Specific Language Research Articles

Defining Graduate Academic Yiddish Proficiency: Results of an Evidence-Based Study

In the field of second language pedagogy, it has become increasingly common to consider the real-world usage for language when strategizing goals and curriculum development for language instruction. Emerging from a reverse design perspective, which prioritizes desired outcomes as a starting place for curricular design, language instructors identify and define the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) they aim for their students to acquire. In cases in which existing proficiency guidelines are not well aligned with the real-world language use that a particular course is targeting, it is becoming increasingly common for instructors to design Languages for Special Purposes (LSP) courses that reflect the unique uses certain bodies of students may have for the language. This paper considers one such case, that of Yiddish for Academic Purposes. Using domain analysis, a multidimensional research framework that supports and undergirds the development of new LSP courses in an assessment-driven proficiency-oriented reverse design framework and evidence-centered design (ECD), this study presents a series of target KSAs for Yiddish for Academic Purposes, on the basis of which curriculum developers could build assessments and subsequently curricula aligned with one another and with the specific language usage unique to the real-world language use domain of graduate academic Yiddish. This process of domain analysis could be replicated for other languages when academic usage is considered as a specific purpose for which an LSP course could be developed. This study is particularly relevant to the development of LSP courses for less commonly taught languages (LCTLs), which tend to be under-resourced and under-researched. Examining academic applications of LCTLs is particularly essential for those languages for which there are fewer, or more constrained, other “real world” applications for the language outside of academic use than there are for more commonly spoken languages.

MGLEP: Multimodal Graph Learning for Modeling Emerging Pandemics with Big Data

Accurate forecasting and analysis of emerging pandemics play a crucial role in effective public health management and decision-making. Traditional approaches primarily rely on epidemiological data, overlooking other valuable sources of information that could act as sensors or indicators of pandemic patterns. In this paper, we propose a novel framework, MGLEP, that integrates temporal graph neural networks and multi-modal data for learning and forecasting. We incorporate big data sources, including social media content, by utilizing specific pre-trained language models and discovering the underlying graph structure among users. This integration provides rich indicators of pandemic dynamics through learning with temporal graph neural networks. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our framework in pandemic forecasting and analysis, outperforming baseline methods across different areas, pandemic situations, and prediction horizons. The fusion of temporal graph learning and multi-modal data enables a comprehensive understanding of the pandemic landscape with less time lag, cheap cost, and more potential information indicators.

Generative AI Chatbot for Engineering Scientific Journal

Abstract: This study focuses on exploring the potential of artificial intelligence as an alternative, effective, and user-preferred tool for answering inquiries, compared to traditional methods such as FAQs or email and ticketing systems. The study highlights how AI can enhance efficiency and accuracy in processing and responding to inquiries from readers, authors, and reviewers, by providing immediate and customized answers based on the analysis of information available on the journal's website and the data fed to the chatbot. Through in-depth discussions and an analysis of the inquiries received over a full six months, totaling about 3000 inquiries, the study demonstrates the good ability of the chatbot to understand complex inquiries and provide satisfactory answers. The study indicates that chatbots can reduce the workload on editorial teams of scientific journals by automating responses to routine inquiries, allowing staff to dedicate more time to editorial and academic tasks. One of the key aspects of training is teaching the chatbot to provide correct answers to various inquiries and to avoid responding to negative or redundant inquiries. The research explores the challenges of applying AI in this context, including the need to train smart models to understand specific academic language and ensure accuracy in responses, as well as addressing privacy concerns and data security. The importance of designing flexible and adaptable AI systems to meet the diverse requirements of different scientific journals and their users is emphasized. The study concludes that artificial intelligence is a promising tool for improving the interaction between academic journals and their communities, offering an effective alternative to traditional systems. It highlights the necessity for ongoing research and development to enhance AI capabilities. Notably, the AI tool currently lacks a direct method for correcting its wrong answers, which is one of the most effective learning tools used by parents to correct their children's answers. One of the key recommendations of the study is that AI training should be conducted in stages.

