• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.21-31
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• 2011

Objective : This study investigated the relationships of handwriting legibility and perceptual-motor skills, and handwriting speed and perceptual-motor skills. And identified the predictors that most affect the handwriting of preschool children. Methods : Twenty-three typically developing preschool aged children (mean age: 68.61 months, SD=2.04) were selected through the Korean-Denver Developmental Screening Test-2(K-DDST-2). The children were tested with regard to handwriting legibility, visual perception, visual-motor integration and fine-motor coordination. Results : First, a significant relationship was not found among handwriting legibility, visual perception, visualmotor integration and fine-motor coordination. Second, a significant relationship was found among handwriting speed, visual perception and fine-motor coordination. Third, stepwise multiple regression analyses showed that general visual perception were significant predictors for handwriting speed. Conclusion : Occupational therapists should evaluate children's visual perception levels utilizing a standardized test, and focus on general visual perception in order to improve handwriting skill(speed). Also, occupational therapists are expected to play an important role in the management and treatment of children's handwriting skills.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.129-153
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• 2007

When English language teachers are deciding on their priorities for teaching pronunciation, it is imperative to know what kind of differences and errors are most likely to interfere with communication, and what special problems particular first-language speakers will have with English pronunciation. In other words, phoneme discrimination skill is an integral part of speech processing for the EFL learners' learning to converse in English. Training using sound visualization technique can be effective in improving second language learners' perceptions and productions of segmental and suprasegmental speech contrasts. This study assessed the efficacy of a pronunciation training that provided visual feedback for EFL learners acquiring pitch and durational contrasts to produce and perceive English phonemic distinctions. The subjects' ability to produce and to perceive novel English words was tested in two contexts before and after training; words in isolation and words in sentences. In comparison with an untrained control group, trainees showed improved perceptual and productive performance, transferred their knowledge to new contexts, and maintained their improvement three months after training. These findings support the feasibility of learner-centered programs using sound visualization technique for English language pronunciation instruction.