Role of Prosodic Reading in Listening Comprehension

Abstract

This study aims to determine how listening comprehension levels of students are affected by listening to prosodic and non-prosodic readings vocalized by a computer and human. Third-grade students of four different classes at a primary school were randomly selected in a city center in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey to participate in the study (n=91). Four equivalent classes formed the listening groups of the research in listening comprehension. The groups were (1) the group listening to the model prosodic reading, (2) the group listening to the computer prosodic reading, (3) the group listening to the model non-prosodic reading, and (4) the group listening to the computer non-prosodic reading. Two stories were used in the measurement of listening comprehension, and comprehension skills were measured with open-ended questions. The data obtained were analyzed with the Kruskal Wallis and Conover–Iman tests. Logistic Regression Analysis (LRA) was performed to reinforce the results and increase distinctiveness. According to the results, inferential comprehension scores of the students who listened to the prosodically-vocalized texts differed from other groups significantly. Meanwhile, literal comprehension scores of all students in the listening groups did not differ. The LRA results indicated that the inferential comprehension scores were a significant predictor of the listening groups. Consequently, the relationship between prosody and inferential comprehension was found to be significant in this study. The results also showed that it is necessary to attach particular importance to prosody in listening activities and to use prosodic models suitable for students in reading activities in the early grades of the primary school.

The effect of prosody instruction in developing listening comprehension skills by interpreter trainees: does methodology matter?

“…Van Wijngaarden (2001) showed that speech recognition in Dutch was negatively affected (a 3-dB raising of the speech reception threshold) for Dutch native listeners when the stimulus materials, whether spoken by native Dutch or nonnative English-accented speakers, were artificially monotonized. Recently, Keskin et al (2019) reported that listening comprehension by Turkish primary schoolers suffered when all prosodic information was removed from a Turkish spoken text, at least when the questions required inferential listening (but not when literal content questions were asked). Luu et al (2021) concluded that prioritizing prosody by using the techniques such as listening to low-pass filtered audio, repetition in synchrony with body movements, and shadowing, enhances listening comprehension skills.…”

A Critical Review on the Evaluation of Reading Prosody

“…Quantitative data of the study were obtained by using the "Prosodic Reading Scale" (PRS) validated by Keskin, Baştuğ, and Akyol (2013) and PRAAT audio analysis software.…”

The efficacy of segmental/suprasegmental vs. holistic pronunciation instruction on the development of listening comprehension skills by EFL learners

“…Van Wijngaarden (2001) has shown that speech recognition in Dutch was negatively affected (a 3-dB raising of the speech reception threshold) for Dutch native listeners when the stimulus materials, whether spoken by native Dutch or non-native English-accented speakers, were artificially monotonised, thus highlighting the importance of prosody to comprehension. Keskin et al (2019) have also reported that L1 listening comprehension by Turkish primary schoolers suffered when all prosodic information was removed from a Turkish spoken text, at least when the questions required inferential listening (though not when literal content questions were asked). Luu et al (2021), concluded that prioritising prosody by using techniques such as listening to low-pass filtered audio, repetition in synchrony with body movements, and speech shadowing, enhance the English listening comprehension skills of Vietnamese college freshmen.…”