ENGLISH SPECIFIC PURPOSES PERSPECTIVE: IDENTIFYING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEEDS OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING STUDENTS

The development of effective English language proficiency among Guidance and Counselling students is crucial for their academic success and future professional endeavours. However, there is a gap in the literature concerning the specific language needs and preferences of this student population within the field of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). This study aims to identify the essential English sub-skills required by Guidance and Counselling students currently enrolled in the second semester of the 2022–2023 academic year, encompassing listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Employing a descriptive quantitative method, data was collected through an online questionnaire administered to 53 students. The findings highlight the importance of listening comprehension skills, with 79.3% recognizing the value of understanding lectures and classmates during English lessons. Additionally, the study emphasizes the significance of proficient speaking abilities for facilitating dialogues, with 66.7% valuing discussions on general and current topics with classmates. Furthermore, the ability to critically analyse internet articles (64.4%) emerged as the most valued reading skill for evidence-based practice and cross-cultural sensitivity. Lastly, the participants most recognized the importance of writing skills for conducting group research in English (56.3%). Overall, the study underscores the multidimensional nature of English language proficiency required for Guidance and Counselling students and the need for an integrated approach to language education that fosters well-rounded competence. By addressing these language needs, educational institutions can better prepare students for the communicative demands of their future roles as counsellors.

Evaluation of visual property specification languages based on practical model-checking experience

Formal verification methods like model checking can provide mathematical proofs of design correctness, so their use is justified in applications where safety or reliability requirements are high. A key challenge for the wider adoption of model checking is the effort and expertise needed in formalizing functional requirements into verifiable properties. A particular challenge in specifying formal properties for industrial instrumentation and control (I&C) logics is accounting for the sequencing and timing issues that arise from, e.g., the dynamic behavior of the plant being controlled. In this paper, we evaluate different visual property specification languages that are aimed at making formal methods more accessible. We have collected 3923 formal properties from practical model checking projects in the nuclear and rail traffic industries and identified the most commonly occurring types of properties. Based on the sample data, a real-world example logic, and our practical experience, we identify requirements for a user-friendly property specification language most suited for our specific domain of industrial I&C.

A decentralized model for usage and information flow control in distributed systems

Data usage control enables data owners to enforce policies for their data, by defining authorizations, but also obligations, which are actions to be performed before, during or after being granted access such as accepting web cookies, and conditions bearing on the system and environment attributes, e.g., the time. Usage control is often coupled with information flow control to monitor how data are propagated. While usage control is well established and modeled in centralized systems, the literature has only partially addressed usage control for distributed systems, for instance by distributing the usage control system components. However, when it comes to assigning policy to certain data, it is always enforced by a central authority. This paper proposes an extended usage control model to integrate decentralized information flow control (DIFC), which enables users to decide collectively which policy to apply to their common data. Functions to handle connection status aspects are also considered, for dynamic Internet of Things (IoT) or peer-to-peer networks where parts of the distributed network can be disconnected. Architectural aspects and formal definitions to enable decentralized policies for shared data are proposed as a novelty, resulting from the integration of DIFC. We used the TLA+ formal specification language on the proposed model and its attached model checker TLC to detect potential issues. We detected potential deadlocks due to the new connection functions as well as temporal ordering issues then suggested mitigations accordingly. A privacy analysis is provided using a car-sharing scenario to highlight the benefits of usage control.

Neuromodulation of the Right Motor Cortex of the Lips With Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Reduce Phonological Impairment and Improve Naming in Three Persons With Aphasia: A Single-Case Experimental Design.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can enhance aphasia recovery. Most studies have used inhibitory stimulation targeting the right inferior frontal gyrus. However, the motor cortex, observed to contribute to the prediction of aphasia recovery, is involved in word production and could be an appropriate target for rTMS. We aimed to observe behavioral changes in a picture naming task induced by inhibitory rTMS targeting the right motor cortex of the lips in people with poststroke aphasia. Using a single-case experimental design, we included three participants with chronic poststroke aphasia who had phonological deficits. Each participant performed a verbal picture naming task 3 times a week for 2, 3, or 4 weeks (pseudorandom across participants) to establish a baseline naming ability for each participant. These were not therapy sessions, and no feedback was provided. Then, each participant received the intervention, inhibitory continuous theta burst stimulation targeting the right motor cortex of the lips, 3 times a week for 2 weeks. Naming testing continued 3 times a week, for these latter 2 weeks. No therapy was performed at any time during the study. Visual analysis of the graphs showed a positive effect of rTMS for P2 and P3 on picture naming accuracy and a tendency toward improvement for P1. Statistical analysis showed an improvement after rTMS for P1 (τ = 0.544, p = .013, SETau = 0.288) and P2 (τ = 0.708, p = .001, SETau = 0.235). For P3, even if the intervention allowed some improvement, this was statistically nonsignificant due to a learning effect during the baseline naming testing, which lasted the longest, 4 weeks. Regarding specific language features, phonological errors significantly decreased in all patients. The motor cortex of the lips could be an appropriate target for rTMS to improve naming in people with poststroke aphasia suffering from a phonological deficit. This suggests the possibility to individualize the target for rTMS, according to the patient's linguistic impairment.

