Oral Performance Research Articles

Investigating the Correlation between English Spoken Fluency and Working Memory Capacity in both Dialogic and Monologic Presentations

Studies on second language (L2) speech fluency recommend studying fluency in a dialogic context. In response to the researchers' calls, this study introduced monologic and dialogic tasks to investigate the various aspects of speed, breakdown, and repair fluency in the oral performancemost L2 fluency studies have looked at oral fluency in a monologic task. Dialogue is the more authentic and natural way of communication, which is apparent in everyday language use. Currently, there is a scarcity of research examining dialogue fluency in non-native bilingual speakers who share the same L2. The existing body of research on language learning and processing has underscored significant connections between individual differences (IDs) in working memory capacity (WMC) and models of L2 speech production in both first language (L1). Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether variations in WMC are linked to dysfluency in L2 monologue and dialogue. Therefore, this study also aimed to fill this gap in the literature by investigating the correlation between utterance fluency in both monologue and dialogue and WMC. A total of 64 undergraduate Saudi students were given various tasks as part of the study. An argumentative task was presented as a monologue focused on a prevalent topic in the participants’ country. In contrast, during a dialogic discussion task, 32 pairs engaged in exchanging opinions on a popular subject in their country. Additionally, participants underwent two challenging working memory (WM) tests: the Operation Span Test and the Backward Digit Span Test. The findings aligned with prior research, indicating that L2 participants demonstrated greater fluency in dialogue compared to monologue, as evident in speed and breakdown measures of utterance fluency. Interestingly, WMC did not emerge as a robust predictor for variations in L2 oral performances between monologue and dialogue.

ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ ENGLISH SPEAKING PROFICIENCY

English includes common skills such as listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Many students focus on speaking skills and complain that English is a difficult language to use or pronounce. This is not easy when we are born with students whose everyday language is not English, which can make it difficult for these students. There are quite a few students today whose ability to speak English is still not good. Of course, there must be a solution to the problem. Therefore, this research aimed to find out what factors affect students English speaking proficiency. This research uses qualitative methods. Among them, in this research the process of identifying, classifying, and analyzing data according to the data analysis procedures in this study. There were 24 students sampled in this research. The results of this research are; the factors affecting students English speaking proficiency. These two factors are affective factors (risk-taking and motivation) and linguistic factors (grammar and vocabulary); (2) the oral performance test results of 24 students currently explain that their oral performance results are at the 5th-grade level or higher with a total average of 5.0.

Changes in the Activation Level of the Floor of the Mouth Muscles during Pressing and Swallowing Tasks According to the Degree of Tongue Pressure.

The suprahyoid muscles play an important role in protecting the airway by elevating both the hyoid bone and larynx superior-anteriorly during swallowing. However, providing systematic external resistance when performing exercises to improve suprahyoid muscle strength is practically difficult. This study attempted to confirm whether systematic resistance can be provided to the suprahyoid muscles using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI)-a representative tongue pressure measurement device. Thirty-one healthy adults participated in this study (20.6 ± 0.96 y, 19 females). The participants performed 16 exercise tasks using the IOPI three times each in random order (Anterior/posterior tongue × pressing/swallowing task × 40/60/80/100% maximum tongue pressure). Furthermore, the floor of the mouth (FOM) muscle activity during exercise was simultaneously measured using surface electromyography. During the pressing task, there were significant differences in FOM maximal muscle activity among the four exercise intensities for both the anterior and posterior oral tongue. For the swallowing task, a significant difference was found in FOM muscle activity among the four exercise intensities for the anterior tongue. For the posterior tongue, significant differences were identified among all conditions except for the comparison between 80% and 100% maximum tongue pressure. Significant correlations between the degree of tongue pressure and maximal FOM muscle activity were found in both the pressing and swallowing tasks at the anterior and posterior oral tongue. Overall, these results indicate that objective and systematic external resistance can be applied using the IOPI-a standard tongue pressure measurement device-during the program to improve suprahyoid muscle function.

