Showing papers in "the CALICO Journal in 2011"
TL;DR: This review outlines a set of crucial issues to which attention must be paid to further develop technology-enhanced TBLT and examines the mutual contributions of technology and T BLT to each other.
Abstract: Task-based language teaching (TBLT) has been drawing researchers’ and practitioners’ attention since its onset in the 1980s. The rich and still expanding literature on TBLT is helping to mature both its theoretical conceptualization and practical implementation in foreign and second language education. Technology has played and will continue to play an important role in this maturation process. This review focuses on the intersection of technology and TBLT, examines the mutual contributions of technology and TBLT to each other, and discusses the challenges in implementing and researching TBLT in technology-mediated environments. In addition, this review outlines a set of crucial issues to which attention must be paid to further develop technology-enhanced TBLT.
162 citations
TL;DR: The authors explored how online exchanges can play a role in second language learners' development of pragmatic competence and intercultural communicative competence based on Byram's (1997) definition of Intercultural Communicative competence (ICC).
Abstract: Based on Byram’s (1997) definition of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and on specific types of discourse analysis proposed by Kramsch and Thorne (2002) and Ware and Kramsch (2005), this article explores how online exchanges can play a role in second language learners’ development of pragmatic competence and ICC. With data obtained from an intercultural exchange between students learning German in an American university and students studying English at a German university, we illustrate how culture is embedded in language as discourse, how “language learners have to negotiate new ways not only of interpreting the content of utterances, but also of navigating interactional pragmatics” (Ware & Kramsch, p. 201), and how advanced learners of German as a foreign language and English as a foreign language employ different discourse styles in their online postings as they seek to understand the discourse genres of their partners.
144 citations
TL;DR: Investigation of whether a social networking community website such as Facebook can be exploited in the context of an intermediate foreign language class to promote competent, literate L2 learners suggests that observation-based awareness-raising tasks are indeed beneficial for the development of socio-pragmatic competence.
Abstract: Although often neglected in language textbooks and classrooms, sociopragmatic and multiliteracy skills are crucial elements in language learning that language educators should not disregard. This article investigates whether a social networking community (SNC) website such as Facebook can be exploited in the context of an intermediate foreign language class to promote competent, literate L2 learners. Intermediate language learners had to search groups in Facebook that were linked to the course themes and conduct a linguistic analysis focusing on greetings, leave-takings, and vocabulary selection in order to identify the language typically used in this electronic environment. Findings suggest that over the course of a semester, learners honed in on and identified socio-pragmatic elements in this medium and that observation-based awareness-raising tasks are indeed beneficial for the development of socio-pragmatic competence.
140 citations
TL;DR: The wiki environment seems to benefit collaborative writing and promote successful revision behavior and students enjoyed working collaboratively as they could share ideas and work with each other’s strengths.
Abstract: This study investigated the use of wikis for collaborative writing projects. Fourth- and sixth-semester German students wrote several of the regularly assigned essay topics during one semester in collaboration with another student using a wiki. Participants used a variety of strategies in the planning, writing and revision phases of their essays. They also achieved a very high success rate in correcting the formal mistakes they detected by pooling their knowledge about language issues. The students enjoyed working collaboratively as they could share ideas and work with each other’s strengths, and they also liked the accessibility of the wiki. The wiki environment seems to benefit collaborative writing and promote successful revision behavior.
136 citations
TL;DR: An overview of factors that constrain ultimate attainment in adult second language (L2) pronunciation is provided, finding that first language influence and the quantity and quality of L2 phonetic input account for much of the variation in the degree of foreign accent found across adult L2 learners.
