More on the importance of rhythm perception: Relation to grammar

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Thursday, December 25, 2014

2:45 PM

 

Dissertation Dish: Can pitch or rhythm (Ga-auditory processing) training improve phonological awareness (Ga)

The effectiveness of Separate Pitch and Rhythm Training Interventions on the Phonological Awareness of Kindergarten Learners by Richards, Susannah Converse, Ed.D., Northcentral University, 2011 , 171 pages; AAT 3472255

Abstract

Although neuroscientists assert that music training impacts neural development, previous research has not teased apart which components of music possibly enhance language literacy in emergent readers. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to establish if immersion in pitch activities as compared with rhythm activities could cause the significant development of initial sound (IS) skills, letter sounds (LS) skills, and sound pattern skills in kindergarten readers. This study examined the effectiveness of supplemental music instruction on the phonological awareness skills of kindergarten learners ( N = 38) who originated from seven classrooms in one suburban elementary school. Leveled subjects randomly were assigned to an experimental pitch group ( n = 12), or an experimental rhythm group ( n = 11), or a control group ( n = 15). During sixteen 40-minute sessions that spanned eight weeks, pitch group subjects explored the highness and lowness of sound, while rhythm group subjects investigated the duration of sound. The control group engaged in 20-minute weekly read-aloud sessions. Pre- and post-test data collection consisted of the kindergarten version of the Test of Phonological Awareness - Second Edition: Plus , and the sound patterns music subtest of the Woodcock Johnson III . Data was converted to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for analysis. Separate 3 x 3 factorial Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed the levels differed on each of the IS variables (pitch [ F =7.74; df = 3], rhythm [ F = .07; df = 3], control [ F = .18; df = 2]); and the LS variables (low pitch [ F = 1.0; df = 3], low rhythm [ F = 6.62; df = 3], low control [ F = 4.0; df = 2]). Significance was observed with a matched-pairs t -test with the low pitch treatment group ( t [3] = 0.034, p < 0.04). Future research should recruit a larger sample and utilize a different music assessment. This study provides insight into a real-world application relative to specific components of music that potentially enhance the phonological awareness of the most challenged of kindergarten readers before remediation is necessary.



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Brain rhythm efficacy research: Can we fine-tune our brain?

It was recently brought to my attention that the link to a previously posted report I produced with Amy Vega (from Interactive Metronome) was dead. Earthlink (my server host) had informed me I was over quota...so I started some mass file deletion. This report was a victim of the purge. As I skimmed the report I realized that it is still a nice synthesis of the efficacy of a general class of research on brain rhythm training interventions. Below was our general conclusion. I would recommend that people who have not read the report revisit that post (with the fixed link) to understand why I continue to be intrigued by brain timing research and the potential for brain timing based interventions.

General conclusion:

...given the converging research that points toward a possible neurologically-based domain-general internal mental-timing mechanism (i.e., a potentially modifiable internal brain clock), it is possible that the efficacy of all four classes of rhythm-based treatments are operating (in their own way) on “fine tuning the temporal resolution of the human brain clock.” Our temporal resolution fine-tuning hypothesis is consistent with the temporal resolution power (TRP) hypothesis (Rammsayer & Brandler, 2002, 2007) that indicates that oscillatory brain process are responsible for the efficiency and speed of neural-based information processing. We hypothesize, via the temporal resolution fine-tuning hypothesis, that the positive outcomes for rhythm perception and production based treatments may be due to these treatments increasing the efficiency and speed of information processing in brain-based neural networks responsible for the planning, execution and synchronization of complex human behaviors.

We urge both academic and applied researchers to embrace the temporal processing (mental timing) theory--diagnostic/classification--treatment literature reviewed in this report and increase efforts to understand the links between the three legs of the mental timing stool. The positive effects of current “brain rhythm” treatment programs for many types of disorders, across a variety of human performance domains, is encouraging, particularly when placed in the context of the emerging science and theory of the human brain clock.

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mental timing IQ Brain Clock brain clock temporal processing metronome mental time-keeping brain timing educational psychology school psychology special education educational neuroscience neuropsychology neuroscience neurology brain rhythm rhythm processing rhythm perception intelligence cognitive abilities working memory attention executive attention multi-sensory feedback rhythm production

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Brain rhythm treatment efficacy: Can we fine-tune our brains?

It was recently brought to my attention that the link to a previously posted report I produced with Amy Vega (from Interactive Metronome) was dead. Earthlink (my server host) had informed me I was over quota...so I started some mass file deletion. This report was a victim of the purge. As I skimmed the report I realized that it is still a nice synthesis of the efficacy of a general class of research on brain rhythm training interventions. Below was our general conclusion. I would recommend that people who have not read the report revisit that post (with the fixed link) to understand why I continue to be intrigued by brain timing research and the potential for brain timing based interventions.

General conclusion:

...given the converging research that points toward a possible neurologically-based domain-general internal mental-timing mechanism (i.e., a potentially modifiable internal brain clock), it is possible that the efficacy of all four classes of rhythm-based treatments are operating (in their own way) on “fine tuning the temporal resolution of the human brain clock.” Our temporal resolution fine-tuning hypothesis is consistent with the temporal resolution power (TRP) hypothesis (Rammsayer & Brandler, 2002, 2007) that indicates that oscillatory brain process are responsible for the efficiency and speed of neural-based information processing. We hypothesize, via the temporal resolution fine-tuning hypothesis, that the positive outcomes for rhythm perception and production based treatments may be due to these treatments increasing the efficiency and speed of information processing in brain-based neural networks responsible for the planning, execution and synchronization of complex human behaviors.

