Language Learning Techniques Research Articles

Turkish intermediate EFL learners' perceptual learning style preferences and willingness to communicate across gender

In the educational setting, learning style plays an important role since individuals are unlike in terms of their learning styles. As the area of modern language, teaching and learning has evolved over the last several decades. The instructors and students have seen a number of significant shifts in language teaching, learning techniques and approaches. The late 1970s saw the emergence of perceptual learning style theory in educational discourse. This research included one hundred English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students who were studying English at a public university in Turkey. The current research examined the link between learners' perceptual learning style and readiness to communicate, as well as the influence of gender on these relationships. After obtaining agreement from the participants, two questionnaires were sent to the students. Having ascertained the assumptions of normality of data, the researchers used Pearson correlation coefficient and Independent sample t-test as a parametric test for relationship and difference analysis. The results of the analysis revealed a positive and significant correlation between the participants' visual learning style, group learning style and kinesthetic learning style preferences and their willingness to communicate. Moreover, it was revealed that there was not any significant relationship between tactile learning style, auditory learning style and individual learning style preferences of participants and their willingness to communicate. Moreover, it was found that, gender does not make any significant difference on perceptual learning style preference of learners and their willingness to communicate.

The effectiveness of intercultural comparison tasks in written discourse development: An empirical research

The paper aims at investigating the effectiveness of writing intercultural comparative essays during content and language integrated learning (CLIL) classes. This study briefly reviews the recent research into the written discourse competence development and examines if and how these results can be mirrored in currently applied second language teaching. Highlighting the prominence of intercultural comparison tasks in acquiring discourse competence and drawing largely from the questionnaire-based study, the author proposes suggestions for the written discourse improvement more fully addressing the task- and student-related dimensions of foreign language learning techniques.

Blessing and curse of crowdsourcing among educational experts - a study of teachers’ willingness to contribute as a crowd

Abstract Crowdsourcing is a new technique of gathering data or performing large scale tasks by outsourcing it to a wider public. Its role and potential in language education is investigated in first in its volume research - enetCollect (European Network for the Combination of Language Learning and Crowdsourcing Techniques) COST project. This paper presents the most pertinent data about highly successful crowdsourcing portals for language learning, some educational projects based on teacher’s contributions and analysis of a survey as a crowdsourcing activity. The paper analyses two surveys: a low response rate, large scale pan-European survey wherein a sample of language teachers od all station all over Europe was asked to answer some crowdsourcing related questions (Arhar Holdt et al., 2020) and a high response rate, small scale, survey among the distributors of the first survey in which they were asked to analyse the numbers and techniques they used to reach the crowd. The focus of this article is on an extension study to the teacher survey in which thousands of teachers were approached but the response rate was relatively low. While such low response data in other cases would have been perceived as a drawback and are rarely analyzed, in the context of crowdsourcing meta research this could be a goldmine of importance. The article demonstrates how educators mayor may not be willing to participate in a crowdsourcing activity.

Digital Technical Language Teaching ---- Teaching/Learning Principles of Duolingo

Duolingo is a free online language learning app. It adapts to the needs of “mobile learning” and allows language learners to take full advantage of “fragmented” time for language learning, using gamification and adaptive learning techniques to teach foreign languages. Once on the start screen of Duolingo, 16 language courses will be presented in English. Learners can control four learning modes and choose their learning styles. Beginners can start from basic courses. If you are not a beginner, take a five-minute placement test to match your placement. In addition to the 16 languages mentioned above, there are 38 language learning combinations (English <> Spanish, English > French, English > German or English > Portuguese, etc.). The system will prompt the user to create a personal profile to save the learning progress, and be able to set the learning, practicing content and learning time. Duolingo is as effective as any leading language learning software. As a language-learning app, Duolingo can be used as a tool for self-study or blended learning context.