Abstract: This paper first provides an overview of factors that constrain ultimate attainment in adult second language (L2) pronunciation, finding that first language influence and the quantity and quality of L2 phonetic input account for much of the variation in the degree of foreign accent found across adult L2 learners. The author then evaluates current approaches to computer assisted pronunciation training (CAPT), concluding that they are not well grounded in a current understanding of L2 accent. Finally, the author reports on a study in which twenty-two Mandarin speakers were trained to better discriminate ten Canadian English vowels. Using a specially designed computer application, learners were randomly presented with recordings of the target vowels in monosyllabic frames, produced by twenty native speakers. The learners responded by clicking on one of ten salient graphical images representing each vowel category and were given both visual and auditory feedback as to the accuracy of their selections. Pre- and post-tests of the learners’ English vowel pronunciation indicated that their vowel intelligibility significantly improved as a result of training, not only in the training context, but also in an untrained context. In a third context, vowel intelligibility did not improve.
125 citations
TL;DR: This paper investigated the impact of instruction focused on developing learner awareness of social-networking site (SNS) use in an American Intensive English Program (IEP) and found that SNS awareness instruction can promote, and align with, discourses that affirm English as an international language values and also promote learner-learner interaction and the development of transcultural, plurilingual identities.
Abstract: This ongoing project seeks to investigate the impact, inside and outside of class, of instruction focused on developing learner awareness of social-networking site (SNS) use in an American Intensive English Program (IEP). With language socialization as an interpretative framework (Duff, in press; Ochs, 1988; Watson-Gegeo, 2004), the project uses a variety of qualitative and quantitative classroom research techniques to follow cohorts of intermediate-level students during instruction and by tracing their SNS use over time (e.g. Knobel & Lankshear, 2008). Informed by a bridging-activities model (Thorne & Reinhardt, 2008) and situated-learning principles (Gee, 2004; Lave & Wenger, 1991), the instruction was designed to develop experiential and critical awareness of SNS practices as a means to learn English in the IEP community. Results from the pilot implementation reported here show that SNS awareness instruction can promote, and align with, discourses that affirm English-as-an-international-language values (Sharifian, 2009) and also promote learner-learner interaction and the development of transcultural, plurilingual identities. However, it was also found that learners may resist educational use of an SNS when it conflicts with home discourses that value more utilitarian, traditional forms of instruction.
115 citations
TL;DR: A framework proposed by Neumeier (2005) was used to describe a technology-enhanced blended-learning model and the main findings indicate that all language skills can be successfully integrated into both modes.
Abstract: Blended learning, a combination of face-to-face and online instruction, is seen as one of the most important recent advances in education (Thorne, 2003). While previous CALL studies have looked at various aspects of blended learning in foreign and second language classes, they have not allowed for a sufficient description of what actually happens in an environment of a blended learning class. In order to further advance the research in this area, a framework proposed by Neumeier (2005) was used to describe a technology-enhanced blended-learning model. The case study described here examined an intermediate ESL listening and speaking class in an intensive English program. The class used a commercially available learning management system (LMS), to combine face-to-face classroom learning (face-to-face mode) and online learning in the computer lab and for homework (CALL mode). The main findings of the study indicate that all language skills can be successfully integrated into both modes. These results can inform the design and implementation of new blended learning models as well as the comparison with the existing models.
104 citations
TL;DR: This research synthesis examines the research trends, methods, and findings addressed by journal articles which have evaluated the role of SCMC for SLA over the past 20 years.
Abstract: This research synthesis explores the role of synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) for second language acquisition (SLA). Using Hymes’ (1971) notion of communicative competence and Canale and Swain’s (1980; Canale, 1983) subsequent framework for communicative language teaching, the synthesis examines the research trends, methods, and findings addressed by journal articles which have evaluated the role of SCMC for SLA over the past 20 years.
94 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that Active Worlds and Second Life present viable arenas for learner-based CALL projects and positive findings identified in studies include evidence for beneficial forms of collaborative target language interaction, enhanced engagement, motivation, presence, and participation.
