Melissa Baese-Berk (@m2b2.bsky.social)

Learning new speech sounds in remote and in-person protocols: Benefits, drawbacks, and considerations for future research In-laboratory training of novel speech sounds has provided significant insight into how adult language learners learn new sounds. However, this training is often costly in terms of time in lab for participants and for experimenters. Therefore, understanding whether such paradigms can be conducted successfully in a remote setting has been of great interest to the field. In this study, we present data from participants in both in-lab and remote protocols for a two-day language learning paradigm. We compare both the results of learning across the two paradigms and the logistical aspects of conducting this research. We demonstrate that both paradigms result in learning; however, while data collection is much faster for remote protocols, there are significant trade offs to consider in terms of individual performance and attrition within this population, among other concerns. We discuss these concerns from a methodological standpoint, and explore how comparisons of training modality can be informative not only for choosing appropriate methodology but also for developing a deeper understanding of acquisition of novel speech sounds. https://doi.org/10.16995/labphon.16542