Ron I Thomson
Biographic Data
| ID | 1691922 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Ron I Thomson |
| GIVEN NAMES | Ron I |
| FAMILY NAME | Thomson |
| SIGNATURE | THOMSON R I |
| AFFILIATIONS | Brock University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2431-498X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 15 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 75 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 15 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2004 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
High‐Variability Phonetic Training
This entry provides an overview of high variability phonetic training (HVPT), a computer‐based second language (L2) pronunciation training technique with origins in phonetics laboratories. It begins by defining what constitutes canonical HVPT and provides a brief theoretical rationale for this approach. It then provides a concise but comprehensive summary of empirical evidence supporting HVPT's efficacy. It also discusses ways in which traditiona…
High variability phonetic training (HVPT)
This meta-analysis of 79 studies evaluates the effectiveness of high variability phonetic training (HVPT) for the development of second language (L2) speech perception and explores learner-related and methodological variables that influence training effects. The overall medium-to-large effects of HVPT on L2 speech perception support the effectiveness of HVPT, for both pretest-posttest comparison (g = 0.92, k = 96) and treatment-control comparison…
How long can naturalistic L2 pronunciation learning continue in adults? A 10-year study
We examined the naturalistic pronunciation development of two groups of L2 speakers over 10 years. Initially, 50 beginner ESL students participated in production tasks; despite attrition, the tasks were administered eight more times. Here we report listener judgements of accentedness, comprehensibility and fluency for the remaining six Mandarin and 12 Slavic language speakers at Year 10. Analyses of listener judgments of accentedness, comprehensi…
Fairness of using different English accents
This study aimed to answer an ongoing validity question related to the use of nonstandard English accents in international tests of English proficiency and associated issues of test fairness. More specifically, we examined (1) the extent to which different or shared English accents had an impact on listeners’ performances on the Duolingo listening tests and (2) the extent to which different English accents affected listeners’ performances on two …
Commentary
GENERAL COMMENTARY article Front. Commun., 12 October 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.748991
The Effects of International Accents and Shared First Language on Listening Comprehension Tests
This study examines the effect of incorporating a variety of international English accents into a simulated TOEFL listening comprehension test in growing recognition of internationalization of language teaching and learning in the field of TESOL . Although some high‐stakes English proficiency exams have begun incorporating speech samples produced by speakers from a range of inner circle English‐speaking backgrounds (e.g., Britain, the United Stat…
Empirical Approaches to Measuring the Intelligibility of Different Varieties of English in Predicting Listener Comprehension
This study compared five research-based intelligibility measures as they were applied to six varieties of English. The objective was to determine which approach to measuring intelligibility would be most reliable for predicting listener comprehension, as measured through a listening comprehension test similar to the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The speakers included 18 English users representing six distinct varieties. These speakers' s…
The Effectiveness of Drama as an Instructional Approach for the Development of Second Language Oral Fluency, Comprehensibility, and Accentedness
Although the development of second language (L2) oral fluency has been widely investigated over the past several decades, there remains a paucity of research examining language instruction specifically aimed at improving this cognitive skill. In this study, the researchers investigate how instructional techniques adapted from drama can positively impact L2 fluency, comprehensibility, and accentedness—three frequently discussed dimensions of L2 sp…
Rater Experience, Rating Scale Length, and Judgments of L2 Pronunciation
This mixed-methods study examines the effects of rating scale length and rater experience on listeners' judgments of second-language (L2) speech. Twenty experienced and 20 novice raters, who were randomly assigned to 5-point or 9-point rating scale conditions, judged speech samples of 38 newcomers to Canada on numerical rating scales for comprehensibility, accentedness, and fluency. Results yielded high Cronbach's alpha coefficients and no group …
Accent Reduction
The term “accent reduction” is normally used by individuals or businesses offering to help second language (L2) learners reduce or eliminate their foreign accent. These services are provided under what Derwing and Munro (2009) refer to as a business view of accent, and are often premised on the belief that foreign accents are a negative trait, and a detriment to L2 speakers' ability to establish relationships and find employment. A Google search …
Phonology
The development of second language (L2) phonology is typically investigated either by asking human listeners to evaluate speech (e.g., Munro & Derwing, 2008), or through reference to acoustic properties associated with specific sound categories (e.g., Thomson, Nearey, & Derwing, 2009).