Speaking English as an additional language: using a Delphi technique to identify the competencies needed by EPs working with EAL students and families

ABSTRACT The proportion of pupils with English as an additional language (EAL) has steadily risen in recent years in England, reaching just under one in five of all pupils aged 5–16 in 2021, with a total of over 365 languages spoken between them. Despite educational psychologists’ (EPs) practice being concerned with reduction of barriers that prevent children from fully accessing education, a review of the educational psychology literature provides little information to suggest that EPs are responding to the increasing linguistic diversity of their client group. Further, there is a lack of shared understanding among EPs of the specific competencies needed to address the specific language needs of this population. Through a three-round Delphi, 90 statements were identified as key features required for EP practice with EAL students and families; these statements were then structured into a guiding framework for EP practice. The implications of this framework, and its limitations, are discussed.

Research on the Training and Application Methods of a Lightweight Agricultural Domain-Specific Large Language Model Supporting Mandarin Chinese and Uyghur

In the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP), the lack of support for minority languages, especially Uyghur, the scarcity of Uyghur language corpora in the agricultural domain, and the lightweight nature of large language models remain prominent issues. This study proposes a method for constructing a bilingual (Uyghur and Chinese) lightweight specialized large language model for the agricultural domain. By utilizing a mixed training approach of Uyghur and Chinese, we extracted Chinese corpus text from agricultural-themed books in PDF format using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology, converted the Chinese text corpus into a Uyghur corpus using a rapid translation API, and constructed a bilingual mixed vocabulary. We applied the parameterized Transformer model algorithm to train the model for the agricultural domain in both Chinese and Uyghur. Furthermore, we introduced a context detection and fail-safe mechanism for the generated text. The constructed model possesses the ability to support bilingual reasoning in Uyghur and Chinese in the agricultural domain, with higher accuracy and a smaller size that requires less hardware. It (our work) addresses issues such as the scarcity of Uyghur corpora in the agricultural domain, mixed word segmentation and word vector modeling in Uyghur for widespread agricultural languages, model lightweighting and deployment, and the fragmentation of non-relevant texts during knowledge extraction from small-scale corpora. The lightweight design of the model reduces hardware requirements, facilitating deployment in resource-constrained environments. This advancement promotes agricultural intelligence, aids in the development of specific applications and minority languages (such as agriculture and Uyghur), and contributes to rural revitalization.

Διερεύνηση απόψεων ξενόγλωσσων εκπαιδευτικών Α΄ θμιας Εκπαίδευσης για τον ρόλο των ψηφιακών τεχνολογιών στη διδασκαλία της ξένης γλώσσας

In recent years, digital technologies have penetrated all areas of human activity. The foreign language teacher has access to multimodal, multimedia texts that contribute to the development of language and communication skills, while using tools that provide the opportunity for interaction in authentic learning environments. This quantitative research aims to explore the views of foreign language teachers serving in public and private sector primary schools on the role of digital technologies in foreign language teaching. 80 foreign language teachers participated in the survey and an electronic questionnaire was used as a research tool. The main aspects of the survey are related to the extent to which digital tools are used in foreign language teaching and assessment, the technical equipment of classrooms, the identification of obstacles in the pedagogical use of digital media and, finally, the development of specific language skills in foreign language teaching. It emerged that issues of technical support and lack of equipment are of concern to teachers, the need for continuous training was highlighted and difficulties related to classroom management and the formation of a digital culture for students were recorded.

