Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Listenability Measurement Based on Learners’ Transcription Performance

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Computational Linguistics (PACLING 2017)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 781))

  • 829 Accesses

Abstract

Language teachers using listening materials on the Internet need to examine the ease of the listening materials (hereafter, listenability) they choose in order to maintain learners’ motivation for listening practice since the listenability of such materials is not controlled, unlike commercially available teaching materials. This study proposes to use a listenability index based on learners’ transcription performance. Transcription performance was determined using the normalized edit distance (hereafter, NED) from a learner’s transcription to a reference sentence. We examined the reliability and validity of NED as a dependent variable for listenability measurement using multiple regression analysis in an experiment comprising 50 learners of English as a foreign language. The results supported the reliability and validity of NED.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Kotani, K., Ueda, S., Yoshimi, T., Nanjo, H.: A listenability measuring method for an adaptive computer-assisted language learning and teaching system. In: Proceedings of the 28th Pacific Asia Conference on Language, Information, and Computation, pp. 387–394 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Kotani, K., Yoshimi, T.: Learner feature variation in measuring the listenability for learners of English as a foreign language. In: Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Emerging Technologies for Language Learning (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Yoon, S.-Y., Cho, Y., Napolitano, D.: Spoken text difficulty estimation using linguistic features. In: Proceedings of the 11th Workshop on Innovative Use of NLP for Building Educational Applications, pp. 267–276 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Petrides, J.R.: Attitudes and motivation and their impact on the performance of young English as a foreign language learners. J. Lang. Learn. 5(1), 1–20 (2006)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. Buck, G.: Assessing Listening. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2001)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  6. Brown, D.J.: Testing in Language Programs. Prentice Hall Regents, New Jersey (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Chall, J.S., Dial, H.E.: Predicting listener understanding and interest in newscasts. Educ. Res. Bull. 27(6), 141–153 + 168 (1948)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Fang, I.E.: The easy listening formula. J. Broadcast. Electron. Media 11(1), 63–68 (1966)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Kiyokawa, J.: A formula for predicting listenability: the listenability of English language materials 2. Wayo Women’s Univ. Lang. Lit. 24, 57–74 (1990)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Messerklinger, J.: Listenability. Center Engl. Lang. Educ. J. 14, 56–70 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  11. International Phonetic Association: Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A Guide to the Use of the International Phonetic Alphabet. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Robb, M.P., Gillon, G.T.: Speech rates of New Zealand English- and American English-speaking children. Adv. Speech Lang. Pathol. 9(2), 1–8 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Cronbach, L.J.: Essentials of Psychological Testing. Harper & Row, New York (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Chauncey Group International: TOEIC Technical Manual. Chauncey Group International, New Jersey (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Lee, I.A., Preacher, K.J.: Calculation for the Test of the Difference Between Two Dependent Correlations with One Variable in Common (2013). http://quantpsy.org

  16. Neter, J., Kutner, M., Wasserman, W., Nachtsheim, C.: Applied Linear Statistical Models, 4th edn. McGrawHill/Irwin, New York (1996)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions to improve the quality of the paper. All remaining inadequacies are ours alone. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers, 22300299, 15H02940.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kansai Gaidai University, Osaka, Japan

    Katsunori Kotani

  2. Ryukoku University, Shiga, Japan

    Takehiko Yoshimi

Authors
  1. Katsunori Kotani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Takehiko Yoshimi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katsunori Kotani .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Kôiti Hasida

  2. Natural Language Processing Lab, University of Computer Studies, Yangon, Yangon, Myanmar

    Win Pa Pa

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Kotani, K., Yoshimi, T. (2018). Listenability Measurement Based on Learners’ Transcription Performance. In: Hasida, K., Pa, W. (eds) Computational Linguistics. PACLING 2017. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 781. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8438-6_26

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8438-6_26

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-8437-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-8438-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation