Cover not available

Article published In: Journal of Second Language Pronunciation
Vol. 11:2 (2025) ► pp.148–173

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
EPUB logo with download linkDownload EPUB
authorization required

A comparison of techniques for training L2 Japanese prosody

ORCiD logo with link | University of Calgary
Published online: 12 June 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/jslp.24024.shi
Abstract
Despite growing interest in the role of prosody in communication, there is still a need for more empirical research to better understand its impact on listeners’ understanding and to provide effective pronunciation instruction. The study compares the effectiveness of two methods (i.e., embodied and computer-assisted techniques) in training Japanese vowel length contrast and pitch accent, with the aim of improving L2 perception and production, and ultimately increasing intelligibility and comprehensibility. Training was provided to English-speaking learners of Japanese for four weeks. Following the training, learners exhibited significant improvement in their overall performance, and these observed improvements often continued until the delayed posttest. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in performance between learners assigned to embodied techniques and those using computer-assisted methods. These findings suggest that both methods may be equally effective and that L2 prosody can improve in as short as four weeks with targeted instruction.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Previous research on training studies
    • 2.1Training studies on L2 prosody
    • 2.2Training studies on L2 Japanese prosody
      • 2.2.1Focused instruction with textual input enhancement
      • 2.2.2Visual tools
      • 2.2.3Embodied techniques for training Japanese prosody
  • 3.Current study
  • 4.Methodology
    • 4.1Participants
    • 4.2Stimuli
    • 4.3Overall training procedure
      • 4.3.1Training procedure: Part I Lectures
      • 4.3.2Training procedure: Part II Exercise
    • 4.4Test procedure
      • 4.4.1Perception test
      • 4.4.2Production test
    • 4.5Evaluation
  • 5.Analysis
  • 6.Results
    • 6.1Perception
    • 6.2Intelligibility of target words
    • 6.3Comprehensibility of correctly answered target words
  • 7.Discussion
  • 8.Limitations
  • 9.Pedagogical implications
  • 10.Conclusion
  • References
References (43)
References
Boersma, P., & Weenink, D. (2023). Praat: doing phonetics by computer [Computer program]. Version 6.3.10. [URL]
Breitkreutz, J. A., Derwing, T. M., & Rossiter, M. J. (2001). Pronunciation teaching practices in Canada. TESL Canada Journal, 191, 51–61. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Couper, G. (2011). What makes pronunciation teaching work? Testing for the effect of two variables: socially constructed metalanguage and critical listening. Language Awareness, 20(3), 159–182. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Derwing, T. M. (2008). Curriculum issues in teaching pronunciation to second language learners. In J. Edwards & M. Zampini (Eds.), Phonology and second language acquisition (pp. 347–369). John Benjamins Publishing Company. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Derwing, T. M., Foote, J. A., Thomson, R. I., & Munro, M. J. (2012). A longitudinal study of listening perception in adult learners of English: Implications for teachers. Canadian Modern Language Review 68(3), 247–266. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Derwing, T. M., Munro, M. J., & Wiebe, G. E. (1997). Pronunciation instruction for fossilized learners: Can it help? Applied Language Learning, 81, 185–203.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(1998). Evidence in favor of a broad framework for pronunciation instruction. Language Learning, 48(3), 393–410. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Godfroid, A., Lin, C., & Ryu, C. (2017). Hearing and seeing tone through color: An efficacy study of web-based, multimodal Chinese tone perception training. Language Learning, 67(4), 819–857. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gut, U., Trouvain, J., & Barry, W. J. (2007). Bridging research on phonetic descriptions with knowledge from teaching practice: The case of prosody in non-native speech. In J. Trouvain & U. Gut (Eds.), Non-native prosody: Phonetic description and teaching practice (pp.3–24). De Gruyter, Inc. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hahn, L. D. (2004). Primary stress and intelligibility: Research to motivate the teaching of suprasegmentals. TESOL Quarterly, 38(2), 201–233. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hannah, B., Wang, Y., Jongman, A., Sereno, J. A., Cao, J., & Nie, Y. (2017). Cross-modal association between auditory and visuospatial information in Mandarin tone perception in noise by native and non-native perceivers. Frontiers in Psychology, 81, 84–98. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hardison, D. M. (2004). Generalization of computer-assisted prosody training: Quantitative and qualitative findings. Language Learning & Technology, 8(1), 34–52.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hirano-Cook, E. (2011). Japanese pitch accent acquisition by learners of Japanese: Effects of training on Japanese accent instruction, perception, and production. (UMI No. 3474027) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Kansas]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.