Abstract: This article investigates research on the use of network-based three-dimensional virtual worlds in computer-assisted language learning (CALL). The significant features of the major types of virtual world currently utilized are examined, as are the hypothesized advantages and issues associated with their use. This is followed by a critical review of the literature which reveals that contemporary research remains largely exploratory in nature and is subject to significant limitations. The literature review also identifies encouraging preliminary findings. These suggest that Active Worlds and Second Life present viable arenas for learner-based CALL projects. Positive findings identified in studies include evidence for beneficial forms of collaborative target language interaction, enhanced engagement, motivation, presence, and participation. The analysis draws attention to the need for learner training and consideration of educator roles. Further significant issues include the influence of task, technical affordances, and sociocultural factors on learner behavior. The article concludes by identifying areas of potential interest in future research.
94 citations
TL;DR: The findings indicate that IADE’s colorcoded and numerical feedback possesses potential for facilitating language learning, a claim supported by evidence of focus on discourse form, noticing of negative evidence, improved rhetorical quality of writing, and increased learning gains.
Abstract: This paper presents an empirical evaluation of automated writing evaluation (AWE) feedback used for L2 academic writing teaching and learning. It introduces the Intelligent Academic Discourse Evaluator (IADE), a new web-based AWE program that analyzes the introduction section to research articles and generates immediate, individualized, and discipline-specific feedback. The purpose of the study was to investigate the potential of IADE’s feedback. A mixed-methods approach with a concurrent transformative strategy was employed. Quantitative data consisted of responses to Likert-scale, yes/no, and open-ended survey questions; automated and human scores for first and final drafts; and pre-/posttest scores. Qualitative data contained students’ first and final drafts as well as transcripts of think-aloud protocols and Camtasia computer screen recordings, observations, and semistructured interviews. The findings indicate that IADE’s colorcoded and numerical feedback possesses potential for facilitating language learning, a claim supported by evidence of focus on discourse form, noticing of negative evidence, improved rhetorical quality of writing, and increased learning gains.
78 citations
TL;DR: The potential of conversation analysis (CA) to contribute to the understanding of L2 CMC is explored and the strengths and limitations of the method are outlined both for the study of CMC as well as for language learning in general.
Abstract: The potential of computer-mediated communication (CMC) for language learning resides mainly in the possibility that learners have to engage with other speakers of the language, including L1 speakers. The inclusion of CMC in the L2 classroom provides an opportunity for students to utilize authentic language in real interaction, rather than the more traditional institutionally asymmetric, nonnegotiable, and teacher controlled classroom discourse. However, still much research is needed addressing what happens during CMC interaction and the effectiveness of this tool for language learning. This article explores the potential of conversation analysis (CA) to contribute to the understanding of L2 CMC. It presents previous CA research on synchronous CMC (SCMC) and L2 interaction, and, as an illustration of how CA can be employed for the study of CMC, a longitudinal case study of a Spanish L2 learner engaged in interaction with a L1 Spanish speaker is microanalyzed using CA. Finally, the article outlines the strengths of CA for the analysis of CMC and identifies the limitations of the method both for the study of CMC as well as for language learning in general and provides future possible lines of research.
TL;DR: A pilot study of the mobile component of this re-designed course represents the first stage of an on-going Design-Based Research (DBR) study on language learning with mobile devices for augmenting ESP learning by taking learning outside the classroom into the real-world context.
Abstract: An exploratory study conducted at George Brown College in Toronto, Canada between 2007 and 2009 investigated language learning with mobile devices as an approach to augmenting ESP learning by taking learning outside the classroom into the real-world context. In common with findings at other community colleges, this study identified inadequate language proficiency, particularly in speaking and listening skills, as a major barrier for ESL college learners seeking employment, or employers hiring and retaining immigrants as employees (CIITE, 2004; Palalas, 2009). As a result of these findings, language support was designed to provide English language instruction going beyond the standard 52-hour course: a hybrid English for Accounting course encompassing in-class, online and mobile-assisted ESP instruction. This paper reports on the pilot study of the mobile component of this re-designed course, which represents the first stage of an on-going Design-Based Research (DBR) study. Discussion is also offered of a new learning theory which we have called Ecological Constructivism (Hoven, 2008; Jakobsdottir, McKeown & Hoven, 2010), devised to incorporate the multiple dimensions of Ecological Linguistics and Constructivism in the situated and context-embedded learning engendered by these new uses of mobile devices.
