Using Karaoke to Enhance Recognition of Chinese Words: A Cross-Languages Adoption

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of Chinese karaoke on recognition and retention of the Chinese characters/words by the Iranian male junior high school learners (N=61, p<.05). In a posttest control group design, students in three English language institutes in Tehran were randomly divided into three groups of Text-only which received the Chinese words via merely a text; Song group which were taught the words via an audio song as well as the text; and finally, Karaoke group which received the words by karaoke, plus the text. The lessons were instructed in two consecutive 20-minute long periods at the end of their routine English classes. The subjects then were tested for their recognition of the 24 Chinese words in question. A One-way ANOVA was run to analyse the scores of the participants. The results revealed that students under Karaoke obtained significantly higher scores as compared to both Text-only and Sound groups. The results, however, did not show any significant difference between the scores of the Text-only and Sound groups. Furthermore, based on the experiment design of this study, this paper advocates consideration of the Arabic writing system as a substitute for the Romanized Pinyin when teaching Chinese to language learners who are familiar with Arabic.