Development of the Mandarin early speech perception test: children with normal hearing and the effects of dialect exposure.

OBJECTIVES: The first objective of this study was to create a recorded Mandarin Early Speech Perception (MESP) test based on the English Early Speech Perception test (), a closed-set assessment tool for evaluation of early speech perception abilities in children. The second objective was to determine whether each of the MESP subtests is appropriate for children with these abilities. The third objective was to examine the effects of early exposure to and use of Putonghua (Standard Mandarin), as used for the recordings, on performance for each subtest.
DESIGN: MESP test items were developed by sampling approximately 200 picturable words, twice the number required for the test, from Chinese children's books. A sample (N = 17) of 2.0- to 5.0-yr-old developmentally normal children identified the words from pictures and then recognized the words when tested with live voice by pointing to the pictures. Only words that were accurately identified and recognized by children of all ages were selected. An additional sample (N = 92) of 2.0- to 5.0-yr-old developmentally normal children was tested with the subtests of the MESP. Information about each child's daily Putonghua exposure and use was used to separate the sample into two groups. Subtest scores for the two groups were compared to examine the effects of early dialect exposure on performance.
RESULTS: Fewer than 2% of the words used in the six subtests of the MESP were incorrectly named and recognized. Each subtest measures a different category of early speech perception. The categories are hierarchically structured. Categories 1, 2, and 3, Speech Sound Detection, Speech Pattern Perception, and Spondee Recognition, parallel the ESP. Categories 4, 5, and 6 of the MESP, Vowel Perception, Consonant Perception, and Tone Perception, are more difficult tests that provide information about segmental and tonal cues for Mandarin speech perception. All children in all age groups reached all MESP categories successfully, with the exception of three children in the youngest age group for the Tone Perception test. The two oldest groups of children who were not exposed primarily to Putonghua had slightly lower scores on both the Consonant and Tone Perception tests than children who were primarily exposed to Putonghua. These results suggest that development of tone perception continues beyond the MESP age range. Nonetheless, children as young as 2 yr of age could be tested on all of the MESP subtests.
CONCLUSIONS: The development of the MESP has produced a recorded objective test for the evaluation of early speech perception in Mandarin-speaking children using a standardized protocol. The hierarchical structure of the first three MESP categories parallels that of the ESP, while restricting the occurrence of some tones. Additional MESP categories allow control and variation of Mandarin segmental and tonal contrasts. The MESP is part of a Mandarin hierarchical test battery for assessment of speech perception in young children.