Long-Term Effects of Perceptual Training on The Perception and Production of Word-Initial Voiceless Stops by Brazilian Learners: Implications for Pronunciation Teaching

Abstract

In this article, we investigate the effects of perceptual training on the perception and production of word-initial VOT patterns in English by Brazilian learners. The experiment consisted of a pre-test, a post-test and two delayed post-tests. The first delayed post-test took place one month after training, while the second one took place three years later. The results show a slight increase in the identification rates by the Experimental Group, and no significant increase between the pre-test and the final post-test in the production data. Based on these results, we draw attention to the need of associating perceptual training with additional awareness-raising tasks on phonetic-phonological aspects, combined with a continuous exposure to the target forms.

Keywords:
Perceptual Training; Word-initial Plosives; Pronunciation Teaching