TL;DR: The findings indicate that blog-mediated writing practices afforded students an expanded audience and range of purposes for literacy activities, coupled with genre-based instruction, supported the focal student’s emergent literacy development.
Abstract: This study analyzes how a teacher in the United States used systemic functional linguistics to design a blog-mediated writing curriculum to support second grade English language learners’ (ELLs) literacy development and abilities to use computer-mediated communication tools for social and academic purposes in and out of school. The questions posed by this study relate to how blogging practices shaped a focus student’s emergent uses of print over nearly two years in a U. S. urban school serving a large Puerto Rican community. This study is informed by Halliday’s theory of systemic functional linguistics (SFL) and Vygotskian conceptions of appropriation and mediation. Using a combination of ethnographic methods and the tools of genre analysis, the findings indicate that blog-mediated writing practices afforded students an expanded audience and range of purposes for literacy activities. These practices, coupled with genre-based instruction, supported the focal student’s emergent literacy development. The implications of this study relate to conceptualizing how ideational, interpersonal, and textual metafunctions of language intersect through computer-mediated communication to support L2 language development.
TL;DR: Information and communication technologies have never been more interesting due to their intimate integration into everyday life, and considerable interest has been focused on social media and social networking environments that have de facto become fused with the activity of real (and not merely ‘virtual’) life.
Abstract: Information and communication technologies have never been more interesting due in large part to their intimate integration into everyday life. Second and foreign language researchers and educators have long recognized the potential of technology to provide access to input and rehearsal (recordings, tutorials and drills), to amplify possibilities for personal expression (text and media processing), to extend existing and enable new opportunities for interpersonal communication (synchronous and asynchronous messaging), and most recently, considerable interest has been focused on social media and social networking environments that have de facto become fused with the activity of real (and not merely ‘virtual’) life.
TL;DR: This study reports on the design and testing of an integrated suite of vocabulary training games for Nintendo collectively designated My Word Coach, based on a wide range of learning research, from classic studies on recycling patterns to frequency studies of modern corpora.
Abstract: This study reports on the design and testing of an integrated suite of vocabulary training games for Nintendo™ collectively designated My Word Coach (Ubisoft, 2008). The games’ design is based on a wide range of learning research, from classic studies on recycling patterns to frequency studies of modern corpora. Its general usage and learning effects were tested over a four-month period, with fifty age and level appropriate Francophone English as a second language learners in a Montreal school. A battery of observational and empirical tests tracked experimental and quasi-control groups’ lexical development on the dimensions of form recognition, meaning recognition, free production, and speed of lexical access, as well as features of game use. Two months’ gaming coincided with gains in recognition vocabulary normally achieved in one to two years, longer oral productions, reduced code switching, and increased speed of lexical access. Further questions are raised about the prior knowledge Word Coach assumes, the importance of post-game follow up, and the future of commercial gaming in language learning.
TL;DR: It is suggested that while a cooperation mode of interaction afforded the development of language awareness and language use, the lack of transition to a reflective mode of communication and/or the contraction of the activity to coordination and cooperation modes constrained the further attainment of learning outcomes.
