Does Studying in a Music-oriented Education Program Affect Non-native Sound Learning? — Effects of Passive Auditory Training on Children’s Vowel Production

Earlier studies have shown that children are efficient second language learners. Research has also musical background might affect learning. A two-day auditory training paradigm was used to investigate whether studying in a music-oriented education program affects children’s sensitivity acquire non-native vowel contrast. Training effects were measured with listen-and-repeat production tests. Two groups of monolingual Finnish (9–11 years, N=23) attending and regular fourth grades tested. The stimuli two semisynthetic pseudo words /ty:ti/ /tʉ:ti/ the native /y/ /ʉ/ embedded. Both changed their pronunciation after first training. change reflected formant values /ʉ/, which lowered significantly three trainings. results show 9–11-year-old benefit from passive learning regardless or not they attend program.