Effects of practice schedules on speech motor learning

Area of Science:

• Speech Motor Control
• Motor Learning
• Applied Linguistics

Background:

• Understanding optimal practice schedules is crucial for effective motor skill acquisition.
• Speech motor learning involves complex coordination and timing.
• Previous research suggests varied effects of different practice schedules.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of blocked, random, and mixed practice schedules on learning a novel Cantonese speech task.
• To compare the retention and transfer of speech motor skills under different practice conditions.
• To determine the most effective practice schedule for speech motor learning and its clinical applications.

Main Methods:

• Forty healthy Cantonese speakers learned a phrase with two target durations (2500 and 3500 ms).
• Participants were assigned to four groups: Blocked only, Random only, Blocked-then-Random, and Random-then-Blocked practice.
• Retention (immediate and delayed) and transfer tests (with a secondary task) were administered.

Main Results:

• All groups achieved comparable performance post-acquisition.
• Blocked practice alone led to poorer differentiation of target durations during retention compared to random practice.
• Mixed practice (Blocked-then-Random, Random-then-Blocked) showed better resistance to interference from a secondary task during transfer.

Conclusions:

• Mixed practice schedules are more effective for speech motor skill learning than blocked or random practice alone.
• Mixed practice enhances the transfer of learned speech motor skills to new, cognitively demanding contexts.
• Findings support the use of mixed practice schedules in speech therapy interventions for optimal outcomes.