PA187/12
Researchers at The University of Nottingham have developed a unique computer programme that helps Asian students to improve their understanding of accented English speech in noisy environments.
The team of researchers from the Schools of Psychology, Education, and English, recognised that some Asian students find it difficult to understand the range of different English accents spoken.
They identified that some Asian students have particular difficulties with differentiating sounds at the end (e.g. rope versus robe) and start (e.g. tin versus thin) of spoken English words. This can make continuous speech difficult to follow, as misunderstanding just one word can potentially change the whole interpretation of a sentence.
The difficulties are also magnified in non-optimal listening situations such as on a telephone or in places such as shopping centres, where there can be a lot of ambient noise.
Spoken English Discrimination
To solve the problem, they developed a computerised Spoken English Discrimination (SED) training programme which trains Chinese speakers how to detect differences in speech sounds in adverse conditions, such as accented speech or in situations where there are a number of sounds in the background.
Recognising the commercial potential for SED, the research team secured development money for the project, firstly through the European (ERDF) funded Innovation Fellowship and more recently via the University’s own Hermes Fellowship scheme. The funding awards have enabled the team to develop the product, assess the market demand and identify business collaboration opportunities.
The research team was led by Nicola Pitchford and Walter van Heuven from the School of Psychology. Commenting on the outcomes of the project, Nicola said: “Our findings have shown that SED training really does have a significant impact in enabling Asian students to differentiate between sounds.
“There has already been interest in the program from government organisations, through to a major Chinese mobile phone company who are interested in developing it into an educational phone app. In China alone, over 300 million people are involved in learning and teaching English, so we are very excited about the potential for the SED programme.”
New markets
The University is also looking to integrate SED training into existing English language teaching schemes, as it covers specific cultural elements, accents and different noisy backgrounds, issues which are normally not included in language programmes.
Walter van Heuven added: “We are very interested in talking to people who feel that they can work with us to find new markets and applications for our SED training programme. The aim of our work has always been to help as many people as possible through this program, so if anyone has ideas about how they can help to develop and market the SED training program, we would love to hear from them.”
For more details about the Spoken English Discrimination training programme, contact Dr Nicola Pitchford or Dr Walter van Heuven on nicola.pitchford@nottingham.ac.uk or walter.vanheuven@nottingham.ac.uk
For more information about The University of Nottingham’s services for business, visit www.nottingham.ac.uk/servicesforbusiness
—Ends—
PICTURED above (left to right): Walter van Heuven, Nicola Pitchford and PhD student Taoli Zhang.
For up to the minute media alerts, follow us on Twitter
Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham, described by The Sunday Times University Guide 2011 as ‘the embodiment of the modern international university’, has 40,000 students at award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the QS World University Rankings. It was named ‘the world’s greenest university’ in the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking 2011.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise. The University’s vision is to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health. The University won a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 2011, for its research into global food security.
Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest ever fund-raising campaign, will deliver the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. More news
The Innovation Fellowship project is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit www.communities.gov.uk/erdf