Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate how general, implicit instructions with auditory-perceptual emphasis; specific, explicit instructions with biomechanical focus; or both affect learning of oral-nasal balance control in speech. Method: Thirty healthy, vocally untrained participants were assigned to one of three instructional…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare physiological indices of sympathetic nervous system arousal recorded during fluent and stuttered utterances in a preschool children who stutter (CWS). Method: Twenty-two 4- to 5-year-old CWS participated in the experiment. We recorded children's skin conductance response amplitude and frequency,…

In order to be successful, students must acquire the language of science for both oral and written communication. In this article we examine an oral language learning technique called choral repetition for its role in building literacy in the context of an animal physiology course. For 3 weeks, the instructor conducted choral repetitions of nine…

Background: Previous studies have found simultaneous increases in skin conductance response and decreases in heart rate when normally fluent speakers watched and listened to stuttered speech compared with fluent speech, suggesting that stuttering induces arousal and emotional unpleasantness in listeners. However, physiological responses of persons…

This study compared respiratory function during quiet breathing and monologue, in six adult dystonic subjects and a control group of four neurologically intact adults. Dystonic subjects showed a faster breathing rate, less rhythmic breathing pattern, decreased lung volume, and apnea-like periods. Decreased speech intelligibility was related to…

Summarizes the result of research which considers the effect of women's hormone level on specific skills. Reports that low estrogen levels allow women to excel at spatial skills, but perform poorly at complex motor tasks and speech articulation. Discusses some implications and further research ideas. (YP)

A young child with macroglossia of unknown cause was seen for treatment to modify resting tongue posture and improve speech sound production. Evaluation of the treatments indicated positive change in resting tongue posture and a modest change in speech sound production. Treatment for such patients can be complex and must consider orthodontic…

In three studies, profoundly hearing-impaired children received speech training using a computerized, physiologically based system in which glossometry or palatometry measures were displayed. Overall, results suggest that visually based speech training is a feasible alternative to traditional auditorily based training. (Author/JDD)

A study of four children with deafness who had cochlear implants investigated the use of negative intraoral air pressure in articulation, from both the physiological and phonological perspectives. The study showed that the children used speech-production strategies that were different from hearing children and that deviant speech behaviors should…