Presentation

Perceptual Training in a Classroom Setting: Phonemic Category Formation by Japanese EFL Learners

---

Abstract

Perceptual training targeting L2 phonemes has been reported as effective for both L2 learners’ perception and production learning even without articulation practice. Considering the situation in EFL countries, especially Japan, where most English teaching and learning occur in classrooms with limited time, perceptual training can be an easy-to- conduct, effective method for L2 sound acquisition. Many of the studies reporting its positive effects, however, examined lab-based training, and only a few studies have tested the effects of perceptual training in a classroom setting. Therefore, to examine the applicability of perceptual training in the classroom, in the present study a ten-minute perceptual training targeting English /b/−/v/, /l/−/r/, and /s/−/θ/ was conducted in English courses at a university in Japan for six weeks. The results showed that students’ scores on both the perception and production of /b/−/v/ and /s/−/θ/ significantly improved. However, the learning was not generalized to new word stimuli. For the /l/−/r/ contrast, neither their perception nor production performance changed after the training. Some possible reasons for smaller training effects than reported in many studies are discussed with reference to a lack of sufficient input and the way feedback was provided.

How to Cite:

Ueda, R. & Hashimoto, K., (2018) “Perceptual Training in a Classroom Setting: Phonemic Category Formation by Japanese EFL Learners”, Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Proceedings 10(1).