Chapter 2 Reflection
“Perceptual Processes I: Visual and Auditory Recognition”
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Chapter 2 discusses the Perceptual Processes of Visual and Auditory Recognition. Perception is a broad description of how we use our previous knowledge to interpret stimuli from our senses. The chapter specifically focuses in on how we recognize letters, objects, faces, and speech patterns and how our brain organizes the stimuli we receive in order to find recognition. Several different theories and studies were provided in the chapter to help explain some of the ideas behind our Process of Recognition. Each one provided insight into various recognition tasks that we encounter every day.
The reading in Chapter 2 was like a beginning to the journey that we began in Chapter One on Cognitive Psychology, which introduced us to the ideas of not only the mental activities that occur in our brains in order for us to engage in our daily lives, but also the theories and beliefs behind why we do the things we do. Chapter one discussed the history of cognitive psychology and how it has developed over the years. In Chapter Two we begin to study different neurological processes, such as the visual and auditory processing. and the cognitive theories and mental activities behind these processes.
I am still not clear on the special mechanism approach to speech. This theory states that “humans are born with a specialized device that allows us to decode speech stimuli”. It is argued that our brain has a special neural mechanism that facilitates speech perception, but not other kinds of auditory perception". I do not see how the brain would not have to rely on other cognitive functions to assist in speech patterns. It just seems to me that all functions work best when they work together. And I do not support that there is a special module in the brain that works for speech but not for any other sounds.
I can apply this chapter to my own teaching in many ways. One of the characteristics of Speech Perception states that Visual Cues act as an Aide in Speech Perception. As a teacher of foreign language, I know how important it is for students to see my lips move in order to have a better understanding of what I am saying. I also know that visual cues, such as pictures of objects and labeling the room are some of the best approaches to assist in language and vocabulary retention.
One of the Theories behind Speech Perception that I believe is valid is the General Mechanism Approach. This theory explains that speech perception is possible without proposing any special phonetic module in the brain. Humans use the same neural mechanisms to process both speech sounds and non-speech sounds. Speech Perception is a learned ability. I agree that our speech is influenced by visual cues, such as reading lips and other visual stimuli. Speech perception is utilized by more than just a special portion of the brain that controls it all.
This is important because it helps explain how “our speech perception proceeds in stages” and depends upon familiar cognitive processes such as feature recognition, learning, and decision making. As a foreign language teacher, I appreciate that there is more to speech than just a special mechanism in the brain. I believe all students have the ability to learn and speak language and can utilize many of their cognitive abilities to do so.
I can apply this theory to my own foreign language instruction. My Spanish classes include a wide variety of students with different cultural backgrounds and different academic levels. I also have special education students in my classes. All of these students are able to learn because I utilize many different strategies in order to teach them. They all have the capability to learn the language. It is up to me to provide a variety of learning experiences that can reach each student's areas of strength.
There are several ways to accomplish teaching foreign language to students of all academic levels. It can be time consuming to create lesson plans that utilize many different teaching strategies. Especially since on of the most influential strategies in teaching foreign languge is providing visual cues. It takes time and money to print pictures and other visual text for students. But it is worth it in the end when your students are learning and retaining everything that you are teaching them.
“Perceptual Processes I: Visual and Auditory Recognition”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 2 discusses the Perceptual Processes of Visual and Auditory Recognition. Perception is a broad description of how we use our previous knowledge to interpret stimuli from our senses. The chapter specifically focuses in on how we recognize letters, objects, faces, and speech patterns and how our brain organizes the stimuli we receive in order to find recognition. Several different theories and studies were provided in the chapter to help explain some of the ideas behind our Process of Recognition. Each one provided insight into various recognition tasks that we encounter every day.
The reading in Chapter 2 was like a beginning to the journey that we began in Chapter One on Cognitive Psychology, which introduced us to the ideas of not only the mental activities that occur in our brains in order for us to engage in our daily lives, but also the theories and beliefs behind why we do the things we do. Chapter one discussed the history of cognitive psychology and how it has developed over the years. In Chapter Two we begin to study different neurological processes, such as the visual and auditory processing. and the cognitive theories and mental activities behind these processes.
