A Balanced Test of Comprehension Versus Production Practice using Artificial Language Learning

Summary

The goal of this protocol is to evaluate comprehension versus production language learning training through a computer-based experiment in a way that balances inherent task differences between comprehension and production.

Abstract

Research and theories in the field of second language acquisition have long held that language comprehension is a stronger learning experience than language production, especially for learning the grammar of a second language. In contrast, psychology research shows that, at least at the single word level, the opposite is true: language production training, due to the memory processes involved, leads to better learning of words in a second language. The inherent differences between language production and comprehension were not well-balanced in prior research, potentially leading to these conflicting results. Thus, the present study’s protocol includes language comprehension and production training tasks that are balanced for listening experience, task-relevant choices, and attention. In the active production task, participants see a picture and are asked to describe it out loud. In the active comprehension task, participants see a picture and hear a phrase. They make a match/mismatch judgment on whether the phrase describes the picture or not. In both conditions, participants hear the correct description of the picture after the task. This full protocol includes computer-based language training in which participants gradually learn an artificial language, building up from single words to full sentences. Training alternates the active production or comprehension tasks with passive exposure to familiarize participants with the language. After training, participants’ learning is assessed using several tests that tap into both vocabulary and grammar learning. Versions of this protocol have been used for learning both artificial and natural languages and have consistently shown that participants in the production condition learn the language better than participants in the comprehension condition. Extensions of this protocol could be used for comparing the effects of comprehension versus production training on different language phenomena in different languages of interest.

Introduction

Language learning inevitably involves practice in both comprehension (i.e., listening) and production (i.e., speaking), skills which require different amounts of attention and rely on different memory processes. Focusing on either comprehension or production practice may yield different results in language learning because of the differences in task demands. Research in the field of second language acquisition strongly suggests that to learn the grammar of a second language, comprehension practice is more useful than production practice^1,2. However, memory research suggests that production practice can boost l....

Protocol

The following procedures were approved by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Social and Behavioral Science Institutional Review Board, and informed consent was obtained from each participant.

1. Materials

1. On the computer that will be used for the experiment, download the experiment files by going to https://osf.io/74kqe/files/ in any browser.
   1. At the top of the list, click on the parent folder called ‘OSF Storage (United States)’.

Discussion

A procedure for studying the role of comprehension versus production practice in learning a novel language is presented. As reported earlier in Hopman and MacDonald⁸, production-focused training results were found to be superior in learning an artificial language as compared to comprehension-focused training⁸. In follow-up research, there is accumulating evidence that production participants outperform comprehension participants in both comprehension and production accuracy.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Browser	-	-	Use for downloading the experiment onto the computer.
Desktop Computer	-	-	Use for presenting the experiment on; use for analyzing data.
Experimental software	Psychopy	-	Psychopy version 1.83.04 is used for running the experiment, it is available on github.
Headphones	LyxPro	-	Use for playing auditory stimuli to participants. Specifically, our lab currently uses HAS-10 over-ear open back studio headphones.
Microphone	Blue	-	Use for recording production participants' training trials. Specifically, our lab uses Snowball microphones.
Software to open spreadsheets	Microsoft Excel	-	Use for a quick view of datalogs.
Soundproof experiment room	-	-	Use for running participants in.
Statistical analysis software	R	-	Use for analyzing accuracy and reaction time data.
Stickers	Post-it	-	Use for marking keyboard keys used in the experiment.