Squaring the Circle 1st ELT Conference
Izmir Economics University
March 26, 2011
The Relationship between
Shadowing and Dictation
with Reference to Listening
IINO, Atsushi
Hosei University, Tokyo Japan
iino@hosei.ac.jp
IINO
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1. Introduction
ELT situation in Japan
• Instructional tradition focusing on written
modes: reading and writing since 19c.
Grammar translation method is still popular.
Why?
• Less chance to use oral English in daily life
• Strong focus on preparing for entrance exams
to high schools/ universities (DNC)
Needs
• More Instructions focusing on oral aspect of
English (listening and speaking) is needed
IINO
To improve listening
• Top-down processing tasks
Listening comprehension exercises
Q&A(T/F, MCQ), Note taking, Retelling,
Summary making, Task-based exchange
• Bottom-up processing tasks
Decoding / reproduction exercises
Repetitive listening, Dictation, Shadowing
IINO
Definition: Dictation, Shadowing
Dictation: written reproduction of acoustically
presented messages. Originally a task for
testing listening, but as an effective activity to
improve listening
Shadowing: verbatim repetition of acoustically
presented messages. Or
“Shadowing is an act or a task of listening in
which the learners tracks the heard speech and
repeats it as exactly as possible while listening
attentively to the in-coming information.”
(Tamai ,2002:179)
Instructional dilemma: Time
IINO
Effects of Shadowing
Improving listening ability (Nishimura, 1999;
Tamai,2002; Iino,2004; Onaha,2007)
Raising the prosodic sense, which is regarded as
one of the important sub-skills necessary to
acquire a language. (Mori 2010; Someya,1996)
Improving overall proficiency
For EFL especially, it is a way to improve target
language proficiency (Kadota, 2002; Kondo,
1992; Tamai, 2002; Tanaka, 2002, Tamai &
Kadota, 2004; Torikai et al, 2003; Someya,1996).
IINO
2.Previous research comparing
Dictation & Shadowing: Tamai（1992）
• Participants: two groups of Japanese high
school students;
• Treatment: Instruction of shadowing for 3
months vs. dictation for 3 months
• Result: Shadowing > Dictation
• Shadowing could play the role of sub-skill
of listening, activating subvocal rehearsal
in the phonological loop in working
memory
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Distribution of attention
in working memory
Central
Executive
Visuo-Spatial
Sketch Pad
Episode
Buffer
Phonological
Loop
Long-term Memory
Visual meaning
⇔ Episode
⇔ Language
Working Memory Model (Baddeley, 2000)
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Previous research(2): Tamai（2005）
• RQ: Effects of shadowing / dictation on listening
depending on English proficiency level.
N=93 （university freshmen)
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Research Questions
(1) Do shadowing and dictation show same or
different relationship according to proficiency
level of the learners?
(2) How strong are the relationship between
shadowing and listening and that between
dictation and listening depending on proficiency
level? (correlational studies)
(3) Are shadowing and dictation interchangeable?
What is the contribution of shadowing scores to
overall proficiency?
(multiple regression analyses)
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3. Participants
• Japanese college level (junior) EFL learners
• 70 non-English majored students
Proficiency Index
(/1000pts）
Group A
N=33
Group B
N=37
CASEC Ave
( SD)
558.97
（61.4）
521.08
(66.9)
TOEIC conv’td ave.
(SD)
507.88
（75.8）
461.76
(79.6)
IINO
Group A > B (p <.01)
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What is CASEC test?
•
•
•
•
CAT (Computer Adaptive Test)
45min. (average)
Converted score for TOEIC available
Four sections with 15 problems, 250 pts each
Section1 Vocabulary
Section2 Reading and Expression
Section 3 Listening comprehension
Section 4 Dictation
• For more details, see
http://casec.evidus.com/
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4. Method
Listening scores
Used Section 3 in CASEC test
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Dictation scores
Used Section 3 in CASEC
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Shadowing scores
Shadowing test done to individual students
Cf. Sample of marking procedure of shadowing
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5．Results &discussion
Descriptive statistics
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Correlation coefficients
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RQ1 : Do shadowing and dictation show
same or different relationship according to
proficiency level of the learners?