Abstract: This paper addresses issues of language use and negotiation and utilizes cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) as a framework to analyze and understand the complexity of the mediational and collaborative structures constituting computer supported collaborative writing in a second language (CSCWL2) activities. Following an introduction to CHAT as an analytic framework, the article then presents the preliminary results of an activity theoretical study exploring the establishment and development of collaborative writing practices among a group of English as a foreign language distance learning students. The analysis focuses firstly on the goal-oriented actions carried out by students as they revised their writing, and secondly, on the emergence of deviations from planned normal procedures, as outlined in task guidelines, that resulted in different modes of interaction. The findings highlight the pivotal role of artifacts used and created by students in mediating their collective practice. They also reveal the emergence of different modes of interaction, i.e., coordination, cooperation and reflective communication. We suggest that while a cooperation mode of interaction afforded the development of language awareness and language use, the lack of transition to a reflective mode of communication and/or the contraction of the activity to coordination and cooperation modes constrained the further attainment of learning outcomes.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared the use of materials developed from business English for a sales department in a company environment, using two cohorts of learners, one from the sales division and the other from other divisions in the company.
Abstract: This study aims to verify the effectiveness of English language materials using mobile devices for businesspeople in terms of the effect on motivation, overall learning performance, and practical performance in real business situations. We compared the use of materials developed from business English for a sales department in a company environment, using two cohorts of learners, one from the sales division and the other from other divisions in the company. The results showed that the materials were effective for the enhancement of motivation in both groups of employees. Moreover, the test scores in overall learning performance for both cohorts increased after learning with the materials. However, the learners in sales positions recognized the effectiveness of the output activities (e.g., speaking) more than that of nonsales personnel because of the direct applicability of the learning materials to their business needs.
TL;DR: Two study methods for the support of acquisition and retention of 10 vocabulary items were compared; one method used representative picture cards and the other a CALL interface and revealed a slight preference for the CALL method among the students.
Abstract: In this study, two study methods for the support of acquisition and retention of 10 vocabulary items were compared; one method used representative picture cards and the other a CALL interface. Seventy-one first-year Japanese university students comprising two classes participated in the study. The students studied a practice set of 10 vocabulary items using both of the two methods and then a treatment set of 10 different items using only one of the methods to which the students were randomly assigned. A t test done on the groups' vocabulary pretest scores showed no significant difference between the two groups in terms of knowledge of the items at the outset of the experiment. The analysis of the posttreatment data showed no significant difference between the groups. Finally, a posttreatment survey revealed a slight preference for the CALL method among the students.
TL;DR: A website with strategies for learning and performing Spanish grammar that was found to be problematic for both nonnative learners and teachers alike is described, suggesting its potential for supporting learners of Spanish in remembering and correctly using various grammatical forms that had previously been problematic for them.
Abstract: After a brief introduction to language learner strategies and grammar strategies as a subcategory, it is pointed out that research on the use of grammar strategies by learners of a second language (L2) has been limited. The article then describes the construction of a website with strategies for learning and performing Spanish grammar, with a focus on grammar that was found to be problematic for both nonnative learners and teachers alike. The website is divided into strategies for learning a specific grammar form and strategies which are consistent with the learners' style preferences and which could be applied to various grammar forms. The website's focus is on strategizing about the learning and use of Spanish grammar rather than as a compendium of rules for Spanish grammar. The article ends with a report on a small-scale study using largely qualitative means to determine the impact of a Spanish grammar strategies website on 15 learners who agreed to track their experiences with selected strategies over a period of 6-8 weeks. Students' responses on the strategy tracking forms and in the interviews over the course of study indicated that the learners generally benefited to some extent and in some cases greatly from use of the website, suggesting its potential for supporting learners of Spanish in remembering and correctly using various grammatical forms that had previously been problematic for them.
TL;DR: The authors developed a series of seven English language podcasts grounded in metacognitive and L2 listening theory to provide Anglophone French Immersion (FI) students with strategies to enhance their listening ability and note-taking skills.
Abstract: This paper reports on the piloting of podcasts created to support Anglophone French Immersion (FI) students in academic listening. The authors developed a series of seven English language podcasts grounded in metacognitive and L2 listening theory to provide FI students with strategies to enhance L2 listening ability and note-taking skills for academic lectures in French. Student feedback was solicited through weekly questionnaires and a focus group discussion. Weekly questionnaires showed that most of the students enjoyed the podcasts and found them moderately useful, although some contradictions emerged. The focus group discussion showed a somewhat higher degree of satisfaction both in terms of enjoyment and usefulness. Suggestions for improving the podcasts are proposed.
