This paper describes the integration of hypermedia adaptive systems for foreign language learners at an early age Our research project is concerned with exploring the relationship between language learning and information technology according to six different phases: a preliminary study of the plausible adaptive system; the development of lessons based on hypermedia and learners’ needs; the examination of language learners’ profiles; the definition of an adapted interface; the integration of the systems in schools; and the evaluation of the use of such systems. While the last three stages are still under way, we have already obtained some significant feedback from preliminary observation and approaches, which chiefly reveal the importance of accounting for interrelated factors at an early age, such as specific learning strategies, skills, and graphical design.

The recent history of the teaching of grammar, both for first- and second-language learning, has produced highly polarised and acrimonious debate. The repercussions have extended beyond the boundaries of linguistics into the social and political domain. The present generation of foreign-language undergraduates has been profoundly (if unknowingly) affected by this debate, as reflected in their approach to the learning of grammar, and any consideration of the methodology of language teaching, including that of CALL, must take account of it.

Many factors affect the learning of a foreign language. When designing computer assisted language learning software it is usually not sufficient to think only about creating an exercise in the language, but students should be modelled in order to allow the program to take account of individuals' beliefs and learning. However, student models are criticised for various reasons, the most common of which include: 1. Modelling the learner places a great burden on the system, as it has sole responsibility for the creation of an accurate student model. 2. Student models are inadequate because it is not possible to model all aspects of a student's knowledge and learning. This paper describes the student model of an intelligent computer assisted language learning (ICALL) system which strives to overcome problems of traditional student models by taking into account issues important in the field of second language acquisition, and research in collaborative approaches to learning.

Recognizing the importance of multinational telecollaboration and form-focused instruction in computer-assisted language learning teacher education, this article investigates teaching English grammar through a seven-week-long telecollaborative project with 41 pre-service language teachers from the United States (US), Poland, and China. The telecollaboration was a pedagogical intervention in which the US participants taught grammar to their non-native-speaker peers. Specifically, the study aimed to trace pre-service teachers’ grammar instruction techniques applied in the communication-oriented context of online exchanges and responses to this instruction, the grammar forms attended to in the exchanges, and the participants’ evaluations of the usefulness of telecollaboration for teaching and learning grammar. Utilizing data from the participants’ emails and results of a post-project survey, this mixed methods study reveals that (1) the implicit technique of modeling was the most frequently applied; (2) the grammatical forms used in both implicit and explicit teaching reflected the communicative orientation of the exchanges; (3) the levels of uptake (i.e. attempts to follow the models provided in the input), and the forms attended to by the learners, reflected their proficiency levels and linguistic background; and (4) participants reported positive opinions about the value of telecollaboration in grammar instruction and in teacher training. The data thus underscore the benefits of online exchanges in giving prospective teachers hands-on experience with communicative grammar teaching.

Website analysis is an interdisciplinary field of inquiry that focuses on both digital literacy and language competence (Brugger, 2009). Website analysis in an EFL learning context has the potential to facilitate logical thinking and in the process develop functional language proficiency. This study reported on an English language website (http://www.travelbelize.org/) analysis experiment carried out for three weeks as an in-class and homework activity in a third year (junior) level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) course at a Japanese technical university. The purpose was to explore EFL learners’ ability to analyze an English language website and produce concrete design responses in English. During the first week of the analysis (involving sixteen students selected due to performing the best during earlier in-class website analysis activities on the course), participants produced their own responses to eight open-ended design questions about the website. The second week of the analysis (involving all 59 students on the course) tested the students’ ability to search for information from the website, and recorded their impressions about the website design based on standard usability questionnaires (CSUQ, QUIS, and MPRC). The third week of the analysis had the 59 students self-report on their use of meta-cognitive reading strategies (MARSI 1.0 Questionnaire) during the website analysis. The results of the questionnaires showed that, overall, the EFL students had a basic understanding of major design questions related to information organization, screen interface design, audience, technology used, etc. However, there was statistically significant variability between responses in different groups (comprehensive evaluation, webpage design, terminology and website information and website capabilities) and the respondents were not unanimous in their impressions about the website. The result of the student self-reports on metacognitive reading strategies showed wide acceptability and use of problem-solving strategies.