I am still not clear on the special mechanism approach to speech. This theory states that “humans are born with a specialized device that allows us to decode speech stimuli”. It is argued that our brain has a special neural mechanism that facilitates speech perception, but not other kinds of auditory perception". I do not see how the brain would not have to rely on other cognitive functions to assist in speech patterns. It just seems to me that all functions work best when they work together. And I do not support that there is a special module in the brain that works for speech but not for any other sounds.
I can apply this chapter to my own teaching in many ways. One of the characteristics of Speech Perception states that Visual Cues act as an Aide in Speech Perception. As a teacher of foreign language, I know how important it is for students to see my lips move in order to have a better understanding of what I am saying. I also know that visual cues, such as pictures of objects and labeling the room are some of the best approaches to assist in language and vocabulary retention.
One of the Theories behind Speech Perception that I believe is valid is the General Mechanism Approach. This theory explains that speech perception is possible without proposing any special phonetic module in the brain. Humans use the same neural mechanisms to process both speech sounds and non-speech sounds. Speech Perception is a learned ability. I agree that our speech is influenced by visual cues, such as reading lips and other visual stimuli. Speech perception is utilized by more than just a special portion of the brain that controls it all.
This is important because it helps explain how “our speech perception proceeds in stages” and depends upon familiar cognitive processes such as feature recognition, learning, and decision making. As a foreign language teacher, I appreciate that there is more to speech than just a special mechanism in the brain. I believe all students have the ability to learn and speak language and can utilize many of their cognitive abilities to do so.
I can apply this theory to my own foreign language instruction. My Spanish classes include a wide variety of students with different cultural backgrounds and different academic levels. I also have special education students in my classes. All of these students are able to learn because I utilize many different strategies in order to teach them. They all have the capability to learn the language. It is up to me to provide a variety of learning experiences that can reach each student's areas of strength.
There are several ways to accomplish teaching foreign language to students of all academic levels. It can be time consuming to create lesson plans that utilize many different teaching strategies. Especially since on of the most influential strategies in teaching foreign languge is providing visual cues. It takes time and money to print pictures and other visual text for students. But it is worth it in the end when your students are learning and retaining everything that you are teaching them.
I can imagine that while teaching Spanish you would have to be always facing the students while talking. I never took a foreign language, but the few things people taught me always required a lot of concentration and needing to see what their mouth was doing. It is hard enough to understand someone who isn't facing you in the language you already speak. I imagine you would need to know a lot about speech perception as a Spanish teacher and it really sounds like you have a good idea about what you students need!
ReplyDeleteRegarding your confusion about "humans are born with a specialized device that allows us to decode speech stimuli"- it is a language feature theory developed by Noam Chompsky, that in and of itself is pretty much inexplainable! When a child is born into a society, they are able to decode and process speech in their brains long before they can say anything. There was a study done with babies where the followed commands (like look at big bird, and then look at cookie monster) and the baby was able to do it, showing that they are able to decode the speech patterns!
ReplyDeleteHey Kelly, I am glad I hit your blog. I felt the same way in reference to the speech perception theories. Kerry's comment is interesting and sheds some light on the topic. I am intrigued with Chompsky's study! I like your blog setup Kelly, very nice. JJ
ReplyDeleteKelly- when you talked about how visual clues are incorporateed into your classroom, its like your students are starting over in kindergarten with the alphabet. When you have pictures or label things with the Spanish word it is just the same as we do when kids start kindergarten and they are learning new words. You also have to face them so they can see and hear you say the word. No matter what language we speak we learn it the same way.
ReplyDeleteHi Kelly,
ReplyDeleteI like how you are tying all the chapters together. The "mental model" you are developing is important for learning.
Regarding Chomsky, Kerry is right that he presented a model for language learning that proposed that humans have some inherent language skills.
Remember how Chapter 2 also talked about "geons" in visual recognition as building blocks for visual recognition? One analogy you can make (although Chomsky did not say this) is that humans have a certain set of language building blocks built to facilitate langauge acquisition.
But think back to Chapter 1 and how behaviorism was the dominant theory of the 1950's -- you can only study behavior, internal cognitive processes are not available for inspection, and the right stimulus will produce the right result. Chomsky's theory of language acquisition was a rebuke of that. You don't learn every word you know through stimulus and response. That could not account for how are vocabulary grows so quickly as children. So he proposed we have things like sentence structure is somewhat already built in.
As far as a unique mechanism or general mechanisms, I am not sure if Chomsky addresses that, but either would work in his theory. The main point is that the initial ability for language learning is inherent and not learned.