Evaluation Model of College English Multimedia Teaching Effect Based on Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

With the acceleration of global integration, the demand for English instruction is increasingly rising. On the other hand, Chinese English learners struggle to learn spoken English due to the limited English learning environment and teaching conditions in China. The advancement of artificial intelligence technology and the advancement of language teaching and learning techniques have ushered in a new era of language learning and teaching. Deep learning technology makes it possible to solve this problem. Speech recognition and assessment technology are at the heart of language learning, and speech recognition technology is the foundation. Because of the complex changes in speech pronunciation, a large amount of speech signal data, the high dimension of speech characteristic parameters, and a large amount of speech recognition and evaluation computation, the large volume of speech signal processing requires higher requirements of hardware and software resources and algorithms. However, traditional speech recognition algorithms, such as dynamic time-warped algorithms, hidden Markov models, and artificial neural networks, have their advantages and disadvantages. They have encountered unprecedented bottlenecks, so it is difficult to improve their accuracy and speed. To solve these problems, this paper focuses on evaluating the multimedia teaching effect of college English. A multilevel residual convolutional neural network algorithm for oral English pronunciation recognition is proposed based on a deep convolutional neural network. The experiments show that our algorithm can assist learners in identifying inconsistencies between their pronunciation and standard pronunciation and correcting pronunciation errors, resulting in improved oral English learning performance.

ВІД МОДЕЛЕЙ ЗМІШАНОГО НАВЧАННЯ ДО ТЕХНОЛОГІЇ ВИКЛАДАННЯ АНГЛІЙСЬКОЇ МОВИ ОНЛАЙН В НЕЛІНГВІСТИЧНИХ ВИЩИХ НАВЧАЛЬНИХ ЗАКЛАДАХ УКРАЇНИ

The implications and effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the world educational community and the necessity to keep social distancing requirements and lockdown rules have sped up the course of evolution in education, causing rapid transition from Webenhanced learning processes through blended language learning techniques to fully online learning. When traditional face-to-face communication between teachers and students became impossible, the learning process switched to online and distance learning tools, which considering the need for communicative demand of foreign language teaching methods, produces necessity for particular attention and concern. The primary objective of the article is to analyze different distance learning tools and technologies as well as videoconferencing software in order to evaluate their benefits and adaptability to teaching English for Specific Purposes needs. The study used a number of general research methods: systems analysis – for disclosure of psychological-pedagogical and educational-methodical research results on the technological direction of the modern methodological conception; analysis and synthesis – to study the stages of technological influence on the foreign language teaching process; comparative analysis – to evaluate the most popular and commonly used distance learning and videoconferencing platforms. Generalization and prognostic methods have been applied for conclusions formulation. The article analyzes stages of technological influence on the teaching a foreign language process as well as clarifies definitions of related to it notions (web-enhanced, blended, hybrid, fully online learning). It specifies advantages and disadvantages of synchronous and asynchronous learning tools, dwells on positive and negative trends in fully online versus face-to-face EFL teaching process organization. A study of videoconferencing platforms like Zoom, GoogleMeet, BigBlueButton and an analysis of their applicability to teaching English ПРОБЛЕМИ ОСВІТИ ТА МЕТОДИКА ВИКЛАДАННЯУ ВИЩІЙ ШКОЛІ 164 Випуск IІ (82), 2021 needs has been carried out. Conducted analysis of distance learning tools, online teaching technologies as well as videoconferencing software is of practical importance for foreign language teachers who organize online language classes and can be applied for teaching English for Specific Purposes needs. Further research will be needed to analyze the characteristics and features of an array of distance education platforms as well as videoconferencing software that did not fit into the scope of this article.

Chatbots: Security, privacy, data protection, and social aspects

SummaryChatbots are artificial communication systems becoming increasingly popular and not all their security questions are clearly solved. People use chatbots for assistance in shopping, bank communication, meal delivery, healthcare, cars, and many other actions. However, it brings an additional security risk and creates serious security challenges which have to be handled. Understanding the underlying problems requires defining the crucial steps in the techniques used to design chatbots related to security. There are many factors increasing security threats and vulnerabilities. All of them are comprehensively studied, and security practices to decrease security weaknesses are presented. Modern chatbots are no longer rule‐based models, but they employ modern natural language and machine learning techniques. Such techniques learn from a conversation, which can contain personal information. The paper discusses circumstances under which such data can be used and how chatbots treat them. Many chatbots operate on a social/messaging platform, which has their terms and conditions about data. The paper aims to present a comprehensive study of security aspects in communication with chatbots. The article could open a discussion and highlight the problems of data storage and usage obtained from the communication user—chatbot and propose some standards to protect the user.