With innovative ways available to assess language performance through the use of computer technology, practitioners have to rethink their preferred strategies of language testing. It is necessary to take into account both the new developments in language learning and teaching research and also the latest features computers have to offer to help with language assessment. In addition to best practices developed over the years in the field, it is necessary for provision to be made for authentic assessments of intercultural communication abilities. After a review of the latest language-testing literature and a discussion of the current problems identified in it, this paper explores the latest developments in computer technology and proposes areas of language testing in the light of the new findings. A practical application follows. This is an adaptation, in a school board in Ontario, of the latest evaluation model. The model represents unit planning as an isosceles triangle with assessed assignments stacked in horizontal bands from the base to the vertex, i.e. the top. The suggestion is offered that this approach can be enriched, by changing the triangle into a pyramid with a different model on each side. Access to the four sides by rotation of the pyramid allows a broader range of activities culminating in one final assessment task at the summit.

There has of late been a call among language practitioners for the sophisticated new markup language XML to be used in Web-based tools for language learning (Mills, 1999; Riley, 2001; Godwin-Jones, 2000). This paper describes just such an application: the development of an interactive electronic resource book of learning tasks for English Language Teaching (ELT). The electronic resource book incorporates an authenticity-centred approach to language learning materials design, viz language learning based on authentic texts complemented by authentic tasks. The paper covers a general introduction to XML, describes the pedagogical model (i.e. the authenticity-centred approach) that it was used to realise, and describes the development of the XML-based system operating the electronic resource book. Among the conclusions of this paper are that this trial application reveals XML to be ideally suited to the realisation of such pedagogical models and that its greatly enhanced information management and linking potential promises an exciting future in the field of language teaching by providing the possibility for pedagogy-led technology rather than technology-led pedagogy.

Participation in online courses has become essential for training language professionals in under-resourced contexts with skills in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) (Godwin-Jones, 2014). Most online CALL courses use asynchronous computer-mediated communication (ACMC) to facilitate meaningful learning for participants. Although participants’ sustained engagement with ACMC is the target, global realities of participants interfere with their participation levels. This article investigates participants’ engagement profiles in asynchronous online discussions in an 8-week CALL-based global online course developed and implemented by a team at Iowa State University. Using a case study approach, nine focal participants’ engagement profiles have been analyzed in terms of identifying patterns of engagement in the discussion posts and their relation to the types of discussion prompts. Then, social network analysis (SNA) and thematic analysis were employed to investigate patterns of interaction among the participants in the replies. The results indicated that engagement patterns observed in discussion posts overall aligned with the primary goals of prompt types. SNA further identified two participants as social mediators to connect participants with each other. These findings are significant in that they suggest the effectiveness of using ACMC to promote co-construction of knowledge for a global audience. This article also provides implications regarding the design of discussion prompts to help maximize participant engagement with course content.

With the dramatic improvement in quality, machine translation has emerged as a tool widely adopted by language learners. Its use, however, has been a divisive issue in language education. We conducted an approximate replication of Lee (2020) about the impact of machine translation on EFL writing. This study used a mixed-methods approach with automatic text analyzer Coh-Metrix and human ratings, supplemented with questionnaires, interviews, and screen recordings. The findings obtained support most of the original work, suggesting that machine translation can help language learners improve their EFL writing proficiency, specifically in strengthening lexical expressions. Students generally hold positive attitudes towards machine translation, despite some skeptical views regarding the values of machine translation. Most students express a strong wish to learn how to effectively use machine translation. Machine translation literacy instruction is therefore suggested for incorporation into the curriculum for language students.

This paper presents the overall considerations and pedagogical approach which were at the basis of the development of an innovative web-based CALL application, Ellips (Electronic Language Learning Interactive Practising System). It describes the program’s most salient features, illustrating in particular the technical challenges involved in the realization of this multilingual, server-hosted, database-supported language-learning application. Ellips, the product of a cooperative project between four Dutch universities, offers effective web-based support for language learning in Higher Education (HE) institutions. Ellips focuses particularly on grammar training, listening and pronunciation skills; although it can be accessed on its own, it has been created with integration with virtual learning environments (VLEs) like Blackboard and WebCT in mind. As a matter of fact, Ellips offers functionality lacking in these systems, which have not been specifically developed for language learning and offer more assessment than practising opportunities. Moreover, in Ellips all learning materials are coded with language-specific metadata (mainly based on descriptors derived from the Common European Framework), so that developers can easily find and reuse materials and so-called ‘semi-adaptivity’ is allowed (students automatically receive more exercises on the topics which they have not yet mastered). Other important features of Ellips are full Unicode support, extensive feedback (for every item in an exercise and for the whole exercise), a student-tracking system, the use of (streaming) audio and video, and the possibility to record student input and store it in a portfolio.