An Investigation of the Relationship between EFL Pre-service Teachers' Oral Performance, their Conflict Resolution Skills, and their Own Perception about these Skills

An Investigation of the Relationship between EFL Pre-service Teachers' Oral Performance, their Conflict Resolution Skills, and their Own Perception about these Skills

Analysis of Word Choice Errors in Saudi EFL Students’ Spoken Language

The purpose of this research paper is to identify and analyze word choice errors committed in spoken English by Saudi EFL students at King Khalid University. It also seeks to identify the origins of the errors and to suggest relevant solutions to assist learners in developing lexical competence and reducing the occurrence of these errors. The research focuses on five different forms of word choice errors. These errors consist of errors of redundancy, literal translation, subject /verb agreement, collocation, and inappropriate usage of formal and informal words. To gather data, the study is based on conducting structured interviews with three EFL-speaking teachers. It also employs a speaking test as a data collection technique from fifteen EFL learners chosen at random, who are required to speak one by one in front of the class for 3-6 minutes. Their oral performance is recorded by mobile phones. According to data analysis, the most common error category is literal translation (33.97%), which is followed by collocation errors (24.88%) as well as subject/verb agreement (18.66%). Furthermore, there are redundancy errors with a percentage of (12.44%). The last type of error committed is inappropriate use of formal and informal language, which has a percentage of (10.04%). The study attributes these errors to a variety of causes, including the Arabic language's impact as well as ineffective teaching techniques and learning strategies. The study offers several recommendations and pedagogical implications to help EFL learners overcome and minimize word choice errors.

Analysing the oral performance of EFL learners in the testing and the laboratory contexts

The differential effects of planning on the performance of English-as-a-second-language learners in the laboratory and the testing context have been discussed extensively. However, research which compares data from both contexts is scant. The present study aimed at examining and comparing the impact of the testing and laboratory contexts on learners' performance. For this purpose, two groups of Spanish intermediate learners of English as a foreign language (60 in total) were asked to narrate a story based on a sequenced set of pictures under a careful online planning condition, which is the condition that has received the least attention in the testing context. An analysis in terms of complexity, accuracy, lexis, and fluency revealed statistically significance differences just in the fluency parameter, specifically in long pauses. Nevertheless, a clear trend towards the testing context was observed in all dimensions. The research findings will be of particular interest to practitioners trying to design oral tasks that faithfully adhere to the existing requirements for EFL production in both contexts. The paper ends with a discussion of possible reasons for the findings and suggests avenues for further research.

Use of Ultrasound to Verify the Impact of Telemedicine Myofunctional Therapy on Sleep Apnea Syndrome: Study Protocol Proposal.

The anatomy of the upper airways influences the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The size of soft tissue structures, such as the tongue, soft palate, and lateral walls of the pharynx, contributes to the pathogenesis of OSA. New lines of treatment for sleep apnea, such as myofunctional therapy (MT), aim to strengthen the oropharyngeal musculature to improve the defining parameters of apnea. The present protocol uses ultrasound imaging to measure the size of the lingual musculature non-invasively and cost-effectively and evaluates the changes in its morphology. Eligible patients include those with OSA who have undergone submental cervical ultrasound and drug-induced sleep endoscopy before starting MT with the AirwayGym app. Follow-up evaluations are conducted at 3 months after beginning treatment. Patients diagnosed with OSA via questionnaires and polysomnography or respiratory polygraphy are evaluated anatomically and functionally using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument, a tongue digital spoon, somnoscopy, and submental cervical ultrasound to assess their responses to the AirwayGym app. The lingual thickness (mm) and volume (cm3) and the distance between both lingual arteries (mm) are measured. The AirwayGym app helps users and therapists monitor the patient performance of MT. Incorporating submental ultrasound can be a useful non-invasive tool to evaluate OSA and MT.

Oral Health-Related Factors Associated with Dysphagia Risk among Older, Healthy, Community-Dwelling Korean Adults: A Pilot Study.

Most previous studies addressing dysphagia examined individuals who already had diseases causing dysphagia and did not pay much attention to oral health conditions as a risk factor. This pilot study investigated 62 healthy adults aged 65 years or older who were living independently in the community, performed basic activities of daily living independently, and had no history of a causative disease of dysphagia to identify the factors associated with dysphagia risk, especially oral health. The Dysphagia Risk Assessment Scale was used to screen the patients for dysphagia. Hyposalivation was diagnosed by evaluating the unstimulated salivary flow rate, and orofacial muscle strength (anterior tongue elevation, buccinator muscle, and lip strength) was quantitatively measured using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument. To analyze the factors associated with dysphagia risk, the Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. In the final regression model adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, the oral health-related factors independently associated with dysphagia risk were buccinator muscle strength, hyposalivation, and subjective masticatory discomfort (p < 0.05). Therefore, our findings suggest that weak buccinator muscle strength, hyposalivation, and subjective masticatory discomfort are valuable indicators for the early detection of dysphagia in older, healthy, independent, community-dwelling adults.

