Measuring Performance

The voice analysis options available on the Kay Visi-Pitch and the IBM Speechviewer provide valuable information that the student can use to monitor progress.

The student can receive specific feedback about pitch level using Speechviewer or Visi-Pitch.

The statistics can help student evaluate pitch and loudness.

Instruction to Alter Pitch Level

Instruction for lowering a student's pitch level and regulating the pitch range can be supported by the use of the voice meter on the Speech Viewer III The meter and the available statistics provide valuable information on pitch level and pitch range.

The instructor with the student can select the voice meter on the SpeechViewer III and then set up a pitch range to monitor pitch control during therapy.

A screen shot of statistics is available for showing and explaining the student's pitch range during therapy. This is an effective way to discuss changes that have been achieved.

It is important to develop metacognitive awareness and control. Students can do this by consciously altering pitch and practicing their best pitch in conversational speech.

Here the student consciously alters pitch. The student selects and practices a particular level.

Student tries to monitor level in conversation.

In addition to setting a target line (using the CSL Real-Time Pitch) for the preferred average pitch level, it is helpful to ask the student to judge the productions they have just spoken and seen. Here the student sees that her pitch is well above the 250Hz target line and indicates that she feels she has not practiced enough recently to achieve the lower, more appropriate pitch on the functional words she has brought to class.

With the visual feedback students often make several attempts until they are satisfied with their productions. Here we see production of doll, call, hard with self-corrections based on a line showing real-time pitch compared to a target pitch line.

Even while practicing control and self-monitoring pitch, it is important to encourage students to maintain the best articulation possible. Here the student is reminded that /sh/ and /t/ are voiceless and /m/ is nasal.

Sometimes it is necessary to go back and forth from one program to another when using instrumentation. Here the student was primarily working on pitch. The instructor switched to the Real-Time Spectrogram to demonstrate some of the articulatory features of the word "hot." When the student asked about her pitch, the instructor switched back to the original program, the CSL Real-Time Pitch.

Instruction to Improve Prosody

Visual displays can help students learn to modify prosodic variables such as pitch, loudness, duration, and rate to better convey their communicative intent.

Visual feedback helps student control pitch and loudness.

Visual feedback helps student develop ability to control pitch and pitch variation.

A student can use an instructor's model, his imitation, and statistical information to facilitate alterations in intonation.