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Copying helps novice learners build orthographic knowledge: methods for teaching Devanagari akshara

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Abstract

Hindi graphs, called akshara, are difficult to learn because of their visual complexity and large set of graphs. Akshara containing multiple consonants (complex akshara) are particularly difficult. In Hindi, complex akshara are formed by fusing individual consonantal graphs. Some complex akshara look similar to their component parts (transparent), whereas others do not (opaque). We taught 35 English-speaking adults a semi-artificial orthography that was modeled on the Devanagari script used for Hindi and other Indic languages. Participants were taught 80 complex akshara using 4 different methods: (1) choosing the components (from several choices) given the graph (2) choosing the correct graph (from several choices) given its components, (3) copying a graph while the graph and its components are displayed, and (4) writing a graph from memory given its components. Methods 1 and 2 compare emphasis on part-whole versus whole-part relationships, methods 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 compare motor effects, and methods 3 and 4 compare testing effects. We found that transparent graphs were better learned than opaque graphs. Testing on the akshara typically did not improve learning and there were few effects of emphasis on part-whole versus whole-part relationships. There was evidence for motor effects; copying & writing the akshara improved pure orthographic knowledge and people’s ability to produce the phonological form of a given akshara. These results corroborate other studies showing that copying and writing graphs helps beginning learners of English, Chinese, and Arabic build orthographic knowledge. Copying was more time efficient than writing, suggesting that having beginning learners copy akshara is an important pedagogical tool to use in classrooms.

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Notes

  1. Note that transparent and opaque have very different meanings when describing single graphs than when describing an orthography. When describing single graphs, transparency refers to how easily visible the components are. When describing an orthography, transparency refers to the consistency between orthographic and phonological codes.

  2. We refer to the orthography as semi-artificial because portions of the orthography are authentic whereas portions are invented. Specifically, the orthography is authentic in that: (1) Some of the phonology-graph mappings are the same in the semi-artificial orthography and Devanagari; (2) All of the graphs are real Devanagari graphs; and (3) Some of the simple akshara pair-complex akshara mappings are the same in the semi-artificial orthography and Devanagari.

  3. Note that these are not the mappings between simple and complex akshara in Hindi; they are the mappings used in the semi-artificial orthography developed for the present experiment.

  4. We refer to the language Hindi because it is the most well-known language that uses the Devanagari script. However, there are other languages that use the Devanagari script (e.g., Marathi, Sanskrit, Nepali languages) (Sinha & Mahabala, 1979). In fact, we use one akshara () which is used in Marathi but not in Hindi (Rathod, Dhore, & Dhore, 2013). Because the stimuli are modeled on Devanagari, but there is nothing specific to Hindi per se, the results of this study are equally applicable to all languages that use Devanagari.

  5. Note that these are not the mappings between simple and complex akshara in Hindi; they are the mappings used in the semi-artificial orthography developed for the present experiment.

  6. Although the model did not converge, the relative gradient was equal to .001.

  7. Although the model did not converge, the relative gradient was equal to .001.

  8. The model parameter estimates are in log odds. The odds are obtained by back-transforming the parameter estimates from the model.

  9. Although the model did not converge, the relative gradient was less than .001.

  10. Although the model did not converge, the relative gradient was less than .001.

  11. Although the model did not converge, the relative gradient was less than .001.

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Acknowledgements

This research partially fulfills the dissertation requirements for AB. I would like to thank my advisor, Charles Perfetti, for input on experimental design and feedback on manuscript drafts. I would also like to thank my committee members, Natasha Tokowicz, Julie Fiez, and Marta Ortega-Llebaria for help with experimental design and useful comments. Furthermore, I would like to thank Scott Fraundorf for his assistance with the statistical analyses. Moreover, I would like to thank my lab manager, Kimberly Muth, for assistance with IRB protocols and participant payment. Finally, I would like to thank Austin Marcus for help with data collection and entry. This research was supported by NSF PSLC [grant SBE08-36012] and the Andrew Mellon Predoctoral Fellowship awarded to AB.

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  1. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Adeetee Bhide

  2. National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Adeetee Bhide

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Bhide, A. Copying helps novice learners build orthographic knowledge: methods for teaching Devanagari akshara. Read Writ 31, 1–33 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-017-9767-8

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