Maximum Anterior Tongue Strength and Maximum Lip Strength in Healthy Spanish Adults: A Proposal of Reference Values

Adequate tongue and lip strengths are needed for normal speech, chewing, and swallowing development. The aim was to evaluate the influence of sex and age on maximum anterior tongue strength (MTS) and maximum lip strength (MLS) in healthy Spanish adults to establish reference values that can be used in clinical practice.This cross-sectional study comprises 363 subjects (mean age 47.5 ± 20.7 years) distributed by sex (258 women and 105 men) and across three age groups: Young (18–39 years), middle-aged (40–59 years), and older adults (> 59 years). MTS and MLS were determined using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI). The mean MTS was 49.63 ± 13.81 kPa, regardless of sex, and decreased with age. The mean MLS was statistically higher for men (28.86 ± 10.88 kPa) than for women (23.37 ± 6.92 kPa, p = 0.001), regardless of age.This study provides the first reference values for the standardized measurement of MTS and MLS in a healthy adult Spanish-speaking population using the IOPI.

A Study on Investigating the Correlations between Chinese College Students' English Speaking Anxiety, Oral Performance and Oral Achievement

A Study on Investigating the Correlations between Chinese College Students' English Speaking Anxiety, Oral Performance and Oral Achievement

Digital video creation: An alternative tool for improving oral performance in teaching English as a foreign language

Digital video creation: An alternative tool for improving oral performance in teaching English as a foreign language

Orofacial dysfunction screening examinations in children with sleep-disordered breathing symptoms.

Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMD) and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) may present as comorbidities. Orofacial characteristics might serve as a clinical marker of SDB, allowing early identification and management of OMD and improving treatment outcomes for sleep disorders. The study aims to characterize OMD in children with SDB symptoms and to investigate possible relationships between the presence of various components of OMD and symptoms of SDB. A cross-sectional study of healthy children aged 6-8 from primary schools was conducted in central Vietnam in 2019. SDB symptoms were collected using the parental Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire, Snoring Severity Scale, Epworth Daytime Sleepiness Scale, and lip-taping nasal breathing assessment. Orofacial myofunctional evaluation included assessment of tongue mobility, as well as of lip and tongue strength using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument, and of orofacial characteristics by the protocol of Orofacial Myofunctional Evaluation with Scores. Statistical analysis was used to investigate the relationship between OMD components and SDB symptoms. 487 healthy children were evaluated, of whom 46.2% were female. There were 7.6% of children at high risk of SDB. Children with habitual snoring (10.3%) had an increased incidence of restricted tongue mobility and decreased lip and tongue strength. Abnormal breathing patterns (22.4%) demonstrated lower posterior tongue mobility and lower muscle strength. Daytime sleepiness symptoms were associated with changes in muscle strength, facial appearance, and impaired orofacial function. Lower strengths of lip and tongue or improper nasal breathing were more likely to be present in children with reported sleep apnea (6.6%). Neurobehavioral symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity were linked to anomalous appearance/posture, increases in tongue mobility and oral strength. This study demonstrates a prevalence of orofacial myofunctional anomalies in children exhibiting SDB symptoms. Children with prominent SDB symptoms should be considered as candidates for further orofacial myofunctional assessment.

Viewing Intentional Teaching Gestures: The Impact on Learners’ Japanese Output

Intentional Teaching Gestures are gestures that have been created as a pedagogical tool for second language teaching and learning and are used in many Japanese programs. Despite their widespread use, little is known about their impact on students’ oral language production. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the effect of Intentional Teaching Gestures on students’ Japanese production. This paper reports on the quality of students’ oral language production from two Story Re-tell tasks, one with and one without viewing Intentional Teaching Gestures (ITG), after learning Japanese as a second language with ITG. Thematic analysis was undertaken of the Story Re-tell transcription data from 170 primary school participants. Findings identify that viewing ITG whilst doing Story Re-tell positively impacted learners’ oral production. The breadth of benefits included increases in the quantity of output that students produced, the expanded informational content included in their stories, and students’ increased use of a range of verbs and particles in their utterances. Viewing ITG also provided support for students’ structuring of utterances, supported self correction, and led to an improvement in their overall oral performance. These benefits have wide ranging pedagogical implications for Japanese teachers and learners.

