one of the most important abilities that learners need to develop for efficient reading, among English-speaking learners of Japanese. By analysing the results of behavioural tests and a verbal protocol administered to both L1 and L2 readers of Japanese, the study described the changes in developing L2 learners’ kanji recognition skills and their awareness of the structure and function of characters at the different stages of L2 exposure. / The overall findings suggest that the changes in processing patterns demonstrated by the participants in the present study may be fundamentally similar to those of L1 children, which have been found to be similar regardless of the types of script involved. The changes in L2 readers’ developing kanji recognition were accounted for by the transformation of the internal processing system; this transformation seems to occur by continuous link formation through learning corresponding information, and information processing based on the learned information. The process of transformation, which is affected by the frequency of exposure and the amount of practice, and therefore appears to be item-based, generally progresses on a stage-based developmental trajectory; the processing begins with local and incomplete information and progresses via intentional and analytical processing to develop into sophisticated attention-free processing. / Although the developmental trajectory may be universal, the findings of the present study suggest that, when L1 and L2 are orthographically distant, L2 readers repeat the developmental phases due to lack of their ability to process script-specific information. L2 readers with alphabetic backgrounds cannot simply transfer the recognition skills and awareness that they have acquired in their L1 in the new environment of character recognition. The findings of the study suggest that script-specific recognition skills and awareness develop over time as the L2 readers’ internal processing system undergoes successive transformations. By identifying several critical skills and awareness, the present study has discussed the possibility of enhancing character recognition ability with the use of explicit instruction at critical moments.

Experimental and quantitative research in the field of human language processing and production strongly depends on the quality of the underlying language material: beside its size, representativeness, variety and balance have been discussed as important factors which influence design, analysis and interpretation of experiments and their results. This volume brings together creators and users of both general purpose and specialized lexical resources which are used in psychology, psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics and cognitive research. It aims to be a forum to report experiences and results, review problems and discuss perspectives of any linguistic data used in the field. / Experimentelle und quantitative Forschung im Bereich der menschlichen Sprachverarbeitung und -produktion hängt wesentlich von der Qualität des zugrundeliegenden Sprachmaterials ab: Neben dessen Umfang wurden auch Repräsentativität, Vielfalt und Ausgewogenheit als wichtige Einflüsse auf Design, Analyse und Interpretation entsprechender Experimente und deren Ergebnisse diskutiert. Der vorliegende Band enthält Arbeiten von Entwicklern und Anwendern sowohl allgemeiner als auch spezialisierter lexikalischer Ressourcen aus den Bereichen Psychologie, Psycho-, Neurolinguistik und Kongitionswissenschaften. Ziel ist es anhand der dargestellten Ergebnisse Probleme und Perspektiven bei der Arbeit mit linguistischen Daten aufzuzeigen.

本研究之目的在探討親子共讀對幼兒閱讀能力之影響。使用自編之家長與幼兒共同閱讀問卷，收集有關親子共讀、家長及幼兒背景資料；本研究之幼兒閱讀能力，指幼兒認字能力、故事理解力、聲韻覺識能力，認字與故事理解力方面採用楊怡婷（1995）改編之故事及自編之理解能力測驗，聲韻覺識能力則採用呂珮菁（2004）聲韻覺識測驗，幼兒閱讀能力之資料皆至園所對幼兒施測而得。首先，分析背景資料對幼兒閱讀能力之影響，再比較有無親子共讀家庭中，分別在幼兒在閱讀能力上造成之差異；最後，針對前述有差異的閱讀能力，深入探討具有親子共讀的家庭裡，共讀的互動方式與閱讀能力間的關係。 研究結果為: 性別對幼兒的閱讀能力並沒有影響。亦發現學英語的幼兒在聲韻覺識作業細項中的中文聲母刪除作業及英文音素刪除作業表現較佳。在家長教育程度與職業在幼兒閱讀能力上沒有顯著差異。關於有無親子共讀對幼兒閱讀能力之影響，結果為：具有親子共讀的幼兒在故事理解力表現較無親子共讀者顯著為佳。 針對故事理解能力，家長共讀與此能力間的相關行為有：對於故事內容進行描述教導與推論教導，其中，描述教導的具體行為有「給予描述或指名」、「要求孩子描述或指名」、「要求孩子預測劇情」、「戲劇化表達」；推論教導的具體行為有「常問為什麼」、「與孩子討論因果關係」，這些都可以增進幼兒對故事的瞭解以及作出高層次認知的思考，基於研究結果之建議，文中有詳細討論。 / This thesis investigates the influence of parent to the literacy of their young child through sharing books with their child. Parents were requested to fill out the questionnaires about joint book reading and children were assessed their literacy which includes word recognition, story comprehension, and phonological awareness. The sample (n= 53) included 40 patents who have joint book reading and 13 parents who do not. The first step of this thesis is to compare with children literacy between children whose parents have joint book reading and children whose parents do not. Children with sharing book by parents only have better achievement in story comprehension than those who without joint book reading. Thus, the second step of this thesis is to find out what kind of parents’ utterances during joint book reading is related to the story comprehension of children and these utterances may improve the story comprehension of children. The utterances which are related to the story comprehension of children are following: 1. Labels: Parents request or provide character identification, labeling of objects, and so on. 2. Descriptions: Parents request or provide an explanation of plot information and focus on what has happened or is happening. Inference: Parents request predictions about why has happened in the story and discuss the causality in the story with their children.

Ο σκοπός αυτής της μελέτης ήταν η ανάπτυξη μιας «ομιλητικής δοκιμασίας χαμηλού πλεονασμού» για την αξιολόγηση της κεντρικής ακουστικής επεξεργασίας σε παιδιά πρωτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης τα οποία παρουσιάζουν μαθησιακές δυσκολίες. Η ανάγκη επιβεβαίωσης της ακεραιότητας του περιφερικού ακουστικού συστήματος πριν την εφαρμογή της κεντρικής δοκιμασίας, οδήγησε στην ανάπτυξη δύο ακόμη δοκιμασιών ομιλητικής ακοομετρίας. Η πρώτη ήταν για τη μέτρηση του «ουδού αναγνώρισης ομιλίας» και η δεύτερη για το «σκορ αναγνώρισης ομιλίας». Σαράντα λέξεις επιλέχθηκαν ως το τελικό υλικό της πρώτης δοκιμασίας και δύο φωνημικά ισόρροπες λίστες των πενήντα λέξεων για τη δεύτερη δοκιμασία. Από τη στατιστική ανάλυση για τη συσχέτιση του ποσοστού αναγνώρισης ομιλίας ανάμεσα στις 2 λίστες, δεν προέκυψε στατιστικά σημαντική διαφορά σε καμία στάθμη παρουσίασης του σήματος ομιλίας. Για την δοκιμασία της κεντρικής ακουστικής επεξεργασίας, οι δύο φωνημικά ισόρροπες λίστες τροποποιήθηκαν ψηφιακά χρησιμοποιώντας φίλτρο χαμηλής διέλευσης συχνοτήτων με συχνότητες αποκοπής στα 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, 1500, 1750 και 2000 Hz με ρυθμό αποκοπής φίλτρου 18 dB/οκτάβα. Οι λίστες λέξεων διέλευσης χαμηλών συχνοτήτων που προέκυψαν εφαρμόστηκαν σε 180 παιδιά σχολικής ηλικίας σε στάθμη 40 dBSL αναφορικά με τον ουδό αναγνώρισης ομιλίας του κάθε παιδιού. Αρχικά μετρήθηκε ο ουδός αναγνώρισης ομιλίας του κάθε παιδιού. Για τη μέτρηση του σκορ αναγνώρισης ομιλίας παρουσιάστηκε μία λίστα σε ένταση 40 dBSL και η άλλη λίστα σε 80 dBSL. Ο ουδός αναγνώρισης ομιλίας κάθε παιδιού ήταν +6 dBHL από το μέσο όρο ουδών ακοής του, και κανένα παιδί δεν παρουσίασε σκορ αναγνώρισης ομιλίας μικρότερο από 92%. Επίσης, κανένα παιδί δεν παρουσίασε σημαντική μείωση στο σκορ αναγνώρισης ομιλίας του, στην ένταση των 80 dBSL. Ενενήντα παιδιά (52 αγόρια και 38 κορίτσια, ΜΟ=8.93, ΤΑ=1.68) χωρίς μαθησιακή διαταραχή αποτέλεσαν την πρώτη ομάδα και τα υπόλοιπα 90 (48 αγόρια και 42 κορίτσια, ΜΟ=9.04, ΤΑ=1.59) με μαθησιακή διαταραχή. Η στατιστική ανάλυση από την σύγκριση του ποσοστιαίου μέσου αριθμού λέξεων, που αναγνωρίστηκαν από τα παιδιά με μαθησιακή διαταραχή και παιδιά χωρίς μαθησιακή διαταραχή, προέκυψε στατιστικά πάρα πολύ σημαντική για τις περισσότερες συχνότητες αποκοπής φίλτρου με τη μέγιστη διαφορά να προκύπτει για το φίλτρο αποκοπής συχνοτήτων των 1000 Hz. Τα ίδια αποτελέσματα προέκυψαν και από τη σύγκριση μεταξύ των υποομάδων. Συμπερασματικά, αυτή η μελέτη κατέληξε στην ανάπτυξη τριών ομιλητικών δοκιμασιών. / The aim of this study was the development of a monaural low-redundancy speech test for assessment of the “auditory closure” process in school aged children that present learning disability and characteristics of a central auditory processing disorder. The need to determine the integrity of the peripheral hearing mechanism before testing for central auditory function, served for the development of two additional speech audiometry tests for children, due to their absence in Modern Greek language. The first was for the speech recognition threshold (SRT) and the second for the word recognition score (WRS) test. Four criteria were utilized for the development of SRT materials and eight for the WRS test. Forty trisyllabic words with thresholds within one standard deviation of the mean SRT and mean rate of growth in intelligibility were selected for the final SRT material. For the WRS test, two phonemically balanced fifty-word lists were developed. Statistical analysis between the two lists revealed no statistical significant differences on all presentation levels. In order to develop the behavioral test of CAPD, the two WRS lists were digitally modified utilizing low-pass filter with cutoff frequencies of 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, 1500, 1750 και 2000 and rejection rate of 18dB/octave. Initially, the SRT was determined for every child. For WRS testing, one list was presented at 40 dBSL and the second at 80 dBSL to rule out 8th nerve pathology. The SRT was within +6 dBHL from the pure tone average and no child presented WRS less than 92%. Additionally, no child presented significant reduction of WRS at 80 dBSL. The low-pass filtered lists were tested on 180 school aged children at 40 dBSL. Ninety children (52 boys and 38 girls, Μ=8.93, SD=1.68) without learning disability and 90 children (52 boys and 38 girls, Μ=9.04, SD=1.59) with learning disability and CAPD behavior characteristics were served as the subjects of the two groups. Statistical analysis of the mean WRSs between the two groups and subgroups revealed a signicant difference for most cutoff frequencies with the highest difference for the 1000 Hz filter. In conclusion, this study resulted in the production of three speech audiometry tests for school aged children. These tests serve a variety of clinical functions.

