Computer game as a tool for training the identification of phonemic length

Abstract

Computer-assisted training of Finnish phonemic length was conducted with 7-year-old Russian-speaking second-language learners of Finnish. Phonemic length plays a different role in these two languages. The training included game activities with two- and three-syllable word and pseudo-word minimal pairs with prototypical vowel durations. The lowest accuracy scores were recorded for two-syllable words. Accuracy scores were higher for the minimal pairs with larger rather than smaller differences in duration. Accuracy scores were lower for long duration than for short duration. The ability to identify quantity degree was generalized to stimuli used in the identification test in two of the children. Ideas for improving the game are introduced.

Key words::

• Computer-assisted training
• Finnish
• learning
• perception
• phonemic length
• Russian
• second language

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the children and parents who participated in this study, and Helsinki Education Department, along with the participating schools and teachers, for making this research possible. Thanks to Michael Freeman for polishing the language.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no declarations of interest.

We would like to thank the Finnish Cultural Foundation, Ellen and Artturi Nyyssönen Foundation, Niilo Mäki Foundation, and University of Jyväskylä for funding this research.