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Teaching vowels to profoundly hearing-impaired speakers using glossometry
S G Fletcher1, P A Dagenais, P Critz-Crosby
1University of Alabama, Birmingham.
Journal of Speech and Hearing Research
|August 1, 1991
Summary
Glossometry training improved tongue positions and vowel intelligibility for profoundly hearing-impaired children. Visual feedback enhanced speech production, leading to better listener identification of vowels.
Area of Science:
- Speech-language pathology
- Audiology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Profound hearing impairment often leads to centralized tongue postures during speech.
- This centralization negatively impacts vowel production and intelligibility.
- Targeted interventions are needed to improve articulatory precision in hearing-impaired speakers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of glossometry in teaching four distinct vowels to profoundly hearing-impaired children.
- To assess the impact of visual tongue position feedback on articulatory accuracy and vowel intelligibility.
Main Methods:
- Six profoundly hearing-impaired children participated in the study.
- Glossometry was used to provide visual feedback on tongue placement for vowels /i, a, u, æ/.
- Training involved 15-20 sessions over 3-4 weeks.
Main Results:
- All subjects demonstrated increased diversification of tongue postures after training, particularly in tongue height.
- Listener identification of produced vowels generally improved post-therapy.
- Significant improvements in articulatory precision were observed.
Conclusions:
- Visual feedback of tongue positions via glossometry is an effective method for improving vowel production in profoundly hearing-impaired children.
- This intervention can lead to enhanced speech intelligibility.
- Glossometry offers a promising tool for speech therapy in this population.