The objective of this study is to investigate how low-proficiency English for Specific Purposes (ESP) students benefit from a hypermedia-enhanced learning environment, specifically in terms of incidental acquisition of lexical items in the target language. Additionally, this study aims at finding out how frequently the comprehension tools available from within the application were used by the learners. The hypermedia-assisted learning environment used in this study provides a rich environment where learners gain exposure to foreign language texts by listening and reading in the target language. Learners are invited to explore Chemistry-related video segments through listening comprehension questions in combination with access to various comprehension tools, for example, L1 translations of questions and answers, L2 video manuscript, translation of manuscript sentences, specific video segments containing answers to questions and video control tools. A total of 40 subjects with a low-intermediate proficiency level were exposed to the treatment. An achievement test was administered before the treatment as a pre-test, and two weeks following the completion of the treatment as a post-test, to evaluate retention. The courseware was set up by the researcher to record every user action and compile these data into user logs of behaviour data which were subsequently submitted to analysis. The findings of this experimental study are conclusive in suggesting that hypermedia-based instruction can provide an effective learning environment to build vocabulary among ESP students. It can be claimed that the access to a variety of comprehension tools results in a deep processing of the lexical items and can therefore contribute to favour retention.

This paper investigates the usefulness of Web portals in a workbench for assisting student interpreters in the search for and collection of vocabulary. The experiment involved a class of fifteen English as a Foreign Language (EFL) student interpreters, who were required to equip themselves with the appropriate English vocabulary to handle an interpreting task they had been assigned. The subjects were given the same topic for vocabulary building in two stages – one stage without and the other stage with the use of the workbench. They were not allowed to repeat vocabulary items in the two stages. They documented their experience in vocabulary preparation in the first stage, and provided think-aloud protocols for the second stage. They also completed a questionnaire and submitted two portfolios. The vocabulary portfolios compiled during the two stages were then compared. The results indicate that, with the use of the workbench, the subjects were more efficient in performing the task of building vocabulary by searching for the required vocabulary, and were able to build a vocabulary portfolio that was larger in size and richer in variety. The data also reveal that most students make use of Web portals that have a specific focus, rather than general search engines. The findings provide important information to support the use of the workbench as a tool for training EFL student interpreters in vocabulary building, and also show that guided Web portals are essential for users who need to perform Web-based language learning activities to achieve efficient search results.

This paper considers key questions concerning computer-based language-learning environments. Using evidence from current literature, it discusses the main characteristics of such environments including human, technical and physical resources, communicative structures, information management, and cultural contexts. It then uses data from an investigation of the universities of Cambridge, Toronto and Ulster to assess the pedagogical effectiveness of the computer-based environments currently in operation in these three institutions.

It considers, in particular, the integrative role that computer-based language learning environments seem to provide. Although each institution has integrated computer technology into language teaching and learning in different ways, a key element of each environment has been the establishment of a common computer-mediated infrastructure, enabling effective information dissemination, resource distribution, communication and teaching and learning. No single common infrastructure would be suitable in all three, however, in each case, it was found that the environments created were valuable, especially in integrating elements of the teaching and learning process that would normally have remained apart.

In concluding that the creation of a computer-based language learning environment in the present climate is beneficial, it was noted that adequate technical resources and a management that is keen to integrate computer technology into all aspects of university life is a key factor in their success.

Extracurricular reading is important for learning foreign languages. Text recommendation systems typically classify users and documents into levels, and then match users with documents at the same level. Although this approach can be effective, it has two significant shortcomings. First, the levels assume a standard order of language acquisition and cannot be personalized to the users’ learning patterns. Second, recommendation decisions are not transparent because the leveling algorithms can be difficult for users to interpret. We propose a novel method for text recommendation that addresses these two issues. To enhance personalization, an open, editable learner model estimates user knowledge of each word in the foreign language. The documents are ranked by new-word density (NWD) – that is, the percentage of words that are new to the user in the document. The system then recommends documents according to a user-specified target NWD. This design offers complete transparency as users can scrutinize recommendations by reviewing the NWD estimation of the learner model. This article describes an implementation of this method in a mobile app for learners of Chinese as a foreign language. Evaluation results show that users were able to manipulate the learner model and NWD parameters to adjust the difficulty of the recommended documents. In a survey, users reported satisfaction with both the concept and implementation of this text recommendation method.

