張顯達(1998)曾對三歲兒童在國語輔音聽辨與發音能力進行研究,發現他們在兩項能力之間的的發展是呈同步漸進式的。承接這些結果,本研究進一步測試四至六歲幼童在國語輔音聽辨與發音的發展。共有90位幼童參加測試,分為四、五、六歲三個年齡組,每一組三十人。檢查項目是國語的二十一個音節首輔音。作業分為二部分:1.看圖命名,2.新詞發音與聽辨。「看圖命名」的結果顯示,如果以75%通過率為標準,三個年齡組都以掌握測試的二十一個輔音,如以90%為指標,只有四歲組在「ㄔ、ㄕ、ㄖ」這三個音是仍未通過的。各年齡組在「新詞發音」的表現是比「看圖命名」的差。以90%通過率為標準的話,六歲組通過「ㄖ」之外的所有項目。「新詞聽辨」方面,如果以90%為標準,則六歲組通過「ㄓ-ㄗ」以外的所有項目。整體而言,各年齡組聽辨與發音都是同步漸進的。
This study examined Chinese children's development of production and perception of Chinese consonants. Ninety children, divided into three age groups (4, 5 and 6 years old), were tested. Two tasks were administered: 1. picture naming and 2. imitation of new words and discrimination of minimal pairs. The twenty-one syllable initial consonants were testing targets. Our results showed that, if 90% passing rate was adopted, only the four year old group had three sounds, which were all retroflex, were below standard. Children's performance in the new word production task was not as good as theirs in the picture naming task. Even the six year old group had problems with the sound /r/. As for the discrimination task, the six year old group passed all the items except the unaspirated retroflex affricate-apical affricate pair. Overall speaking, children's production and perception of these consonants developed hand in hand through their preschool years.