Influence of COVID-19 on Students’ Sign Language Learning in a Teacher-Preparation Program in Saudi Arabia: Moving to E-Learning

This research aims to uncover higher education students’ experiences regarding sign language learning with online learning platforms and learning experiences during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic in one of the teacher-preparation programs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) as learning the basics of sign language is one of the essential elements in the teacher-preparation program for future teachers to be able to interact with their deaf students. Qualitative research method, structured individual interviews were employed to collect data to understand students’ experiences, knowledge, expectations, and thoughts of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the sudden and unplanned movement to online teaching tools on their sign language learning and practices. A total of 24 female students enrolled in a special education bachelor program were interviewed in this study. Fifteen participants thought that the COVID-19 crisis influenced their sign language learning and practices, while six of the interviewees reported no impact, and three were not sure. Data revealed some disadvantages, difficulties, and concerns of learning sign language through e-learning tools and some advantages of sign language learning using e-learning tools during the COVID-19 pandemic and are presented alongside examples of the interviewees’ statements. This study presented some practice recommendations like integrating digital game-based learning, web and phone applications to practice sign language to endorse effective and innovative sign language learning and practices techniques.

An Anatomization of Language Detection and Translation using NLP Techniques

The issue with identifying language relates to process of determining natural language in which specific text is written. This is one of the big difficulties in the processing of natural languages. Still, they also pose a problem in improving multiclass classification in this area. Language detection and translation a significant Language Identification task are required. The language analysis method may be carried out according to tools available in a particular language if the source language is known. A successful language detection algorithm determines the achievement of the sentiment analysis task and other identification tasks. Processing natural language and machine learning techniques involve knowledge that is annotated with its language. Algorithms for natural language processing must be updated according to language's grammar.This paper proposes a secure language detection and translation technique to solve the security in natural language processing problems. Language detection algorithm based on char n-gram based statistical detector and translation Yandex API is used.While translating, there should be encryption and decryption for that we are using AES Algorithm.

The study of language learning in multilingual education: students’ perceptions of their language learning experience in Basque, Spanish and English

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on teaching techniques for language learning as related to student satisfaction on multilingual compulsory education in the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC), where Basque and Spanish are official languages and English is taught as a foreign language. Using a multilingual approach, the paper discusses similarities and differences between the relationships found for the teaching techniques and the satisfaction levels in the three languages (Basque, Spanish and English). The results of the T-test analysis show significant differences between the three languages in the use of teaching techniques and levels of satisfaction. Additionally, the patterns of relationship between the teaching techniques and the language learning satisfaction levels show some weak relationship in the three languages, being learner-centred teaching techniques related to satisfaction levels. Results are explained according to some assumptions in language acquisition, and related to the context of the study. Finally, we discuss some opportunities for language teaching in multilingual contexts with a minority language.

PERCEPTION OF JAPANESE LEARNERS TOWARDS ONLINE PEER RESPONSE ACTIVITIES

Technological advances have led to developments in language learning techniques; one of the techniques is the online peer response. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of Japanese language learners of Indonesia towards online peer response activities. This research is survey research. The respondents of this study are 22 Indonesian intermediate level Japanese language learners. The result of this study is the students' perception of peer response activities that cannot be said to be positive. However, learners still feel the benefits of this activity.

A Study on 'English Language Teaching' (ELT) in Telugu Speaking States

The importance of the English language in the educational field is clear from the fact that many countries have made English an official language. Consequently, English language teaching (ELT) has become one of the significant growth industries around the world in recent years. The English language teaching tradition has been subject to tremendous change, especially throughout the twentieth century. Perhaps more than any other discipline, this tradition has been practised in various adaptations in language classrooms all around the world for centuries. While the teaching of Maths or Physics, that is, the methodology of teaching Maths or Physics, has, to a greater or lesser extent, remained the same, this is hardly the case with English or language teaching in general. As will become evident in this short paper, there are some milestones in the development of this tradition, which we will briefly touch upon, in an attempt to reveal the importance of research in the selection and implementation of the optimal methods and techniques for language teaching and learning.

