Hang Wu & L. Keith Miller (2007).
A tutoring package to teach pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese characters.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
40, 583-586.
We examined the effects of a tutoring package (verbal modeling, prompts,
and contingent praise/Chinese conversations with the tutor) on the performance
of a college student’s Mandarin Chinese pronunciation. The effects of the
tutoring package were analyzed using a multiple baseline design across two sets
of 50 Chinese characters. The tutoring package produced improvement in the
student’s correct pronunciation of Chinese characters from 48% (pretutoring)
to 90% (posttutoring). Results suggested that the tutoring package produced
mastery pronunciation of targeted Mandarin Chinese vocalizations by a
nonnative speaker.
DESCRIPTORS: Mandarin Chinese, Pinyin, tutoring