Haruko Miyakoda

Tsuda University · Department of English

Vocabulary acquisition based on the traditional pen-and-paper approach is outdated, and has been superseded by the multimedia-supported approach. In a multimedia-supported foreign language learning environment, a learning material comprised of a still-image, a text, and the corresponding sound data is considered to be the most effective way to memo...

This article acquaints its readers with a research paradigm that has been designed to extract appropriate (synonymously educational) images of abstract nouns. The ongoing investigation principally purposed to assist L2 learners/educators by recommending appropriate images in the creation of vocabulary learning items for abstract nouns. Hence, a pro...

Although awareness of the underlying phonological structure of a language is said to be a prerequisite in learning to read, there is still much debate as to which phonological units are the best predictors. The syllable plays an important role in accounting for various phonological phenomena observed cross-linguistically, and studies have shown its...

Abstract There is general agreement in the literature that the ability to recognize that words are made up of "smaller phonological units" within the phonological hierarchy is a prerequisite for reading, however, there is still much debate as to which specific units are important. Many studies dealing with Japanese phonological development have bee...

In this demonstration, we present the auditory-visual pronunciation system that we have developed. One of the key features of this system is that it employs easy-to-understand visuals of the speech organ that can be seen from different angles. In addition, the internal organs in movement can also be presented by changing the mode to transparent. Fu...

The issue of phonological acquisition and disorders from the perspective of markedness is addressed. The study aims to explore how linguistic theory can account for phonological acquisition and disorder data by focusing on Optimality Theory. It is assumed that the mental representation of speech consists of hierarchically arranged units. Optimality...

It has been claimed in the literature that the effective use of visual aids and tools enhance learning (e.g. Paivio 1986). Some studies claim that the learning effect by the annotations based on movies are superior to those by still images (e.g. Al-Seyghayar 2001), while others claim that annotations based on still images are most effective (e.g. Y...

In this paper, we recapitulate the history of hacking the SIGMA system, an autonomous and collaborative vocabulary learning system, over five years. The results obtained from var­ ious evaluation experiments have shown that (1) the vocabulary learning materials created by the SIGMA system are effective in enhancing vocabulary attainment; (2) the ma...

Mobile learning is suitable for vocabulary learning in foreign language acquirement. We have verified the effectiveness of short movie materials of about 5-second movies for foreign vocabulary learning. In a preliminary experiment, we observed a problem that for the foreign words corresponding to concrete concepts, (e.g. an apple), learners were ab...

In an autonomous and collaborative learning environment where learners participate in learning material creation, it is difficult to accumulate materials for abstract words. In this study, we first define the abstraction level of words as well as its measurement method. Next, we prove that learners feel it difficult to create materials for abstract...

Phonological awareness has been claimed to play an important role in the development of language skills, and it is essential that the child's phonological skills be assessed accurately in order to predict and to take early measures to help those that may encounter problems. Although the mora has attracted much attention in the discussion of phonolo...

The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze the phonological errors observed in both normal and pathological Japanese speech. Although speech errors have long been employed as linguistic evidence, few studies have dealt with Japanese. Our findings have been tested against major claims and hypotheses related to speech errors presented in th...

When we learn a vocabulary, memorizing words with their corresponding images and pronunciations is more effective than memorizing them with only the texts of their spellings and meanings. But, unfortunately, it is arduous for some specific instructors to prepare a large amount of learning materials by combining movies and sounds. Hence, in our rese...

In this paper, we explain the approach for copyright protection of materials in the autonomous and collaborative vocabulary learning environment we established. A large amount of materials will be stored in the vocabulary learning environment. Hence, it is necessary for us to block registration of learning materials based on those created by others...

Mobile learning is suitable for vocabulary learning in foreign language acquirement. We have implemented a system that automatically superimposes subtitles and pronunciations to movies. We aimed reduction of the burden of instructors with learning material creation by opening the system to learners and encouraging them to participate in material cr...

Although many studies of speech errors have been presented in the literature, most have focused on errors occurring at either the segmental or feature level. Few, if any, studies have dealt with the prosodic structure of errors. This paper aims to fill this gap by taking up the issue of prosodic structure in Japanese speech errors, with a focus on...

In our project, we are developing a system that helps learners in vocabulary acquirement. In the system, learners can create their own materials for mobile learning, and they can also exchange their materials. This paper focuses on a sub system, SIGMA, to share and exchange materials among learners. In addition, SIGMA enables learners to give evalu...

We have implemented the PHI system that can be used to acquire vocabularies by using iPods. In addition, we have developed the PSI system that can be used to create learning materials for PHI. In this study, we investigate the possibility of autonomous and collaborative vocabulary acquirement of the learners by using these systems and give the desi...

We have developed an autonomous and collaborative vocabulary learning system SIGMA (Special-Interested-Group Material Accumulator). The system has a sub system PSI (Personal SuperImposer) for support of learning material creation. With the PSI system, learners can create their own learning materials for vocabulary learning by using their favorite i...

In our previous work, we developed a database system to share learning materials for vocabulary acquirement based on iPods. In this paper, we report on a new vocabulary test manager function on 'PodBase', which is one of the subsystems of the online educational system that we have developed. The functions are test generation, test management and sc...

Mobile devices are suitable for learning the vocabulary of a foreign language. It is effective to memorize foreign words with images and pronunciations. Hence, we developed the MultiPod system to learn foreign words by an iPod. However, if we use the MultiPod system in practice, there is the burden that a large amount of movie materials must be pre...

In this study, we proposed and implemented "MultiPod", an online educational system for learning foreign words. This system is based on iPods and it uses word learning materials of very short movies. Each learning material consists of a 5-second moving image that corresponds to the word to be learned, its spelling, and its pronunciation. We conduct...

In learning the vocabulary of a foreign language, it is ef-fective to increase the time and frequency of learning the novel words. Hence, in our study, we developed a foreign-word learning system based on a popular mobile device, the iPod, that enables its users to make good use of his/her free time. Compared to other mobile devices, the iPod has a...

This collection carries the functionalist Columbia School of linguistics forward with contributions on linguistic theory, semiotics, phonology, grammar, lexicon, and anthropology. Columbia School linguistics views language as a symbolic tool whose structure is shaped both by its communicative function and by the characteristics of its users, and co...

This paper presents a cross‐sectional and longitudinal investigation into the development of a contrast in voicing production in simple and complex consonant clusters for 21 children. The results showed that, although the group results indicated a progression that may have been caused either by development in articulatory proficiency or by an growi...

This paper presents a cross‐sectional and longitudinal investigation into the development of a contrast in voicing production in simple and complex consonant clusters for 21 children. The results showed that, although the group results indicated a progression that may have been caused either by development in articulatory proficiency or by an growi...

The aim of this study is to analyze Japanese truncation formation from a phonological viewpoint. A full year's data at an interval of 10 years were collected from fashion magazines aimed for the younger generation. A detailed analysis has indicated that although the unmarked four-morae output is still dominant throughout, a subtle diachronic change...