The combined effects of task repetition and post-task teacher-corrected transcribing on complexity, accuracy and fluency of L2 oral performance

Abstract Given the benefits of task repetition, post-task transcribing and teacher corrective feedback, examining the combined effects of task repetition and post-task teacher-corrected transcribing is promised to produce gains in L2 oral performance. In recognition of this potential, this study examined the effects of task repetition combined with post-task teacher-corrected transcribing (TRPTCT) on the complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) of L2 oral performance and CAF gains over time. On a sample of 27 second year English-majors in a Vietnamese university, they were randomly divided into three groups including TRPTCT, task repetition (TR), and control groups. They later orally performed three picture description tasks, which were measured in terms of CAF. Results showed that the TRPTCT condition was superior to the TR condition at increasing complexity and fluency for the students’ repeated task performances. Additionally, the TRPTCT condition was better at fostering accuracy in verb forms and complexity in terms of clause subordination and length of language production as learning gains in the new task performance.

Examining Translator Candidate Students’ Strengths and Weaknesses in Note-taking System While Interpreting Consecutively

The aim of this study is to examine translator candidate students’ strengths and weaknesses while taking notes in consecutive interpreting based on oral performance and to explore the challenges they face in the process. The present study used a case study research design in which the data were collected qualitatively. The instructional design used in the study was planned in such a way that the students would identify the challenges they experienced in consecutive interpreting, interpret the listening texts consecutively through note-taking technique, identify their strengths and weaknesses through self-assessment, and bridge the gap between their existing knowledge determined in line with their strengths and weaknesses and the knowledge intended to be acquired. Pre- and post-interviews, observation, think-aloud protocol, student diaries, portfolios, and listening texts were used to collect the data in the study. The findings obtained from the study revealed that the students could identify their strengths and weaknesses through self-assessment, bridge the gap between their existing knowledge and the knowledge intended to be acquired in the process, visualize the listening texts in their memories, and make progress in note-taking. The findings were discussed in the research context, and pedagogical implications were recommended in view of a constructivist approach to enrich the content of the note-taking training process in consecutive interpreting.

Validity of “Negation” and “Interrogatives” in Processability Theory for Iranian EFL Learners

Processability Theory (PT), which organizes the knowledge base of Second Language Acquisition (SLA), offers an explanation of acquisition sequences. The aim of this paper is to investigate validation of PT for Iranian EFL learners for the acquisition of “negation” and “interrogative” structures across five proficiency levels and compared it with the morpho-syntactic structures model suggested by Pienemann. From the 160 participants having distinct proficiency, the needed data was gathered. They were wanted to produce example of oral performance in semi-structured interview and picture description tasks. The Kruskal-Wallis test pointed that both “negation” and “interrogative” emerge in agreement with the order of acquisition forcasted by Pienemann. In other words, as the participants’ level of proficiency level grew, so did their correct use of interrogatives and negation. Thus, PT is validated for EFL students, too.

Oral performance as substitute for ritual: Ekutet, a Teso exhumation ceremony

Among the Teso of Western Kenya, Ekutet (the exhumation ceremony) has for centuries been practised to treat physical, mental, and/or emotional problems. A family’s, or the community’s, persistent misfortunes such as frequent deaths, illnesses, accidents, or unexplained feuds and such other grief causing occurrences may be attributed to an unhappy dead member of the family or community. To correct the situation and bring life back to normal, the unhappy dead member’s bones are exhumed, either for reburial or display in a sacred place. Notably, the ritual is performed to the accompaniment of oral performances, rendered as narrations, incantations, swearing, prayer chants, and occasional re-enactments of attendant dramatic anecdotes. This article is written against the backdrop of the realisation that the Ekutet ritual itself appears to be diminishing, which then raises a pertinent question: What replaces, or has replaced, the role that this highly psychological ritual has usually played in the lives of the Teso people? I interviewed members of the community, while analysing the oral performances incorporated in this socio-cultural cum spiritual endeavour. Due to the fact that the actual ritual has become quite rare, people apparently try to keep it alive by revisiting the memory of the ritual, which they do through re-enactments and mock exhumations. This then also draws attention to the role of memory, narration, and re-enactment in either the resuscitation of, or the reliving of, diminishing ritual practices.

