本文報告使用主動學習技術教導在澳大利亞大學學習漢語的外國人的實證研究。主動學習技巧引用於稱為肢體細胞增強法研究出來的技巧。這些技巧包括哼聲,跟著語言節奏拍手,利用運動和手勢來加強對節奏的感知。本研究採用量性和質性方法分析其研究結果。結果表明,通過聲學分析發現實驗班的學生說漢語時聲音範圍比他們說英文時候的寬很多。這些學生上了30個小時的課以後,他們的口語考試結果被9個以漢語為母語的人評佑。評估的結果是實驗班學生的漢語比對照班學生的漢語好。此外,從實驗班學生的訪談資料發現,使用主動學習技巧能夠促使他們建立記憶策略,更增強了他們的記憶力。
This paper reports on an empirical study on the use of active learning techniques, the learning of Mandarin Chinese in a regional university in Australia. The active learning techniques are techniques derived from an active language learning approach known as the 'Somatically-enhanced Approach' to language learning. These included humming, clapping to rhythms of the language, using movement and gestures to enhance the perception of rhythmic patterns in a language. This empirical study was evaluated using a mixture of quantitative and qualitative approaches. Results showed that through acoustic analysis, students' developed a wider voice range when speaking Mandarin than when they speak English. With a wider voice range, students taught using this approach were perceived to have better pronunciation after 30 hours of instruction by nine native speakers of Mandarin judges. Furthermore, interview data from these students suggest that active learning techniques used in this approach enabled them to develop better memory strategies for learning as well.