CALL: ComputerAssisted Language Learning

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CALLComputer-Assisted Language Learning
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Computer-Assisted (Language) Learning

• Little programs
• Purpose-built learning programs (courseware)
• Using existing technology for educational
  purposes
• CALL and NLP
• Learner corpora

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Little programs

• From earliest days of microcomputers,
  enthusiasts saw ways to implement programs to
  help learners
• Programmed in low-level languages, eg Basic
• Crude implementations based on activities which
  were already part of (language) learning
• e.g. vocabulary drills, gap-filling exercises

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Little programs

• Often admirable attempts to use new technology
• Usually programs were one-off
• No separation of algorithms and data
• Each exercise was a self-contained program
• Quite easy to modularise
• have a generic program which would load a data
  file, containing quiz questions and answers

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Issues

• Content / design determined by technological or
  pedagogical concerns/issues?
• Find some use for technology that is available,
  or
• Design programs to do what you really want
• Flexibility and reuse
• Lot of effort goes into design, so best if design
  allows for multiple reuse
• Notion of authoring packages
• Allowing multiple correct answers
• Student-driven learning
• Student can work at own time and pace
• Role of teacher (if any) very different
• Some systems designed for teach-yourself
  scenario

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Typical CALL programs at this level

• Multiple-choice tests
• Matching activities
• Item list learning and testing
• Vocabulary test (L1?L2, L2 ?L1, picture naming)
• Writing system (eg Japanese, Chinese characters)
• Gap filling drills
• Grammatical forms (agreement, tenses)
• Vocabulary
• Note difficulty of allowing creative language
  use, due to need to check right answer
• E.g. compete this sentence with an appropriate
  adjective
• Alternative allowable answers must be explicitly
  predicted

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Purpose-built CALL programs

• Courseware
• Much more than computerized exercises
• Typical CALL programs present a stimulus to
  which the learner must respond. The stimulus may
  be presented in any combination of text, still
  images, sound, and motion video. The learner
  responds by typing at the keyboard, pointing and
  clicking with the mouse, or speaking into a
  microphone. The computer offers feedback,
  indicating whether the learners response is
  right or wrong and, in the more sophisticated
  CALL programs, attempting to analyse the
  learners response and to pinpoint errors.
  Branching to help and remedial activities is a
  common feature of CALL programs. (wikipedia)

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Stimulus text, picture, sound, video
Learners input typed, spoken, other GUI
Is response appropriate?
Feedback to user
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Using existing technology

• Use in the classroom of technology designed for
  other purposes
• Playing computer games in the L2
• Using L2 word processors, spell checkers and
  other packages
• Speech recognition as pronunciation training
• Use of synthetic speech to create spoken language
  material
• Use of MT (mainly to illustrate language
  differences)

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CALL and NLP

• What is the role of parsing technology in CALL?
• Parsers can allow creative writing to be part of
  CALL package
• Parser as a grammar checker
• Parser as an error checker

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Parser as a grammar checker

• Especially with beginners and intermediate
  learners, since range of structures and
  vocabulary is more limited
• Parsers can (usually) not only say whether a
  sentence is grammatical, but also why (and where)
  it is ungrammatical
• Errors can trigger feedback messages, and can
  send information to the student model
• For example, errors in agreement might indicate
  that student hasnt yet grasped this concept, so
  needs some more instruction

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Parser as an error checker

• Parsing mechanism can also be used to look for
  particular (expected) errors
• Grammar of errors parser has rules which
  specifically capture ungrammatical sentences
• If input can be parsed, then there is an error
• Otherwise, sentence is correct (ie no error
  detected)

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Grammar checking for language learners

• Long experience of language teaching tells us
  what errors to expect
• Some errors are due to inherent complexities of
  the language
• Other errors are due to interference from a
  particular L1

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Learner corpora

• Language teaching meets corpus linguistics
• several efforts to collect corpora of learners
  writing
• Notably International Corpus of Learner English
  (ICLE), Louvain University
• several efforts to collect corpora of learners
  writing
• Study of interlanguage