Students working

Chinese Project Descriptions


Online learning of basic skills in French

  • Primary Investigator: Brian MacWhinney

Cluster(s): Fluency
Course(s): Chinese, French

None

Project Runs: 2004-12-01 to 2007-03-01

Most recent project report:
None
Most recent project poster:
None


Learning a tonal language-Chinese

  • Primary Investigator: Min Wang
  • Co-PIs & Other Investigator(s): Charles Perfetti

Cluster(s): Fluency, Refinement
Course(s): Chinese

The tonal feature of Chinese language poses a particular challenge for a beginning learner of Chinese as a second language. In this project, we test learning hypotheses based on the assumption that attending to the critical features of the tonal contour facilitates learning.

We designed three training conditions in which we trained students to perceive tones using: 1) visual waveforms that depict the acoustic information of the tones, together with Pinyin spelling of the spoken syllable; 2) numerical numbers that represent the tones in traditional classroom instruction, together with Pinyin spelling of the spoken syllable; 3) visual wave forms, without Pinyin spelling. In each condition, there were hints available and the students always received feedbacks for their performance.

By comparing these three training conditions, we will test two hypotheses: 1) using visual information of the tone waveform facilitates students’ perception of auditory tones; 2) providing Pinyin spelling allows the students to focus on the tone, therefore yields better training performance (learning curve).

Project Runs: 2005-01-01 to 2006-12-31

Most recent project report:
(2006-11-30) wang_perfetti_liu_report.doc
Most recent project poster:
(2006-04-19) poster_chinese_tone_4-13.ppt


Learning to Read Chinese

  • Primary Investigator: Charles Perfetti
  • Co-PIs & Other Investigator(s): Ying Liu

Cluster(s): Coordinative Learning
Course(s): Chinese

None

Project Runs: 2004-11-01 to 2006-08-30

Most recent project report:
None
Most recent project poster:
None


A Word-Experience Model of Chinese Character Learning

  • Primary Investigator: Erik Reichle
  • Co-PIs & Other Investigator(s): Charles Perfetti, Ying Liu

Cluster(s): Fluency
Course(s): Chinese

None

Project Runs: 2006-09-01 to 2007-09-30

Most recent project report:
(2006-11-30) reichle-pslc update report.doc
Most recent project poster:
None