Quand penser à l’existence d’un trouble spécifique du développement et des apprentissages associé au TDAH de l’enfant ?

After the initial recommendations in 2014 on child attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) published by the French Haute Autorité de santé (HAS), followed in 2018 by those devoted to specific learning and developmental disorders, and the new recommendations on child ADHD published in the third quarter of 2024 by the HAS, the issue of comorbidities between ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders remains a daily challenge for both families and professionals. This work therefore suggests that professionals who have suspected or diagnosed ADHD in a child or adolescent broaden their consideration, particularly concerning specific developmental and learning disorders that may be associated. They should rely on already available information, particularly from schools, and on screening tools accessible to primary and secondary care physicians before prescribing any additional assessments. Neurodevelopmental disorders include a large variety of conditions involving ADHD, motor disorders (among them developmental coordination disorder [DCD]), language and communication disorders (among them specific language disorder [SLD]), specific learning disorders (SLD) (written language both on the receptive and expressive side and mathematical disorders), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and intellectual development disorder. We propose herein a brief description of these potential comorbid conditions, together with alert signs, which might give clues towards a diagnostic procedure of associated troubles. Moreover, comorbidities are often potential differential diagnosis. We therefore propose in our publication the tables published by the French HAS to help professionals to be aware of these conditions, with alert signs. Prevalence of these comorbidities benefit from our preliminary but exhaustive data from Parcours de Santé TSLA Occitanie on the prevalence of ADHD among complex neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) with an estimation of more than 80% of concerned children and adolescent being eligible to a diagnosis of ADHD, representing an incidence of 5.6% between age 6 to 15. Among diagnosed ADHD children, comorbidities remain the rule, with specific learning disorders involving reading and spelling (dyslexia/dysorthographia): 46 to 62%, followed by developmental disorders: 41%, developmental language disorders: 24%, and specific learning disorders of mathematical abilities: 17%. This high-level of comorbidities confirms the need for each child to benefit from a multidisciplinary evaluation in various areas of development, particularly to detect secondary difficulties in learning (written language and math) or development (language, motricity), which might be masked by significant behavioural difficulties, or more subtly by pure inattention forms with primarily academic impact. Other comorbidities also need to be investigated, both towards social abilities, and secondary emotional consequences or comorbidities of ADHD including anxiety and depression. Our work also reviews data from literature about the conceptual framework between comorbidity and cause/consequence relationships, within a more comprehensive developmental perspective of various cognitive functions.

Psychometric Features of the Arabic Version of the Children's Communication Checklist (CCC2).

The Children's Communication Checklist-Second Edition (CCC-2) uniquely assesses overlooked communication elements such as pragmatics and context use, which are rarely addressed by conventional language assessments. This study focuses on the psychometric assessment of the CCC-2's Arabic version, tailored to evaluate communication challenges in Arabic-speaking children. This study aims to validate the Arabic version of CCC-2 by testing its reliability and validity specifically for three higher-order constructs: Specific Language Impairment (SLI), Social Communication Disorder (SCD), and Impaired Behaviour within the Arabic-speaking population. A total of 121 participants in Saudi Arabia, showcasing diverse age and gender distributions, participated in the validation process. The study employed a Reflective-Reflective Higher-Order Construct (R-R HOC) model using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to ensure content validity and cross-cultural adaptation of the translated items. Metrics such as Cronbach's alpha for reliability and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) for convergent validity were specifically examined. The study confirmed the reliability and validity of the Arabic CCC-2, demonstrating robust psychometric properties, with Cronbach's alpha and AVE scores indicating satisfactory reliability and convergent validity across constructs. Structural model evaluation further supported the strong interrelations among the constructs of SLI, SCD, and Impaired Behaviour. The results substantiate the Arabic CCC-2 as a reliable and valid tool for assessing communication challenges in Arabic-speaking children, particularly for diagnosing SLI, SCD, and Impaired Behaviour. The validated Arabic CCC-2 has significant potential for application in clinical and educational settings and suggests directions for future research to explore its utility further in diverse clinical populations.

Factors Influencing Preservice EFL Teachers’ Technology Integration Into Language Teaching

In the 21st century, preservice EFL teachers must be able to integrate technology into language education. However, very little research has been carried out on the specific factors that influence preservice teachers to integrate appropriate technology into their language teaching. This study aimed to explore exactly what influences preservice EFL teachers to choose the appropriate technology to incorporate into their lessons through a two-cycle design-based research study. The findings suggest that preservice EFL instructors' comprehension of language teaching methods and approaches has the greatest influence on technological integration in their classrooms. In addition, the instructor’s direct guidance also facilitates their appropriate technology integration into language teaching. As a result, teacher education programs are designed to provide preservice EFL instructors with language teaching methods and approaches before assisting them in learning how to incorporate appropriate technology into specific language teaching methods or approaches. Finally, the researchers suggest that instructors also provide direct advice to preservice EFL teachers as they explore the incorporation of technology into language education.

الصلح في التحفيظ العقاري كآلية بديلة لفك النزاعات

It is known that real estate preservation disputes are characterized by the complexity of their procedures, their high cost, and the length of the decision-making process. There was no way out of this impasse except to find a legal mechanism for settling disputes, namely: “reconciliation”; Where the legislator sought to include it within the jurisdiction of the real estate portfolio. However, this mechanism began to raise many questions such as the extent to which the reconciliation is considered binding by the real estate governor, and what are the implications of it, and the extent to which the records completed in this regard acquire the legal value, and the extent of the efficacy of conducting it in the disputes of real estate preservation cases. This study aims to highlight the role given by the Western real estate legislator to the Governor's Institution in order to strengthen the preservation procedure through the reconciliation mechanism. To address the issue from its various aspects, according to the questions raised, we have adopted multiple approaches. Including the descriptive method, which is indispensable in the study of any legal topic, in addition to the analytical method, through which we analyze legal requirements, especially new ones, as well as the inductive method. The researchers concluded that there are several obstacles that prevent people from benefiting from the reconciliation mechanism in real estate conservation disputes. They also presented a set of suggestions, including the inclusion of specific language within real estate conservation laws requiring the governor to conduct reconciliation and the official documentation of the reconciliation process.The researchers concluded that there are several obstacles that lead to the failure to benefit from the reconciliation mechanism in disputes related to real estate conservation. They also presented a set of suggestions, including the inclusion of specific literal text within real estate conservation laws requiring the governor to conduct reconciliation and the official documentation of the reconciliation process.

Transvaginal radiofrequency ablation of a myoma in 10 key steps

To describe transvaginal radiofrequency ablation of myomas (TRAM) in 10 key steps. Video article. University hospital. A 38-year-old woman presented with menometrorrhagia and consequent chronic anemia (hemoglobin 8.5 g/dL) caused by a cervical myoma measuring 51 cm3. Initially, a cervicovaginal embolization was performed, but without any improvement in symptoms. Given the complex position of the myoma (close proximity to the uterine arteries), as well as the patient's desire for future pregnancies, a TRAM was proposed. Not applicable. Volume of myoma and menometrorrhagia 6 months after treatment. Not applicable. Transvaginal radiofrequency ablation of myomas is a quick, simple, minimally invasive, and easily reproducible technique. It could be an interesting alternative to the conventional laparoscopic and open-surgical treatments of myomas. There is a lack of high-quality data establishing TRAM safety in infertility and pregnancy. The only available radiofrequency ablation device in the United States has specific language stating that this procedure is not recommended for women considering future pregnancy.

Designing an ESP Syllabus for International Relations: Insights from a Needs Analysis Study

The distinct research of ESP (English for Specific Purposes) for International Relations (IR) students is rarely explored despite the growing need of ESP for this particular group of students. These students must demonstrate proficiency in specific language competences for a variety of purposes, including arguing, negotiating, and participating in IR-related debates. Facilitating students' ownership of the necessary capabilities is critical to ensuring that they acquire them successfully.This study aims to depict the important use of needs analysis in syllabus making for EFIR (English for International Relations). A decent preparation of the syllabus contributes to the success of the ESP implementation. In this study, the researcher involved students and expert practitioners’ intuitions as the sources of the needs analysis. The participants of this research were 108 IR students and two expert practitioners. These students were asked to filled out a questionnaire while some more-detailed interviews were conducted by involving nine stand out students that represent high, middle and low-achiever students. In addition, the four expert practitioners that consist of two lecturers and two IR graduates were interviewed to enrich the needs analysis data. All of the data were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative analysis. The finding of this study is the syllabus that can be applied for universities that provide the same ESP program for its students. The syllabus that was constructed by considering the stakeholders' needs analysis hopefully could be a useful guidance for EFIR implementation.