Hirano, H. (2014). Practice of Japanese prosody education for beginners in an integrated Japanese course: Use of visualized Japanese accent and intonation learning material. NINJAL Research Papers, 71, 45–71.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hirata, Y. (2004). Computer assisted pronunciation training for native English speakers learning Japanese pitch and durational contrasts. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 17(3–4), 357–376. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hirata, Y., Friedman, E., Kaicher, C., & Kelly, S. D. (2024). Multimodal training on L2 Japanese pitch accent: learning outcomes, neural correlates and subjective assessments. Language and Cognition, 16(4), 1718–1755. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hirata, Y., & Kelly, S. D. (2010). Effects of lips and hands on auditory learning of second-language speech sounds. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 53(2), 298–310. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kawai, G., & Hirose, K. (2000). Teaching the pronunciation of Japanese double-mora phonemes using speech recognition technology. Speech Communication, 301, 131–143. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kelly, S. D., Bailey, A., & Hirata, Y. (2017). Metaphoric gestures facilitate perception of intonation more than length in auditory judgments of non-native phonemic contrasts. Collabra. Psychology, 3(1). Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kissling, E. M. (2013). Teaching pronunciation: Is explicit phonetics instruction beneficial for FL learners? The Modern Language Journal, 97(3), 720–744. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kubozono, H. (2015). Introduction to Japanese phonetics and phonology. In H. Kubozono (Ed.), Handbook of Japanese phonetics and phonology (pp. 1–40). De Gruyter. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lee, A. H., & Lyster, R. (2016). The effects of corrective feedback on instructed L2 speech perception. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 38(1), 35–64. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Li, P., Baills, F., & Prieto, P. (2020). Observing and producing durational hand gestures facilitates the pronunciation of novel vowel-length contrasts. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 421, 1015–1039. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Martin, I., & Jackson, C. (2016). Pronunciation training facilitates the learning and retention of L2 grammatical structures. Foreign Language Annals, 49(4), 658–676. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Matsuzaki, H. (1995). The way to show the Japanese prosodic features and their effects in language learning. Journal of the Department of Japanese, Tohoku University, 51, 85–96.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Minematsu, N. (2014). Development and use of the online Japanese accent dictionary: OJAD [in Japanese]. NINJAL Project Review, 4(3), 174–182.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Munro, M. J., & Derwing, T. M. (2008). Segmental Acquisition in Adult ESL Learners: A Longitudinal Study of Vowel Production. Language Learning, 58(3), 479–502. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Muradás-Taylor, B. (2022). Accuracy and stability in English speakers’ production of Japanese pitch accent. Language and Speech 65(2), 377–403. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
O’Brien, M. G. (2019). Targeting pronunciation (and perception) with technology. In N. Arnold & L. Ducate (Eds.), Engaging Language Learners through CALL (pp. 309–352). Sheffield, UK: Equinox. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Prieto, P., & Roseano, P. (2018). Prosody: Stress, rhythm, and intonation. In K. L. Geeslin (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of Spanish linguistics (pp. 211–236). Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Saito, K., & Akiyama, Y. (2017). Linguistic correlates of comprehensibility in second language Japanese speech. Journal of Second Language Pronunciation, 3(2), 199–217. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sharwood Smith, M. (1993). Input enhancement in instructed SLA: Theoretical bases. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 15(2), 165–179. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Shimada, M. (2024). Effects of Japanese prosody on comprehensibility. Journal of Second Language Pronunciation [Manuscript submitted for publication].Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Taniguchi, H. (1991). Results of a survey on Japanese pronunciation teaching. Prosody and Its Role in TJSL. Ministry of Education, Tokyo, 17–21.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Thomson, R. I., & Derwing, T. (2015). The effectiveness of L2 pronunciation instruction: A narrative review. Applied Linguistics, 36(3), 326–344. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Toda, T. (1997). Strategies for producing mora timing by non-native speakers of Japanese. Acquisition of Japanese as a Second Language 11, 57–96. Bonjinsha. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2003). Second language speech perception and production: Acquisition of phonological contrasts in Japanese. University Press of America.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Umezawa, K. (2001). Japanese pitch accent and the English-speaking learner: A study of production, perception and teaching. (U641889) [Doctoral dissertation, University College London]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Wang, X. (2012). Auditory and visual training on Mandarin tones: A pilot study on phrases and sentences. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, 2(2), 16–29. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Zheng, A., Hirata, Y., & Kelly, S. D. (2018). Exploring the effects of imitating hand gestures and head nods on L1 and L2 Mandarin tone production. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 611, 2179–2195. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue