Evaluating Multisensory Learning System for Teaching English Intonation

摘要

In recent years, the focus of English pronunciation teaching has been moved toward suprasegmental features including intonation. Despite of its importance, it is not easy for adult second language (L2) learners to adjust to second languages' intonation. A system was designed using vibration motor and micro-controller for suggesting multisensory stimuli. To establish the learning effect of system, multisensory stimuli, visual, sound cue and vibrotactile stimulus were suggested to help acquisition of English intonation. Visual and vibrotactile stimuli were manipulated. The vibrotactile device is design to express the change of intonation of sentences with 2 levels of intensity. Visual cue is suggested as picture of waveform analyzed by Praat program. Participants were divided into four group depending on suggested stimuli; control, vibrotactile, visual and vibrotactile-visual group. Participants' responses are recorded and analyzed by Praat, the sound analysis program. Participants' intonation changes are measured and compared.