Result
① Moderately strong positive correlation
coefficients were observed both in the high
proficient learners (Gr. A, r =.503) and the
lower proficient learners (Gr. B, r =.598)
 shadowing and dictation show the similar
relationship regardless of proficiency level
IINO
RQ 2: How strong are the relationship between
shadowing and listening and that between
dictation and listening depending on proficiency
level? (correlational studies)
Results:
②Shadowing & Listening
A: weak (r=.149); B: moderately strong (r=.508)
③Dictation &Listening
A: weak (r=.153); B: moderately strong (r=.487)
Low proficiency learners showed stronger
relationships both in dictation and
shadowing than High proficient learners.
IINO
(3) Are shadowing and dictation
interchangeable?
Results
④Proficiency & Dictation
A&B: fairly strong (r = .698; r =.695)
⑤Proficiency &Shadowing
A: moderately weak (r = .320) ; B: fairly strong
(r = .621)
For lower proficient learners shadowing
can be replaced to dictation. But not for
high proficient learners.
IINO
CASEC=Dictation+Dict+Listen+Exp+Vocab
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Multiple regression analyses
(stepwise way: Lower Gr. sample)
RQ:Can shadowing be alternated to dictation in
predicting English proficiency of the learners
CASEC=Shadow+Dict+Listen+Exp+Vocab
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Implication to the classroom
• Shadowing and dictation show the similar relationship
regardless of proficiency level
As a classroom activity we can interchangeably use them
depending on the time available. E.g. Shadowing during
the class, dictation as an assignment.
• Low proficiency learners showed stronger relationships
both in dictation and shadowing than High proficient
learners.
 Following the previous research, both shadowing and
dictation will be adopted as a part of instruction
especially for lower level learners.
• For lower proficient learners shadowing can better be
replaced to dictation.
Need to improve automaticity of decoding both in written
and oral modes. Sound based reproduction could be
more effective for low proficient learners..
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Conclusion:
Significance of Shadowing
For EFL learners who learn English in nonEnglish speaking countries …
Knowledge of vocabulary, syntax, sounds,
pragmatics (Lots of input needed)
↓
shadowing
Improve automaticity in processing
(Lots of output practice needed)
↓
Practical Use
(Lots of interaction needed)
IINO
For further research
• Scoring procedure in shadowing
Validity and reliability to be reaffirmed
 Collect more data and make reliable
evaluation method to be sought
• Further investigation needed including the
components constructing sound rehearsal
activity
 Working memory components measure
• Further investigation to find the relationship with
creative oral activities
 Automaticity raising practices + Creative
production of L2enhancing L2 performance
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Thank you
Slides of this presentation are available
HP: iino@e-learningserver.com
Contact
E-mail: iino@hosei.ac.jp
IINO
References
• Tamai, Ken (1992) ｢`follow-up'の聴解力向上に及
ぼす効果およぴ"follow-up"能力と聴解カの関係｣ 「
STEP BULLETIN」 5:48-61
• (Effects of “follow-up” on listening comrehesion
and relationship between the abitly of “follow-up”
and listening ability)
• Tamai, Ken （2005) 「リスニング指導法としてのシ
ャドーイングの効果に関する研究」東京：風間書房
(Study on effects of shadowing as a way of
listening instruction)
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Tamai（2005） Study ２
Dictation
Listeining（SLEP）
Reading (SLEP）
Speed of reading aloud
L1 Nouns
Speed of reading aloud L2
Nous
Digit span in L1（4-10
dgts）
L2 Digit span
Repeating unfamiliar
words （multi-syllable
words)
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Shadow Control
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Listening
Repeating
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