Experimental Research On The Effects Of Real-Time Visual Feedback On The Acquisition Of Mandarin Tones In Monosylables By L2 Learner Of Chinese

This research on the basis of learning mechanism of feedback employs the experimental design of tracking the course of tone learning as well as real-time visulized technique to explore the processes of tone learning by L2 learners with non-tone language background, including the effect of auditory feedback and visual feedback on tone learning, the construction and modification of prototypes of Mandarin tones by learners, the sequence of tonal acquisition and the relationship between tonal perception and tonal pronunciation, and so on.It is found that: (1) Although both visual feedback method and traditional method ( with only auditory feedback) can improve learners' tonal perception and tonal pronunciation in monosyllables, the visual feedback method which provides learners with both visual and auditory learning channels enable learners to construct more stable presentations of tonal prototypes. As a result it is more effective than traditional method for tonal perception and pronunciation to a certain extent.(2) Improvement of both tonal perception and tonal pronunciation can be transferred to new materials that have not been trained, which indicates that as a supra-segmental phoneme the perception and pronunciation of tone is not dependent on segmental phonemes, such as vowels and consonants.(3) The research shows that there are two learning sequences of learners. For tonal perception the sequence is Tone 3 >> Tone 4 >> Tone 1 >> Tone 2; for tonal pronunciation the sequence is Tone 1 >> Tone 4 >> Tone 2 >> Tone 3 (">>" means "before").(4) There are some imbalances in tonal perception and pronunciation and the former is more complicated than the latter. The directional tendencies among tonal categories are consistent with the requirements of the constructing and modifying of tonal prototypes by learners. On the other hand, the imbalances in tonal pronunciation are decreased by the differences of tonal contour shapes and range of pitch among four tones as well as the principle of saving energy when pronouncing.(5) The improvement from tonal perception can facilitate the improvement of tonal pronunciation, at the same time pronunciation can also contribute to perception. However, some inconsistencies indeed exist between perception and pronunciation, which is induced by incomplete overlapping of categories resulting from the difference between the discreteness of phonetic perceiving and the linearity of pronouncing.