Reading non-alphabetic script can be a serious challenge to second language (L2) learners with alphabetic backgrounds. Many L2 learners of Japanese or Chinese who are fluent in speaking the language do not necessarily acquire an advanced-level reading ability. The aim of my thesis was to investigate the development of L2 word recognition ability, one of the most important abilities that learners need to develop for efficient reading, among English-speaking learners of Japanese. By analysing the results of behavioural tests and a verbal protocol administered to both L1 and L2 readers of Japanese, the study described the changes in developing L2 learners’ kanji recognition skills and their awareness of the structure and function of characters at the different stages of L2 exposure. / The overall findings suggest that the changes in processing patterns demonstrated by the participants in the present study may be fundamentally similar to those of L1 children, which have been found to be similar regardless of the types of script involved. The changes in L2 readers’ developing kanji recognition were accounted for by the transformation of the internal processing system; this transformation seems to occur by continuous link formation through learning corresponding information, and information processing based on the learned information. The process of transformation, which is affected by the frequency of exposure and the amount of practice, and therefore appears to be item-based, generally progresses on a stage-based developmental trajectory; the processing begins with local and incomplete information and progresses via intentional and analytical processing to develop into sophisticated attention-free processing. / Although the developmental trajectory may be universal, the findings of the present study suggest that, when L1 and L2 are orthographically distant, L2 readers repeat the developmental phases due to lack of their ability to process script-specific information. L2 readers with alphabetic backgrounds cannot simply transfer the recognition skills and awareness that they have acquired in their L1 in the new environment of character recognition. The findings of the study suggest that script-specific recognition skills and awareness develop over time as the L2 readers’ internal processing system undergoes successive transformations. By identifying several critical skills and awareness, the present study has discussed the possibility of enhancing character recognition ability with the use of explicit instruction at critical moments.

