It\u2019s all in the way you say it. When learning a second language, knowing the words isn\u2019t enough; one has to be able to pronounce the words so that they\u2019re understandable to others.<\/p>\n
The most common way students learn is to listen to the instructor say the word and then repeat it back. But hearing one voice has its limitations for the student, says Professor of Applied Linguistics Ron Thomson.<\/p>\n
Thomson\u2019s online English Accent Coach<\/a> program uses a variety of voices to say the same word as a method of \u201ctraining the brain\u201d to pick up new sounds. The technique, called High Variability Phonetic Training (HVPT), is different than other pronunciation programs because it integrates \u201cthe ‘fuzzy’ variance that comes with different speakers in different situations,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n With a three-year Insight Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Thomson will take a deeper look at how his HVPT program helps users refine their pronunciation, investigate the appeal of this technology to learners and teachers, and will make further improvements to the program based on users\u2019 experiences.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are confident that our research will lead to an improved English pronunciation training tool, while simultaneously generating new scientific knowledge concerning how adults learn the pronunciation of new languages,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Thomson is one of seven researchers at Brock awarded nearly $650,000 in Insight Grants from SSHRC in 2020. In addition, 14 Brock University students were awarded $470,000 in SSHRC student grants<\/a> for a total of $1.12 million.<\/p>\n