Improving L2 Listeners' Perception of English Vowels
A high variability phonetic training technique was employed to train 26 Mandarin speakers to better perceive ten English vowels. In eight short training sessions, learners identified 200 English vowel tokens, produced in a post bilabial stop context by 20 native speakers. Learners' ability to identify English vowels significantly improved in the training context and in one novel phonetic context. Training did not transfer to a third phonetic cont…
A Longitudinal Study of ESL Learners' Fluency and Comprehensibility Development
This longitudinal mixed-methods study compared the oral fluency of well-educated adult immigrants from Mandarin and Slavic language backgrounds (16 per group) enrolled in introductory English as a second language (ESL) classes. Speech samples were collected over a 2-year period, together with estimates of weekly English use. We also conducted interviews at the last data collection session. The participants’ fluency and comprehensibility at three …
English pronunciation and fluency development in Mandarin and Slavic speakers
Second Language Fluency
In this study we determined whether untrained raters' assessments of fluency in low-proficiency second language speech were related to temporal measures and whether they varied across tasks. We collected speech samples from 20 beginner Mandarin learners of English on picture description, monologue, and dialogue tasks. Temporal measures were made on each sample. Twenty-eight untrained judges rated fluency, comprehensibility, and accentedness. Thre…
Second Language Fluency
In this study we determined whether untrained raters' assessments of fluency in low-proficiency second language speech were related to temporal measures and whether they varied across tasks. We collected speech samples from 20 beginner Mandarin learners of English on picture description, monologue, and dialogue tasks. Temporal measures were made on each sample. Twenty-eight untrained judges rated fluency, comprehensibility, and accentedness. Thre…
Empirical Approaches to Measuring the Intelligibility of Different Varieties of English in Predicting Listener Comprehension
This study compared five research-based intelligibility measures as they were applied to six varieties of English. The objective was to determine which approach to measuring intelligibility would be most reliable for predicting listener comprehension, as measured through a listening comprehension test similar to the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The speakers included 18 English users representing six distinct varieties. These speakers' s…
English pronunciation and fluency development in Mandarin and Slavic speakers
Improving L2 Listeners' Perception of English Vowels
A high variability phonetic training technique was employed to train 26 Mandarin speakers to better perceive ten English vowels. In eight short training sessions, learners identified 200 English vowel tokens, produced in a post bilabial stop context by 20 native speakers. Learners' ability to identify English vowels significantly improved in the training context and in one novel phonetic context. Training did not transfer to a third phonetic cont…
The Effects of International Accents and Shared First Language on Listening Comprehension Tests
This study examines the effect of incorporating a variety of international English accents into a simulated TOEFL listening comprehension test in growing recognition of internationalization of language teaching and learning in the field of TESOL . Although some high‐stakes English proficiency exams have begun incorporating speech samples produced by speakers from a range of inner circle English‐speaking backgrounds (e.g., Britain, the United Stat…
The Effectiveness of Drama as an Instructional Approach for the Development of Second Language Oral Fluency, Comprehensibility, and Accentedness
Although the development of second language (L2) oral fluency has been widely investigated over the past several decades, there remains a paucity of research examining language instruction specifically aimed at improving this cognitive skill. In this study, the researchers investigate how instructional techniques adapted from drama can positively impact L2 fluency, comprehensibility, and accentedness—three frequently discussed dimensions of L2 sp…
Second Language Fluency
In this study we determined whether untrained raters' assessments of fluency in low-proficiency second language speech were related to temporal measures and whether they varied across tasks. We collected speech samples from 20 beginner Mandarin learners of English on picture description, monologue, and dialogue tasks. Temporal measures were made on each sample. Twenty-eight untrained judges rated fluency, comprehensibility, and accentedness. Thre…
English pronunciation and fluency development in Mandarin and Slavic speakers
A Longitudinal Study of ESL Learners' Fluency and Comprehensibility Development
This longitudinal mixed-methods study compared the oral fluency of well-educated adult immigrants from Mandarin and Slavic language backgrounds (16 per group) enrolled in introductory English as a second language (ESL) classes. Speech samples were collected over a 2-year period, together with estimates of weekly English use. We also conducted interviews at the last data collection session. The participants’ fluency and comprehensibility at three …
Accent Reduction
The term “accent reduction” is normally used by individuals or businesses offering to help second language (L2) learners reduce or eliminate their foreign accent. These services are provided under what Derwing and Munro (2009) refer to as a business view of accent, and are often premised on the belief that foreign accents are a negative trait, and a detriment to L2 speakers' ability to establish relationships and find employment. A Google search …
Phonology
The development of second language (L2) phonology is typically investigated either by asking human listeners to evaluate speech (e.g., Munro & Derwing, 2008), or through reference to acoustic properties associated with specific sound categories (e.g., Thomson, Nearey, & Derwing, 2009).