TL;DR: Analysis of the data file automatically generated by the module revealed improvements in acceptability of the nurses’ pronunciation of the medical interview questions, suggesting that the module can be effective in language training for healthcare professionals.
Abstract: For many patients throughout the world, access to healthcare depends on the patients’ and healthcare providers’ ability to communicate efficiently in each other’s language. One way to reduce linguistic barriers to healthcare access is to increase the number of linguistically and culturally competent healthcare professionals. Conspicuously absent in the literature on second language (L2) training of healthcare professionals, however, is the use of technology that combines meaningful interaction, feedback, simulation, and asynchronous access. The goal of this paper is to fill this gap by describing and evaluating the “Virtual Language Patient,” a computer-based L2 training module for healthcare professionals. The module employs automatic speech recognition technology, pronunciation assessment, and video clips of a simulated medical history interview with a minority language patient. Five nurses-in-training at a French-language nursing college in Quebec reported that the module was easy to operate and that it addressed their anticipated language learning needs. More importantly, analysis of the data file automatically generated by the module revealed improvements in acceptability of the nurses’ pronunciation of the medical interview questions. These findings suggest that the module can be effective in language training for healthcare professionals. Implications for the improvement of virtual dialogue systems are discussed.
TL;DR: In insight into the ways that students can more effectively design CALL environments with activities that are based on SLA-informed pedagogy, it is suggested that in order to successfully integrate SLA theories and CALL, not only is it beneficial forSLA principles to be incorporated into CALL courses but also for SLA theory courses to address the opportunities that CALL may offer for integrating SLA principles.
Abstract: This study reports on how language teachers in preparation integrate key concepts from second language acquisition (SLA) theory into CALL curricular design The need for language teachers who have had SLA coursework to receive orientation to student-centered learning in a CALL context has been identified previously (Kessler, 2010) This research is intended to provide insight into the ways that students can more effectively design CALL environments with activities that are based on SLA-informed pedagogy The suggestion is made that in order to successfully integrate SLA theories and CALL, not only is it beneficial for SLA principles to be incorporated into CALL courses but also for SLA theory courses to address the opportunities that CALL may offer for integrating SLA principles within the language classroom
TL;DR: Student perceptions about different types of web-based activities used to seek information for French language learning are presented and a continuum of characteristics articulated by the students are presented.
Abstract: This article presents student perceptions about different types of web-based activities used to seek information for French language learning. Group interviews were conducted with 71 students in five Canadian universities to elicit data on their use of the Internet for information-seeking activities. These students use the Web for three main purposes: firstly, to expand their knowledge base by searching for information for language projects; secondly, to concentrate on form-focused activities by consulting online dictionaries or translation software; and finally, to organize their studies by consulting language course management websites. Our results are presented in a continuum of characteristics articulated by the students. Four continuums were identified: the first is goal-related (maintain/improve); the second is action-oriented (check/gather); the third involves the engagement of the students (receive/search), while the fourth one relates to the nature of the information (fact/culture).
TL;DR: QuickAssist places a range of NLP tools at the disposal of learners, intended to enable them to independently read and comprehend a German text of their choice while they extend their vocabulary, learn about different uses of particular words, and study German morphology.
Abstract: QuickAssist, the program presented in this paper, uses natural language processing (NLP) technologies. It places a range of NLP tools at the disposal of learners, intended to enable them to independently read and comprehend a German text of their choice while they extend their vocabulary, learn about different uses of particular words, and study German morphology. Learners can access a dictionary, a thesaurus, a concordancer, request a morphological analysis of complex words and query the German Wikipedia for additional information. Abandoning the idea that the application should assume control of the learning process and provide the learning objects, QuickAssist enables users to work with a German text of their choice that is available in electronic form. The results of an initial user study are presented at the end of this paper.