Insights Into Monolingual Malaysian and Bilingual Indonesian Undergraduates Majoring in English

This research investigated the connection between language learning strategy (LLS) preferences utilized by monolingual Malaysian Malay students and bilingual Indonesian students who are specializing in English language and in the second year of their studies. The study was conducted among 50 Yogyakarta State University (Indonesia) students and 50 University Putra Malaysia (Malaysia) students. Strategy Inventory for Language learning (SILL), Version 7.0(ESL/EFL) by R. Oxford 1989 was utilized to measure the types of learning strategies used by the undergraduates of both the universities. The data was analyzed by using the t-test. The researcher wanted to investigate what language learning strategies do monolingual and bilingual students use and if there were differences in the use of language learning technique between the two set of students. The findings of this study indicated that monolingual and bilingual undergraduates majoring in English employed a wide selection of language learning methodology to learn English. The t-test indicated that there were obvious distinctions between monolingual and bilingual learners. Anyhow the monolinguals in this study were more prone to use cognitive, meta-cognitive and social language learning techniques. This reporting of greater strategies used by monolinguals that was not consistent with past studies, give some reinforce for the new argument that monolinguals demonstrate advanced skills when learning a new language. This is an important insight as it has pedagogical implications in terms of curriculum and assessment design for undergraduate programs related to language learning.

A review of gamified techniques for foreign language learning

A review of gamified techniques for foreign language learning

KEBIMBANGAN BERBAHASA LISAN MURID BAHASA ARAB DI SEKOLAH MENENGAH AGAMA DI MALAYSIA

Anxiety is an affective factor that plays an important role in affecting the mastery and achievement of a language learning. It should be emphasized because the process of language teaching and learning depends on stu-dents' level of emotional readiness and cognitive ability.This study aimed to explore the level of language anxiety in Arabic listening and speaking skills among Malaysian secondary school students in Malaysia. To this end, a set of Likert-scale questionnaires was distributed to 500 fourth-grade students in 20 religious secondary schools who were randomly se-lected randomly based on their zones in Malaysia. This study was quanti-tative by using descriptive data analysis. The findings indicate that the level of Arabic language proficiency in listening skills, in general, is in the medium to high level of value (Min = 3.48; SP = 0.64) and that the level of spoken anxiety is also in the medium to high level (Min = 3.29; SP = 0.57). This study suggests that teachers should always be aware of the students' psychological needs by always motivating, encouraging and using effec-tive teaching methods so that their concerns about learning Arabic can beovercome. Selecting appropriate Arabic language learning techniques and strategies among students can also overcome the language anxiety prob-lem among them.

Desarrollo de herramientas para favorecer el aprendizaje del inglés

The objective of this work is the creation of tools for learning the English language using augmented reality and humanoid robots, in order to interact with people autonomously in the learning process. For this, the contents of the English language programs and programs at the higher level were reviewed, language area heads and teachers were interviewed, in order to finish cable issues in language learning. At present, having a second language in the field of education today is considered a necessity. Currently, higher level institutions use English language learning techniques based on books, flash-cards, slides, audios, videos, etc. From the above it is proposed to develop learning tools capable of interacting with users autonomously. This leads to solving major learning problems using human computer and robotic human interaction. What is presented are two tools for learning the English language, the first based on augmented reality and the second using Nao humanoid robot.

Adult Learning and Language Simplification.