Improving L2 Listeners' Perception of English Vowels
A high variability phonetic training technique was employed to train 26 Mandarin speakers to better perceive ten English vowels. In eight short training sessions, learners identified 200 English vowel tokens, produced in a post bilabial stop context by 20 native speakers. Learners' ability to identify English vowels significantly improved in the training context and in one novel phonetic context. Training did not transfer to a third phonetic cont…
Rater Experience, Rating Scale Length, and Judgments of L2 Pronunciation
This mixed-methods study examines the effects of rating scale length and rater experience on listeners' judgments of second-language (L2) speech. Twenty experienced and 20 novice raters, who were randomly assigned to 5-point or 9-point rating scale conditions, judged speech samples of 38 newcomers to Canada on numerical rating scales for comprehensibility, accentedness, and fluency. Results yielded high Cronbach's alpha coefficients and no group …
The Effectiveness of Drama as an Instructional Approach for the Development of Second Language Oral Fluency, Comprehensibility, and Accentedness
Although the development of second language (L2) oral fluency has been widely investigated over the past several decades, there remains a paucity of research examining language instruction specifically aimed at improving this cognitive skill. In this study, the researchers investigate how instructional techniques adapted from drama can positively impact L2 fluency, comprehensibility, and accentedness—three frequently discussed dimensions of L2 sp…
Empirical Approaches to Measuring the Intelligibility of Different Varieties of English in Predicting Listener Comprehension
This study compared five research-based intelligibility measures as they were applied to six varieties of English. The objective was to determine which approach to measuring intelligibility would be most reliable for predicting listener comprehension, as measured through a listening comprehension test similar to the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The speakers included 18 English users representing six distinct varieties. These speakers' s…
The Effects of International Accents and Shared First Language on Listening Comprehension Tests
This study examines the effect of incorporating a variety of international English accents into a simulated TOEFL listening comprehension test in growing recognition of internationalization of language teaching and learning in the field of TESOL . Although some high‐stakes English proficiency exams have begun incorporating speech samples produced by speakers from a range of inner circle English‐speaking backgrounds (e.g., Britain, the United Stat…
Commentary
GENERAL COMMENTARY article Front. Commun., 12 October 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.748991
How long can naturalistic L2 pronunciation learning continue in adults? A 10-year study
We examined the naturalistic pronunciation development of two groups of L2 speakers over 10 years. Initially, 50 beginner ESL students participated in production tasks; despite attrition, the tasks were administered eight more times. Here we report listener judgements of accentedness, comprehensibility and fluency for the remaining six Mandarin and 12 Slavic language speakers at Year 10. Analyses of listener judgments of accentedness, comprehensi…
Fairness of using different English accents
This study aimed to answer an ongoing validity question related to the use of nonstandard English accents in international tests of English proficiency and associated issues of test fairness. More specifically, we examined (1) the extent to which different or shared English accents had an impact on listeners’ performances on the Duolingo listening tests and (2) the extent to which different English accents affected listeners’ performances on two …
High‐Variability Phonetic Training
This entry provides an overview of high variability phonetic training (HVPT), a computer‐based second language (L2) pronunciation training technique with origins in phonetics laboratories. It begins by defining what constitutes canonical HVPT and provides a brief theoretical rationale for this approach. It then provides a concise but comprehensive summary of empirical evidence supporting HVPT's efficacy. It also discusses ways in which traditiona…
High variability phonetic training (HVPT)
This meta-analysis of 79 studies evaluates the effectiveness of high variability phonetic training (HVPT) for the development of second language (L2) speech perception and explores learner-related and methodological variables that influence training effects. The overall medium-to-large effects of HVPT on L2 speech perception support the effectiveness of HVPT, for both pretest-posttest comparison (g = 0.92, k = 96) and treatment-control comparison…
Linguistics (14 works) · Psychology (13 works) · Phonetics and Phonology Research (12 works) · Linguistic Variation and Morphology (7 works) · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning (6 works) · Fluency (6 works) · Mathematics education (5 works) · Cognitive psychology (4 works) · Mandarin Chinese (4 works) · Perception (4 works)