Less precise auditory processing limits instructed L2 speech learning: Communicative focus on phonetic form revisited

Drawing learners' attention to phonetic form during meaning-oriented activities (i.e., communicative focus on form) has been found be an optimal method of L2 speech training. In the context 55 Chinese speakers’ English [ɪ] and [i] acquisition (e.g., “sit” vs. “seat”), current study set out examine extent which outcomes such instructed learning are tied individual differences in domain-general auditory processing (precisely representing acoustic properties sounds). All participants engaged 1.5 h instruction. The treatment was carefully manipulated induce those experimental group attend accurate distinction [i]. According pre- post-tests, significantly enhanced their identification accuracy. However, follow-up analyses demonstrated that instructional effectiveness observed especially among with high levels processing, but unclear low processing. findings suggest source variation stems at least partially from training could help facilitate language some individuals specific difficulties.