Languages spoken in larger populations are relatively simple. A possible explanation for this is that languages with a greater number of speakers tend to also be those with higher proportions of non‐native speakers, who may simplify language during learning. We assess this explanation for the negative correlation between population size and linguistic complexity in three experiments, using artificial language learning techniques to investigate both the simplifications made by individual adult learners and the potential for such simplifications to influence group‐level language characteristics. In Experiment 1, we show that individual adult learners trained on a morphologically complex miniature language simplify its morphology. In Experiment 2, we explore how these simplifications may then propagate through subsequent learning. We use the languages produced by the participants of Experiment 1 as the input for a second set of learners, manipulating (a) the proportion of their input which is simplified and (b) the number of speakers they receive their input from. We find, contrary to expectations, that mixing the input from multiple speakers nullifies the simplifications introduced by individuals in Experiment 1; simplifications at the individual level do not result in simplification of the population's language. In Experiment 3, we focus on language use as a mechanism for simplification, exploring the consequences of the interaction between individuals differing in their linguistic competence (as native and non‐native speakers might). We find that speakers who acquire a more complex language than their partner simplify their language during interaction. We ultimately conclude that adult learning can result in languages spoken by more people having simpler morphology, but that idiosyncratic simplifications by non‐natives do not offer a complete explanation in themselves; accommodation—by comparatively competent non‐natives to less competent speakers, or by native speakers to non‐natives—may be a key linking mechanism.

American Sign Language and English bilingualism: educators’ perspectives on a bicultural education

ABSTRACT Teaching a second language to students who are Deaf and hard-of-hearing is unique because language learning techniques often disrupt spoken/phonocentric models of bilingual language learning that require speech before learning to read and write. Balanced bilingual educational strategies in education of Deaf and hard-of-hearing students include chaining concepts using American Sign Language (ASL) rather than relying on speech and lip-reading. Rather than focusing on speech as an initial step to learning English, ASL is used to teach reading and writing of English. Five face-to-face interviews with educators at a large Deaf residential school serve to explore issues and prescriptions for teaching language to Deaf students. Five themes are used for discussion: understanding ASL–English bilingualism, the significance of technology in Deaf education, the goals of bilingual language models, how identification plays a role in language learning, and suggestions for ideal ways to teach Deaf students. Limitations and suggestions for future research are offered.

Incorporating Controversial Issues in Critical Thinking Lesson: A Case Study of EFL Classroom

This case study investigated the issue of incorporating controversial topics in EFL classroom of pre-university students and their attitude toward such controversial topics namely, E-stalking in terms of their own cultural background. The objective of the study was to bring a new dimension in language teaching and learning in Bangladeshi educational system by introducing controversial issues in critical thinking lesson plan. Bangladeshi educational system is solely dependent on the grammar-translation method where including the controversial issue in a language classroom is a completely new experiment for both the teacher and learners. BRAC Institute of Language (BIL) of BRAC University is trying to come out from this traditional teacher oriented methods by implementing new modern approaches and techniques for language learning. This case study was a part of teaching critical thinking, aiming to improve their English language learning. The rationale that the study adopts for introducing controversial topics in EFL curricula is based on the assumption that it helps learners in developing their linguistic and cognitive skills, social awareness, emotional well-being and critical thinking that are compatible with the new approaches and methods of teaching EFL. The present study analyzed data that was collected from the students of pre-university (pre-intermediate level) program and found that majority of the students welcomed the topic E-stalking and showed their positive attitude throughout the lesson. This paper also revealed the importance and possible challenges of incorporating controversial topics in EFL classroom. This study ended with some recommendations made by the researcher’s own observation while conducting the lesson.

Creating A Web-Based Online Flashcard for Korean Vocabulary Memorization

The Korean language is one of the most enthused language these days, mainly caused by the Hallyu wave. In traditional language learning techniques, flashcards are often used to help memorize simple syllables. Nowadays, online flashcards are used as a replacement for the traditional flashcards, which are proven to be more effective in many ways. However, the lack of use of appropriate methods to learn a new language will result in slower learning process. Therefore, by implementing a suitable method such as the Leitner method to an online flashcard will improve the learning process. The Leitner method sets aside the questions that can be answered easily and allows users to focus on questions that cannot be recalled consistently by distributing a set of questions in five different sections. Every question that can be answered by the user is moved to the next compartment, where the question will be repeated after a specified period of time. System usability scale is used to measure the usability of the application. This application has been successfully designed and built using the Leitner method to give the user the suitable interval of time for learning with flashcards and achieved a system usability scale score of 82,5