The effect of computer assisted prosody training on the perception and reflection skills of stress, tone and emotion

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of computer assisted prosody training on perception and reflection skills of stress, tone and emotion. Single grouppre-test and post-test experimental design was used in the study.The group of the study consists of the 60 third-grade students from Gazi University Gazi Education Faculty Turkish Education Department. Data used in the study is obtained from the ?Word Stress Perception Test, Sentence Stress Perception Test, Tone and Emotion Perception Test? which is prepared based on expert views. The data of the stress, tone and emotion reflection skill levels is obtained from the audio recordings of students.Before and after experimental procedure, the students subjected to pre-test and post-test using the data collection instruments. In application period for 10 weeks,exercises to improve students' perception and reflection skills of stress, tone and emotion is conducted and the computer assisted prosody training applied via Praat8.3.47 sound analysis program.The audio recordings taken from the students to determine the level of their reflection skills of stress, tone and emotion was examined and assessed in terms of the fundamental frequency via Praat 3.8.47 sound analysis program. These results and the results of the perception tests have been analyzed using SPSS 15.0 statistical package program by paired samples t test. Thus, whether there is a significant differencebetween the students' pre-test and post-test scores for perception and reflection skills of stress, tone and emotion was determined.viAt the end of the study, it was determined that students' who participated in prosody training for 10 weeks, there was a significant increase in their success level of the perception and reflection of stress, tone and emotion. This results was interpreted as the computer assisted prosody training has an effect on improving the perception and reflection skills of stress, tone and emotion.Key Words: Computer Assisted Prosody Training, Prosodic Skills, Stress, Tone, Emotion