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Perceptual Learning and Predictability of Children's Speech

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Title: Perceptual Learning and Predictability of Children's Speech
Language: English
Authors: Katerina A. Tetzloff (ORCID 0000-0001-9064-195X), Alan Wisler (ORCID 0000-0003-2601-2846), Tyson S. Barrett (ORCID 0000-0002-2137-1391), Stephanie A. Borrie (ORCID 0000-0002-2336-0071)
Source: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 2026 69(2):448-461.
Availability: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) (DHHS/NIH)
Contract Number: R01DC020930
R01DC020713
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Perceptual Development, Young Children, Child Language, Intelligibility, Acoustics, Auditory Discrimination, Adults, Listening, Pretests Posttests, Adjustment (to Environment)
DOI: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00189
ISSN: 1092-4388
1558-9102
Abstract: Purpose: According to theoretical models, perceptual learning is modulated by the level of acoustic predictably in the speech signal. This study investigated whether the variable speech of children is learnable in a perceptual learning paradigm and examined whether speech variability, as quantified by the acoustic spatiotemporal index (STI), predicted perceptual learning outcomes. Method: Speech samples were elicited from 40 typically developing children talkers (ages 3--8 years) and presented to 410 adult listeners in a structured perceptual learning experiment. Listeners transcribed phrases before (pretest) and after (posttest) a lexically guided familiarization phase. Intelligibility improvements following familiarization were analyzed using paired t tests, and regression analyses examined whether acoustic STI values predicted perceptual learning outcomes. Results: Listeners demonstrated significant perceptual learning of children's speech, with an average intelligibility gain of 6.4% following familiarization (p < 0.001). Regression analyses revealed a significant interaction between STI and pretest intelligibility: Lower STI values (indicating more predictable speech) were associated with greater intelligibility gains but only when pretest intelligibility was sufficiently low. Conclusions: This study provides the first empirical evidence that children's speech is learnable in a structured perceptual learning paradigm. Although the acoustic STI affords some insight into predictability, it does not fully account for variability in perceptual learning. Future work should explore measures that capture segmental predictability to refine models of speech learnability.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1497121
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Perceptual Learning and Predictability of Children&#39;s Speech
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Katerina+A%2E+Tetzloff%22&quot;&gt;Katerina A. Tetzloff&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9064-195X&quot;&gt;0000-0001-9064-195X&lt;/externalLink&gt;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Alan+Wisler%22&quot;&gt;Alan Wisler&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2601-2846&quot;&gt;0000-0003-2601-2846&lt;/externalLink&gt;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Tyson+S%2E+Barrett%22&quot;&gt;Tyson S. Barrett&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2137-1391&quot;&gt;0000-0002-2137-1391&lt;/externalLink&gt;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Stephanie+A%2E+Borrie%22&quot;&gt;Stephanie A. Borrie&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2336-0071&quot;&gt;0000-0002-2336-0071&lt;/externalLink&gt;)
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;SO&quot; term=&quot;%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language%2C+and+Hearing+Research%22&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/searchLink&gt;. 2026 69(2):448-461.
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  Data: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
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  Data: 14
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) (DHHS/NIH)
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Perceptual+Development%22&quot;&gt;Perceptual Development&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Young+Children%22&quot;&gt;Young Children&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Child+Language%22&quot;&gt;Child Language&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Intelligibility%22&quot;&gt;Intelligibility&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Acoustics%22&quot;&gt;Acoustics&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Auditory+Discrimination%22&quot;&gt;Auditory Discrimination&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Adults%22&quot;&gt;Adults&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Listening%22&quot;&gt;Listening&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Pretests+Posttests%22&quot;&gt;Pretests Posttests&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Adjustment+%28to+Environment%29%22&quot;&gt;Adjustment (to Environment)&lt;/searchLink&gt;
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  Data: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00189
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  Data: 1092-4388&lt;br /&gt;1558-9102
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: According to theoretical models, perceptual learning is modulated by the level of acoustic predictably in the speech signal. This study investigated whether the variable speech of children is learnable in a perceptual learning paradigm and examined whether speech variability, as quantified by the acoustic spatiotemporal index (STI), predicted perceptual learning outcomes. Method: Speech samples were elicited from 40 typically developing children talkers (ages 3--8 years) and presented to 410 adult listeners in a structured perceptual learning experiment. Listeners transcribed phrases before (pretest) and after (posttest) a lexically guided familiarization phase. Intelligibility improvements following familiarization were analyzed using paired t tests, and regression analyses examined whether acoustic STI values predicted perceptual learning outcomes. Results: Listeners demonstrated significant perceptual learning of children&#39;s speech, with an average intelligibility gain of 6.4% following familiarization (p &lt; 0.001). Regression analyses revealed a significant interaction between STI and pretest intelligibility: Lower STI values (indicating more predictable speech) were associated with greater intelligibility gains but only when pretest intelligibility was sufficiently low. Conclusions: This study provides the first empirical evidence that children&#39;s speech is learnable in a structured perceptual learning paradigm. Although the acoustic STI affords some insight into predictability, it does not fully account for variability in perceptual learning. Future work should explore measures that capture segmental predictability to refine models of speech learnability.
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        Value: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00189
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      – Text: English
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        StartPage: 448
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Perceptual Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Young Children
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      – SubjectFull: Child Language
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      – TitleFull: Perceptual Learning and Predictability of Children's Speech
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