The effect of spaced vs massed repetition on variability phonetic training among Saudi English as foreign language learners.

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of spaced and massed repetition on the acquisition and retention of English /b/ and /p/ sounds among Saudi English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. Forty-nine university students participated in a quasi-experimental design comparing two learning conditions: massed repetition and spaced repetition. Participants were taught the pronunciation of 40 new English words containing the target sounds through video-based instruction. The experiment utilized a within-subjects design, where each participant in both the control and experimental groups was exposed to a total of 40 words: 20 words taught using massed repetition and 20 words taught using spaced repetition. Pronunciation performance was assessed through tests administered immediately after the treatment (Time 1) and after 4 weeks post-treatment (Time 2). The study also explored the interaction between repetition type and input variability by incorporating High Variability Phonetic Training and Low Variability Phonetic Training conditions. Results revealed significant differences between spaced and massed repetition, with spaced repetition showing superior outcomes in both immediate and delayed tests. The study revealed no significant differences were found between High Variability Phonetic Training and Low Variability Phonetic Training conditions. These findings contribute to our understanding of effective pronunciation training methods in EFL contexts and highlight the importance of distributed practice in language learning.