Glenberg2 Specs

Programmed by: Phil Revised SPECS: Noriko.

Task will be to learn word pairs for a foreign language.

Stimuli: 40 Swahili. *note: Wordlist obtained from http://www.yale.edu/swahili/.

David M. Perlmutter suggestions (10-23-02): If you try to avoid complex consonant clusters, i.e. get a language where most syllables are CV or CVC, then the words are going to be longer, by the nature of things - since it will take more syllables to have as many contrasts as you can get with shorter words if you allow consonant clusters. For example, a Polynesian language such>as Fijian, Hawaiian, Samoan, etc. has only (C)V syllables, but then the words can get quite long (and some students may be ethnically Samoan). I would suggest a Bantu language such as Swahili, Shona (spoken in Zimbabwe), Luganda (spoken in Uganda), Chichewa (Malawi), or a language like that. The words will look manageable, they are already written in the Latin alphabet, they lack difficult consonant clusters, and local students are unlikely to know them. Some of these are tone lgs, but that won't be reflected in the orthography so it won't cause you trouble. The best Bantu lgs for this purpose would be from East Africa, such as the ones I mentioned. Some of the Western Bantu lgs have more complex syllable structure, and the ones farther south than Shona and Chichewa (such as Xhosa and I think Zulu) usually have clicks, which cause strange-looking orthographic effects. Choctaw and Chickasaw also.

Present 40 (Should take about 25-30 minutes to learn first day) word pairs. The same words are used for every subject. Wordlist is randomized between subjects.

Six Conditions: Session spacing (between subjects)

Condition Session 1 Session 2 Session 3

1 (0-10) Day 1 Day 1 Day 11

2 (1-10) Day 1 Day 2 Day 12

3 (2-10) Day 1 Day 3 Day 13

4 (4-10) Day 1 Day 5 Day 15

5 (7-10) Day 1 Day 8 Day 18

6 (14-10) Day 1 Day 15 Day 25

Session 1 Instructions. All Instructions are presented on computer screen: “You will be learning words from a foreign language. First you will see the foreign word and it’s English translation. Try to remember each correct English translation. You will be tested until you correctly translate each foreign word two times. The correct translation will appear after you make your response.”

Presentation 1: Present each word pair once in random order (Foreign above English, centered on the screen; 7 seconds per item). Go through the list again in a new random order, testing each item by presenting the Foreign word in the center and a cursor (in a text box) below where the subject types the English word. Subject response is untimed. If no response is made within 5 seconds, then the following words are presented below the empty text box, “Please type in a response. Press “enter” if you do not know the answer.” (this option is in all 3 sessions). After subject response, give feedback (the correct English word in the center of the screen for 5 seconds) whether subject was correct or incorrect. If item is correct twice, mark as done for now (no further testing needed). If not, include in the next set of item testing. Keep going through the list, testing with feedback, items which do not meet criteria (twice correct).

Session 2 Instructions. “Try to remember the correct English translation for each foreign word. The correct translation will appear after you make your response.”

Presentation 2: Present the entire list of words two times, in a different random order each time, testing with feedback. Do not remove items that are correct.

Session 3 Instructions. “Please try to remember the correct English translation for each foreign word. Today the correct answer will not appear after your response.”

Test (Session 3): Present the foreign word once and take subject response, as in previous sessions. Do not provide feedback.

Data Input. There is one program for all sessions. Subject number, Subject initials, Condition (scroll to appropriate option). Bottom of screen will automatically display the number session that the subject is on.

Data output (tab delimited):

Line 1: Subject number, Session, Days between first and second presentation, Days between second and third presentation

Columns: Trial number, Presentation or Test (P or T), Foreign word, English word, Subject response (if test)

Trial number increments 1 to n during presentation, then resets and increments 1 to n during test. In session 2, trial number is reset to 1 after the first test.

Each day gets a separate data file, labeled gb2-###-# where ### is subject number and # is session number.