Variations in the application of the components of the oral performance to Yoruba chants

It is common knowledge in oral literature that every oral form is naturally performed. The components of the oral performance are, namely, the text, the oral artist, the audience, music, and histrionics. Though these components apply to the performance of all oral forms, whether narrative or poetic, they are employed in diverse manners in consonance with the nature of the oral form being actualized. This is called the context of performance. The aim of this article is to do an inquiry into the contextual varying of the use of the components of the oral performance among oral traditional forms with emphasis on Yoruba oral traditional chants. My objectives are to verify how the nature of each chant dictates the degree to which the components can be applied to it in context. In other words, the prominence or unimportance of any component of the oral performance in each poetic form is determined by the rules surrounding the actualization of the subgenre. This survey is delimited to the Yoruba oral poetic forms classified as chants. The first is the context-restricted group that limits the use of the components of the oral performance by its own rules, thus making any deviation a taboo. The second group comprises forms that were originally context-bound but have begun to acquire secular features thus deemphasizing their invocatory worth and metamorphosing into entertainment subgenres. The third is the class of poetic forms that were originally secular. They have not only remained so, but have also absorbed the many influences of modernity. The data for analysis constitutes 13 oral forms which have been transcribed and translated from Yoruba to English. (Yoruba is one of the indigenous languages or mother tongues of Nigeria.) The oral performance theory which enumerates the variables listed above and functionalism which reveals the essence of the contextual applications of those components are handy for the theoretical framework and grounding of this article. Further, the oral-formulaic theory will be applied to chants in the first group above because their potency is tied to their formulaic structure.

Lower limb balance, ankle dorsiflexion, orofacial tissue pressure, and occlusal force of rugby players

This cross-sectional study examined the lower limb balance, ankle dorsiflexion, orofacial tissue pressure, and occlusal strength of rugby players. Twenty-six participants were divided into groups: rugby players (n ​= ​13) and healthy sedentary adults (n ​= ​13). Participants underwent an analysis of lower limb balance using a composite score (Y-Balance Test). Ankle dorsiflexion was measured using the Lunge Test. The Iowa Oral Performance Instrument was employed to measure orofacial tissue pressure. Bite force was measured with a dynamometer, and T-Scan assessed occlusal contact distribution. Data were analyzed using the t-test (p ​< ​0.05) and ANCOVA with age and weight as covariates, where it is possible to verify that these factors did not influence the results obtained. Significant differences were observed in the balance of the right (p ​= ​0.07) and left (p ​= ​0.02) lower limbs, where rugby players had lower composite scores. There were significant differences in the right (p ​= ​0.005) and left (p ​= ​0.004) lunges, with rugby players showing lower values, as well as lower tongue pressure (p ​= ​0.01) and higher lip pressure (p ​= ​0.03), with significant differences to sedentary participants. There was no significant difference in molar bite force and distribution occlusal contacts between groups. Rugby seems to reduce lower limb displacement, cause ankle hypomobility, lead to changes in orofacial tissues, particularly the tongue and lips. This study is significant for identifying significant differences between rugby players and sedentary individuals, providing new insights into the impact of rugby on health and performance, which can benefit sports training and injury prevention.

Device-Assisted Therapy for Lingual Function Rehabilitation: A “How To” Guide for Clinicians

Purpose: Lingual function rehabilitation is a frequently targeted area of exercise-based dysphagia treatment. This tutorial aims to provide a detailed guideline for clinicians on how to apply currently available evidence for implementation of lingual rehabilitation exercises both with and without device-assisted modalities. Method: We provide a detailed review of existing definitions of lingual function parameters (e.g., strength and endurance) with currently available normative values for clinical reference. Guidelines are also provided on how to use available lingual manometry (Iowa Oral Performance Instrument and Tongueometer) to aid in both assessment and treatment. With respect to determining exercise targets based on the lingual function assessment, we review the importance of leveraging principles of exercise physiology into the rehabilitation planning. Strategies for incorporating exercise physiology principles into strength and endurance training are provided along with a case example illustrating these concepts. Conclusions: This tutorial serves as a framework for clinical implementation of comprehensive lingual function assessment and rehabilitation. Considerations regarding barriers in access to equipment and clinical advocacy are also discussed.