| The goal of this study is to provide information on the degree of modification of the English pattern of the perception of the continuum /u/_/i/ and the formation of two new vowel categories /u/ and /y/ after 6 hours of structured phonetic training, using three teaching delivery modes: (1) computer-based training (RoFA), (2) computer-based training and direction by an instructor (RoFD) and (3) traditional (TRAD) teaching. The software The Rhythm of French facilitated the computer-based training.; Two psycho-acoustic experiments: (a) the perception of the high vowel continuum and (b) the perception and the production of the natural vowels /u/ and /y/ occurred during pre-testing and post-testing in a two week interval. These experiments were conducted in order to measure the effectiveness of the three methods of delivering phonetic instruction on the acquisition of new French sounds /u/ and /y/ by beginner and intermediate Anglophone students of French.; Two measures, (1) the shape of the curves (qualitative analysis) and the stability index (quantitative analysis) and (2) the second formant at the boundaries /u/_/y/ and /y/_/i/ were used in order to determine the change of the identification functions on the continuum /u/_/i/ for 29 students enrolled in French 100 and French 150 courses in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies, University of Alberta.; Students who had computer-based training and direction by the instructor showed the highest progress in both perception and the production of the new French vowels /u/ and /y/.; Statistically significant results showed the importance of the instructor's role for the effectiveness of students' second language perceptual and pronunciation learning. Pedagogical implications for the implementation of new technologies in second languages courses are discussed and directions for future studies are suggested.; This study enhances our knowledge of second language phonetic acquisition, and contributes to the implementation of an efficient computer-based pronunciation teaching system. |