Thesis (M.A.)--Miami University, Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-68).

Doctorat en sciences psychologiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of THRASS (Teaching Handwriting, Reading and Spelling Skills) on the word level accuracy skills of a group of grade 2 learners. Word level accuracy is one sub skill in learning to read and is an indicator of the word recognition abilities of the child. THRASS is a program that has been designed to systematically teach phonics and, thus, teaches the basic building blocks of word sounds and structure so as to improve the child’s decoding ability and word recognition ability. The research took place within the positivist paradigm and the methodology is quantitative in nature. The data collection method took the form of a one group pretest-posttest design, where a standardised reading test was administered prior to exposing the participants to the THRASS Program and then readministered one year later on the same group of learners. Data analysis took the form of statistical analysis to investigate any statistical significant difference in the word level accuracy skills of those Grade 2 learners. The result showed that over the period of a year the average reading accuracy age for the target population increased by four months. However, after statistical analysis the difference was not statistically significant. The Null Hypothesis that; exposing a group of Grade 2 learners to the THRASS Program for a period of one year will have no statistically significant influence on their word level accuracy skills cannot be rejected . However, the changes both in average reading accuracy as well as error patterns have inspired recommendations for further research. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Research indicates a need for upgrading vocabulary development in the elementary school classroom. The purpose of this project is to aid in developing the young child's vocabulary as a foundation for future reading. By means of oral presentations of the children's literature and activities centered on the vocabularies generated by these selections, students will have the opportunity to expand their store of words and meanings.

Sistema de reconhecimento de fala tem amplo emprego no universo industrial, no aperfeiçoamento de operações e procedimentos humanos e no setor do entretenimento e recreação. O objetivo específico do trabalho foi conceber e desenvolver um sistema de reconhecimento de voz, capaz de identificar comandos de voz, independentemente do locutor. A finalidade precípua do sistema é controlar movimentos de robôs, com aplicações na indústria e no auxílio de deficientes físicos. Utilizou-se a abordagem da tomada de decisão por meio de uma rede neural treinada com as características distintivas do sinal de fala de 16 locutores. As amostras dos comandos foram coletadas segundo o critério de conveniência (em idade e sexo), a fim de garantir uma maior discriminação entre as características de voz, e assim alcançar a generalização da rede neural utilizada. O préprocessamento consistiu na determinação dos pontos extremos da locução do comando e na filtragem adaptativa de Wiener. Cada comando de fala foi segmentado em 200 janelas, com superposição de 25% . As features utilizadas foram a taxa de cruzamento de zeros, a energia de curto prazo e os coeficientes ceptrais na escala de frequência mel. Os dois primeiros coeficientes da codificação linear preditiva e o seu erro também foram testados. A rede neural empregada como classificador foi um perceptron multicamadas, treinado pelo algoritmo backpropagation. Várias experimentações foram realizadas para a escolha de limiares, valores práticos, features e configurações da rede neural. Os resultados foram considerados muito bons, alcançando uma taxa de acertos de 89,16%, sob as condições de pior caso da amostragem dos comandos. / Systems for speech recognition have widespread use in the industrial universe, in the improvement of human operations and procedures and in the area of entertainment and recreation. The specific objective of this study was to design and develop a voice recognition system, capable of identifying voice commands, regardless of the speaker. The main purpose of the system is to control movement of robots, with applications in industry and in aid of disabled people. We used the approach of decision making, by means of a neural network trained with the distinctive features of the speech of 16 speakers. The samples of the voice commands were collected under the criterion of convenience (age and sex), to ensure a greater discrimination between the voice characteristics and to reach the generalization of the neural network. Preprocessing consisted in the determination of the endpoints of each command signal and in the adaptive Wiener filtering. Each speech command was segmented into 200 windows with overlapping of 25%. The features used were the zero crossing rate, the short-term energy and the mel-frequency ceptral coefficients. The first two coefficients of the linear predictive coding and its error were also tested. The neural network classifier was a multilayer perceptron, trained by the backpropagation algorithm. Several experiments were performed for the choice of thresholds, practical values, features and neural network configurations. Results were considered very good, reaching an acceptance rate of 89,16%, under the `worst case conditions for the sampling of the commands.