Sarah=-- interesting you should cite this research-- I just last weekend encountered it again.   I had seen other research in the late 90's indicating that adult Japanese mostly could discriminate the L/R--that is, could tell it was different, but could not tell which one was which since the brain loses that capacity to transfer the information to the mouth and vocal equipment rather quickly.  This more recent research was successful in training the subjects to hear the difference and pronounce it in experimental conditions-- a great breakthrough indeed.  However, the subjects were not yet able to sustain the difference in normal conversation--that is they didn't differentiate the pronunciation in sustained conversation--which only underscores how hard it is to build new neural pathways.

 I think adult language training schools would not be surprised that the adults were able to pronounce things better--- some can do this.    I saw other very recent research that is exploring the hypothesis that there is something even more elusive in the brain that gives some people an advantage over hearing and producing sounds of a foreign language--or possibly a gene.   That would get at the age-old issue of language aptitude----which, if you will, is sort of like LD-- we all know it when we seen it, but we aren't able to actually pin it down in definition or identification!!

I like the "shouting through the window" metaphor-- that really works!!

Robin 


 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: Sarah Beaman-Jones <sbeaman at webster.edu>
To: The Focus on Basics Discussion List <focusonbasics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Wed, 20 Feb 2008 2:25 pm
Subject: [FocusOnBasics 1090] Re: (no subject)













Robin,



Several years ago when Parents As Teachers focused on brain development, they talked about windows of opportunity for learning.  They stressed that although the window is closed, it is possible to “shout through the window”.  During the training I received, it was stressed that there is always a possibility for learning.



Regarding the phonemic awareness issue, I read, but can not cite, an interesting experiment.  The focus of the experiment was to train Japanese adults to hear the difference between the r and l sounds.  The process was to use a speaking computer and have the sounds drawn out very, very slowly.  The concept was that teachers do not speak slowly enough or consistently enough to have an impact.  [I have noticed, for example, that some adults who have been to speech therapy will say ‘arah’ for r.  We all tend to add a sound to consonants.]  The result of this experiment was the the subjects were able to hear the difference in the two sounds and, having heard it, they were able to correct their pronunciation.





Sarah Beaman-Jones 

Literacy Program Director



LIFT-Missouri

815 Olive Street, Suite 22

St. Louis, Missouri  63101



1-800-729-4443 ext. 206

www.lift-missouri.org







 





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