This paper deals with the implementation of an “online pedagogical assistant” in a blended learning device for English for Special Purposes (ESP) students in a French university (UPMC, Paris VI). As it is now, it comprises a customized website designed to serve as a guide through the development of the students’ work.

The architecture of this website and the way it is meant to be used are parameters derived from the conclusions of action research carried out in 2007–2008 in another French university (Perpignan) amongst B1/B2 ESP students.1 The perspective of that study was to examine their needs when performing off site aural and written tasks. The data collected showed that the problems encountered were always the same – outlining a typology – and that most obstacles derived from A2/B1 elements they had already been through during their secondary education.

This application has been named an “online pedagogical assistant” because, by targeting the problems from the typology, it aims at leading students take care of their needs by themselves before emailing their productions to their tutor(s), particularly by pushing them into reflecting on a certain number of aspects they are already acquainted with but which they nonetheless tend to forget when working on their own.

From the typology of problems, a system of semi-automatic correction meant to help students proceed to self-corrections – notably through online references to relevant online help and exercises – has also been developed. In the correction phase of the students’ tasks, the purpose is therefore no longer for the tutor to correct their productions but to help them do it themselves.

Action research is in progress to evaluate the potential of those adjusted online tutorial practices in terms of second language (L2) acquisition.

The acquisition of foreign languages for specific purposes through e-learning strategies is one of the areas less researched and developed in the field of CALL. However, as a member of a recently completed Leonardo da Vinci Project, devoted to vocational training, the author will report on the findings of the Airline Talk project. The goals of the project were to supply materials which would promote continuing learning amongst airline staff in three target languages: English, German and Spanish. This paper focuses on the development, structure and language content of the Spanish courseware, ¡Bienvenido a bordo!, designed at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. The author discusses the process carried out by the project partners in order to satisfy learner demands in terms of learner orientation, process orientation and learner autonomy to achieve language competence through the development of communicative skills and interactivity. Issues that are described include: needs analysis, courseware specifications, exercise template design, graphical user interface and learner motivation. The results arising from the evaluation carried out at two different partner institutions will conclude the discussion.

One of the most common uses of the World Wide Web for foreign language learning is as a resource for students to find information when researching essay topics. When language instructors ask students to perform searches for information about a given issue it is assumed that students know how to perform those searches and appreciate the usefulness of the Web. However, we do not really know much about the relationship between learners and the Web: what processes are involved, how the students go about the search process and what their perceptions of the Web are. It is therefore essential that these assumptions are examined and researched. To find out more about these questions, a study was initiated with the aim of obtaining information on how foreign language higher education students interact with the Web in general and in the context of a search for content/reading tasks in particular. The goal was to produce a descriptive snapshot of student impressions and abilities at one given moment. For this purpose 198 students of Spanish at the University of Southampton were asked how they use the Web, what for, how they go about finding the information they need, what they perceive to be the advantages and disadvantages of using the Web as a research tool for language learning, to compare it to other resources and what their perceptions of it are. To measure their degree of online information literacy, a scale was created. In this paper the details of the project will be presented, and the findings of the study discussed.

In this paper, E. Esch and C. Zähner argue that the learners themselves are the key agents in the construction of new language learning environments. Learners differ in their ability to import new elements – such as ICTs – into their model of what constitutes an appropriate language learning environment. It is argued that accessibility, autonomy, ‘reflectivity’ and interactivity are conditions which must be met if ICTs are to become truly relevant to language learners. The way these principles have been guiding the development of the network-based language learning environment installed by the Language Centre of the University of Cambridge is described.

Today, people want to consult dictionaries of good quality, but they expect them to be available online for free. For this reason, publishers need advertisements to cover the costs of producing and maintaining online dictionary content. This paper aims to investigate the role of advertisements in language reception, production, and learning following online dictionary consultation. It also undertakes to determine whether advertisements in an online dictionary affect the time needed for dictionary-based decoding and encoding. In the experiment, participants consulted one of the most prestigious dictionaries of English for foreign learners, OALD9 (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 9th edition). Two versions of the dictionary were employed in the study: one that includes advertisements and is available online free of charge, and its advertisement-free counterpart, OALD9 Premium. In the receptive task, the participants were requested to explain the meaning of new English words. In the productive one, they had to use the words in sentences. Meaning retention was checked in the immediate post-test. The research reveals that advertisements in OALD9 impede language reception, production, and learning, and also extend the time for comprehending new words. Suggestions for further research into advertisements on dictionary websites are presented in the final part of the paper.