زبان کے معیار کے تعین کی ضرورت و اہمیت اور میڈیا کا کردار

Debates in setting benchmarks for a specific language have great significance which covers the areas like pronunciation, accent, tone and idioms etc. As Urdu is national language of Pakistan. It is need of the hour to establish certain parameters and may be incorporated in different spheres of life to create uniformity in oral as well as in written communication like diction and orthography. In this way a standard may be evolved in textbooks, electronic media and print media. In this article, researcher discusses the issues in Pakistan perspective and proposes certain recommendations to fix the problem.

Research on Data Intelligent Generation and Analysis Based on ChatGPT

This paper conducts research on data intelligent generation and analysis based on the ChatGPT model. To explore ChatGPT's performance and limitations in machine translation tasks, the concepts of the Transformer model and previous studies were reviewed to gain a deep understanding of the principles and roles of components such as attention mechanisms, encoders, decoders, and word embeddings. By controlling ChatGPT through code for machine translation and performing manual verification, the model's limitations in handling synonyms, technical terms, and specific domain languages were identified.

Особенности манипуляции сознанием и поведением посредством образно-символических конструктов в идеологии религиозных социальных институтов

The article examines religion as a social institution. A definition of manipulation is given, and the main criteria for influencing mass consciousness, which makes it possible to determine the behavior of social groups and individuals are formulated. The substantive basis for the objectification of symbols through the emotional and ideological saturation of images is considered. A comparative analysis of objectification and simulation of an image in a symbol is carried out. The author explains the role of emotional objectification of figurative and symbolic religious constructs, emphasizes the fundamental importance of the personal experience of the image from the point of view of its acquisition of motivational power. The author’s aim was to show how religious organisations, as social institutions, manipulate people's minds and behaviour. The article shows that the use of a specific religious language, in which figurative and symbolic constructs occupy a significant place, plays a major role in the manipulation of people’s consciousness and behavior. Various religious organizations manipulate people’s consciousness and behavior on the basis of such figurative and symbolic constructs as “the Fall”, “grace”, “salvation” and “the Kingdom of God”. The emotional and ideological objectification of these constructs is considered from the point of view of the main strands of Christianity. Religion as a social institution shapes a certain perception and determines the individual experience of these symbols. Emotions that arise as a result of empathic experience of the phenomena described in theological texts shape the motivations and prescriptions that govern behavior. The main aim of these manipulations is to strengthen religious belief, the dominant position of various religious organizations in society and the subordination of the personality of the church as a social institution. The novelty of the work lies in the study of the role of figurative and symbolic constructs in the manipulation of people’s consciousness and social behavior by religious organizations.

Коммуникативная трансформация образа России в недружественных СМИ в контексте современных межцивилизационных обострений

The article examines the transformation of the communicative image of Russia in the British media in the context of a special military operation in Ukraine. The scientific problem lies in the fact that in the conditions of the global information space, the communicative dialogue of states is carried out not only through factual information, but also through the prism of the linguistic features of a particular civilization, through which a negative image is built. Based on a comprehensive linguistic analysis key trends and means of constructing a negative image of Russia have been identified. The research methodology includes content analysis, which made it possible to determine the most frequent contexts of the use of the lexeme "Russia", and critical discourse analysis aimed at identifying the deep meanings and ideological attitudes behind specific language forms. The results show that the lexical and semantic level is dominated by militaristic discourse At the level of rhetoric and stylistics, negatively colored metaphors play a key role. At the syntactic level, attention is drawn to the abundance of parallel constructions that escalate the series of negative characteristics of Russia. It is concluded that the communicative image of Russia in the British media is undergoing a radical negative transformation.