We urge both academic and applied researchers to embrace the temporal processing (mental timing) theory--diagnostic/classification--treatment literature reviewed in this report and increase efforts to understand the links between the three legs of the mental timing stool. The positive effects of current “brain rhythm” treatment programs for many types of disorders, across a variety of human performance domains, is encouraging, particularly when placed in the context of the emerging science and theory of the human brain clock.

- iPost using BlogPress from Kevin McGrew's iPad

mental timing IQ Brain Clock brain clock temporal processing metronome mental time-keeping brain timing educational psychology school psychology special education educational neuroscience neuropsychology neuroscience neurology brain rhythm rhythm processing rhythm perception intelligence cognitive abilities working memory attention executive attention multi-sensory feedback rhythm production

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Research byte: Temporal processing (sampling) theory of dyslexia

An interesting article suggesting that temporal processing (temporal sampling) may play a crucial roles in various forms of reading disabilities (dyslexia). IMHO this theory may explain a good portion of individuals with dyslexia, but no single theory or causal mechanism can account for the diversity of causes that have been suggested for severe reading disabilities. Nevertheless...the prominent role of temporal processing is interesing.

As per usual when I make a research byte/brief post, if anyone would like to read the original article, I can share via email---with the understanding that the article is provided in exchange for a brief guest post about it's contents. :) (contact me at iap@earthlink.net if interested). Also, if figure/images are included in the post, they can usually be made larger by clicking on the image.

If nothing else, this article has some cool figures of models :)

Usha Goswami, A temporal sampling framework for developmental dyslexia, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 18 November 2010, ISSN 1364-6613, DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2010.10.001.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6VH9-51H497T-1/2/28fbdeb2c2e67c43775242a445a171f3)

Abstract

Neural coding by brain oscillations is a major focus in neuroscience, with important implications for dyslexia research. Here, I argue that an oscillatory `temporal sampling' framework enables diverse data from developmental dyslexia to be drawn into an integrated theoretical framework. The core deficit in dyslexia is phonological. Temporal sampling of speech by neuroelectric oscillations that encode incoming information at different frequencies could explain the perceptual and phonological difficulties with syllables, rhymes and phonemes found in individuals with dyslexia. A conceptual framework based on oscillations that entrain to sensory input also has implications for other sensory theories of dyslexia, offering opportunities for integrating a diverse and confusing experimental literature.



















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mental timing IQ Brain Clock brain clock temporal processing metronome mental time-keeping brain timing educational psychology school psychology special education neuropsychology neuroscience neurology brain rhythm rhythm processing intelligence cognitive abilities reading disabilities dyslexia

Speech rhythm perception (Ga?) important for early reading

Holliman, A. J., Wood, C., & Sheehy, K. (2010). Does Speech Rhythm Sensitivity Predict Children's Reading Ability 1 Year Later? Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(2), 356-366.

There is a growing literature demonstrating that speech rhythm sensitivity is related to children's reading development, independent of phonological awareness. However, the precise nature of this relationship is less well understood, and further research is warranted to investigate whether speech rhythm sensitivity predicts the different components of reading over time. In this 1-year longitudinal study, 69 five- to 8-year-old English-speaking children completed a speech rhythm assessment at Time 1 along with other cognitive assessments and then completed a variety of reading assessments at Time 2 (1 year later). A series of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that after controlling for individual differences in age, vocabulary, and phonological awareness, speech rhythm sensitivity was able to predict unique variance in word reading and the phrasing component of the reading fluency measure 1 year later. The findings emphasize the contribution of speech rhythm sensitivity in children's reading development, and the authors argue that speech rhythm sensitivity should now be included in current models of children's reading development.

Speech rhythm was measured via the revised mispronounciations task:  As described in the article:

Speech rhythm sensitivity was measured using the revised mispronunciations task (Holliman et al., in press). Children heard a prerecorded word that was sounded through a speaker, where the stress of that word had been manipulated and reversed. For example, in the normal pronunciation of the word carrot [kær?t], the vowel in the first syllable is fully articulated and the vowel in the second syllable is reduced. However, in this task the stress was reversed so that the vowel in the first syllable became reduced and the vowel in the second syllable was fully articulated; carrot was pronounced as “c’rot” [k?'r?t]. To succeed in this task, children would need to be sensitive to the fact that the stress had been manipulated, and be
able to recover the correct stress, making a stress shift (Kitzen, 2001) to match the auditory input to a word stored in the lexicon, and then identify the corresponding target item from a choice of four pictures available.

If anyone would like a copy of the PDF article, in exchange for a brief guest blog post review of the article, contact the blogmaster @ iap@earthlink.net


Technorati Tags: Psychology, school psychology, special education, learning disabilities, reading disabilities, dyslexia, neuropsychology, speech and language, speech rhythm perception, rhythm perception, Ga, auditory processing, reading, IQs corner, educational psychology, intelligence, literacy

Brain rhythm research: Check on the Time Doc Inbox

Interested in recent brain rhythm perception research?  Check out the Time Doc Inbox (5-9-09) over at IQ's Corner sister blog--the IQ Brain Clock.

Technorati Tags: psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, neuroscience, intelligence, IQ, cognition, music perception, temporal processing, rhythm perception, brain rhythm, IQs Corner, IQ Brain Clock, Time Doc Inbox