Optimizing Vocabulary Learning with IRT and Online Technology

1
Optimizing Vocabulary Learning with IRT and
Online Technology

• Brent Culligan (culligan_at_din.or.jp)
• Aoyama Gakuin Womens Junior College
• Dr. Charles Browne (browne_at_gol.com)
• Professor of Linguistics, Meiji Gakuin University

2
Why we are here - a quote
Tom and I planned this colloquium around the
idea that vocabulary research has provided clear
findings that can inform language teaching and
learning in concrete and substantive ways, and
the goal of the colloquium is to highlight
successful implementations. As I see it, the take
home message is vocabulary research has direct
implications for the practice of teaching and
learning language
Email from Marlise Horst, 4/11/07
3
Guiding Pedagogic Principles

1. Teaching HFV is an essential component of SLA
2. Flashcards are an extremely efficient way of
   quickly building up knowledge of new words
3. Time-intervalled learning can help move short
   term-memory to long term memory
4. Extensive graded reading is useful for both
   vocabulary development as well as developing
   overall English proficiency

4
Role of Technology

1. CAT allows us to precisely target a students
   level and needs in ways that were until now, not
   possible
2. For todays generation of students, cell phones
   and MP3 players are the devices of choice
3. Online graded reading and listening can help
   provide students with much needed input
4. Teachers are extremely busy - software needs to
   be intuitive, easy to use, and time efficient

5
A Set of Free Vocabulary Testing Teaching Tools
Based on Current Research (www.lexxica.com)

• THE TOOLS
• Vocabulary Test
• Flashcards
• Games
• Graded Readings
• Graded Listenings
• Administration Program

6
Flashcards based on Time-Intervalled Learning
7
The Forgetting Curve

• If material is only reviewed once, it tends to
  stay in short term memory and is soon forgotten

8
The Forgetting Curve

• If material is reviewed several times at
  increasingly longer intervals, the material is
  remembered longer and longer until it eventually
  becomes part of long term memory

9
Time-Intervalled Vocabulary FlashcardsEbbinhaus
(1885), Leitner (1972), Pimsleur (1967), Mondria,
(1994)
If incorrect, the new word returns to the first
bin
Learner gets flashcards
24 hours later
1 week later
1 month later
If correct, word moves to the next interval

• The vocabulary test allows us to generate
  individualized word lists of the specific HFV
  unknown to each learner
• Computers allow us to automate the
  time-intervalled process

10
Vocabulary Activities Integrated into the
Time-Intervalled Learning System
11
Vocabulary Test, Flashcards, Games Graded
Readings on Cell Phones
Cell phones are the device of choice among
students in Japan - 100 penetration at most
universities vs. 62 for PCs (Browne, 2007, in
press)
12
Large Database of Short Graded Reading Materials
13
Large Database of Short Graded Reading Materials
14
Large Database of Short Graded Reading Materials
Learners target vocabulary is highlighted and
linked to online dictionary
15
Graded Readings Also Recorded as Graded
Listenings (podcasts)
16
Web-based Administration Account for Tracking
Student Progress
17
V-Check - the vocabulary test that makes all this
possible

• The starting point for us was trying to find an
  efficient way to identify which specific HFW a
  student knows, and which still need to be taught

18
The role of testing

• Assessing the ability of the students
• Assessing the difficulties of the items
• Item difficulty word familiarity

19
Item Response Theory
where q is the ability level e is the constant
2.1718 b is the difficulty parameter
20
Item Response Theory
21
Item Response Theory

• Benefits
• Person abilities can be estimated regardless of
  which items are administered.
• Item difficulties can be estimated regardless of
  which persons take the test.
• Assumptions
• Local independence
• Unidimensionality

22
Why and How Can It Be Free?

• WHY?
• V-Checks accuracy is related to its large scale
  implementation in different populations
• Because we want to help create a paradigm shift
  among educators - for this to occur, teachers,
  administrators and students need to have easy
  ways to study and teach HFV
• HOW?
• Other services will be fee-based (TOEFL, TOEIC,
  Business English, online conversation, etc.)

23
Thank You!(and please contact us with any
questions or feedback)

• Brent Culligan (culligan_at_din.or.jp)
• Aoyama Gakuin Womens Junior College
• Dr. Charles Browne (browne_at_gol.com)
• Professor of Linguistics, Meiji Gakuin University