TL;DR: In this paper, a study was conducted on 51 EFL college students (24 males and 27 females) who were assigned to three lab classes and participants were exposed to various web-based ma-terials (e.g., listening, reading, writing, and grammar) which were intro-duced as an add-on to face-to-face courses.
Abstract: Due to the increasing demand on the incorporation of web-based materials into Egyptian higher educational institutions, this study examined students' learning styles, satisfaction with online learning, and the relationships be-tween these two variables and students' gender. The study was conducted on 51 EFL college students (24 males and 27 females) who were assigned to three lab classes. The participants were exposed to various web-based ma-terials (e.g., listening, reading, writing, and grammar) which were intro-duced as an add-on to face-to-face courses. An adapted form of Reid's (1998) Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ) was used to identify participants' learning styles after exposure to web-based in-struction. Also, a 5-point Likert scale was administered to examine students' satisfaction with web-based learning. Statistical analyses revealed that kin-esthetic, tactile, and visual were the major styles the participants favored when working with online activities. Findings also showed highly positive perceptions toward web-based learning due to an array of benefits (e.g., usefulness, enjoyment, accessibility, convenience, and richness of re-sources). Finally, whereas students' gender had a significant effect on stu-dents' learning style preferences, it had no bearing on their satisfaction with web-based materials. Relevant interpretations and implications were offered.
TL;DR: A study that was devised to test retention in second language vocabulary learning, comparing a uniform versus a graduated delay showed that on long-term retention, a uniform delay led to higher retention rates than a graduating delay.
Abstract: Second language learners are faced with the challenging task of remembering many new words. Exactly how learners are supposed to accomplish that task is disputed. Research on lexical processing that has been carried out in cognitive psychology showed that rehearsing words in expanded patterns, that is, with a delay between each rehearsal, leads to high retention rates. This article reports on a study that was devised to test retention in second language vocabulary learning, comparing a uniform versus a graduated delay. The study used an online vocabulary program testing first-year students of German. Results showed that on long-term retention, a uniform delay led to higher retention rates than a graduated delay.
TL;DR: This paper addresses the problem of cultural and native language interference in second/foreign language acquisition by examining issues of interference that can be traced to a student’s native language and that also have a cultural component.
Abstract: This paper addresses the problem of cultural and native language interference in second/foreign language acquisition. More specifically, it examines issues of interference that can be traced to a student’s native language and that also have a cultural component. To this effect, an understanding of what actually comprises both interference and culture is required. The concepts we consequently identify result in an ontology that can be interpreted and used by both humans and computers to build interactive learning environments. We use an ontology as a conceptual foundation to build an instructional scenario, which is then supported by readily available technological tools. A specific example is described.
TL;DR: This study provides specific evidence regarding the extent to which quantitative measures, common sense notional measures, and comprehensive measures adequately characterize spontaneous, although engaged, speech.
Abstract: This study provides specific evidence regarding the extent to which quantitative measures, common sense notional measures, and comprehensive measures adequately characterize spontaneous, although engaged, speech. As such, the study contributes to the growing body of literature describing the current limits of automatic systems for evaluating spoken proficiency, provides examples of the essential nature of various notional and comprehensive variables, supports continued development of hybrid systems, and includes suggestions for the possible utilization of additional variables for automatic analyses. Data for this study were gathered and analyzed as follows. After 4 weeks of activities related to career development, 20 native English speaking college freshmen made recordings in English explaining their career preferences. Three experiments were then conducted. Experiment 1 analyzed the recordings according to current quantitative analyses used in fully automatic evaluations of fluency. Experiment 2 examined the recordings through a perception study according to common everyday notions of fluency. Experiment 3 analyzed the recordings according to an adaptation of the comprehensive rubrics used by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) for evaluating oral proficiency. The comprehensive evaluation (Experiment 3) provided the most insight, and temporal quantitative measures (Experiment 1) provided the least insight concerning the proficiency of the 20 speakers.