Learning Pronunciation of Chinese Surnames, Proper Salutations and Useful Greetings Using VoiceThread
Meilene Roco · ScholarSpace (University of Hawaii at Manoa) · 2012
As China rapidly expands its influence economically and politically in the world, there’s a need for global citizens to acquire the basics of the Chinese language and culture. An online instructional module was created following instructional design principles to fill this need. The module teaches adult learners how to correctly pronounce ten commonly mispronounced Chinese surnames, proper salutations and useful greetings using VoiceThread. The module utilizes an integrated approach, multiple means of input and representation in a purposeful and practical manner to build interest and efficiency. Fifteen non-Chinese speaking adults took part in the one-hour module via distance. There was an average 156% increase in accuracy in pronunciation and content knowledge after completion of the module. The effectiveness of the module, areas for refinement and suggestions for future implementation and contribution to the field of language instruction are discussed.