1 / 22

Can Virtual Language Tutors Teach ESL Grammar?

Can Virtual Language Tutors Teach ESL Grammar?. Faith Marcel Niagara College. Agenda. Reasons for Exploring the Question What is a Virtual Language Tutor (VLT)? Types of VLTs and their Functions Pedagogical Applications for the Classroom. Why explore this question?. Some of my reasons….

ulla
Download Presentation

Can Virtual Language Tutors Teach ESL Grammar?

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Can Virtual Language Tutors Teach ESL Grammar? Faith Marcel Niagara College

  2. Agenda • Reasons for Exploring the Question • What is a Virtual Language Tutor (VLT)? • Types of VLTs and their Functions • Pedagogical Applications for the Classroom

  3. Why explore this question?

  4. Some of my reasons… • Learn more about VLTs, their present functions and capabilities • Discover whether or not they can be useful for educational purposes in or outside of a classroom • Determine some ways in which the technology can be put to good use • Curiosity!

  5. What is a Virtual Language Tutor?

  6. Broadly speaking… A remote or online language teacher

  7. Three Categories of VLTs Explored • “Live” Virtual Tutors • Intelligent Virtual Tutor Websites • Talking Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tutors

  8. Before we begin with definitions… used a virtual language tutor? Have you ever… been a virtual language tutor?

  9. “Live” Virtual Tutors • Online language partner • “Live” tutor/teacher assigned to software program or site Some examples: • http://www.tutorvista.com/ • http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/

  10. Screenshot of Test Interaction with “Live” Virtual Language Tutor

  11. Intelligent Virtual Tutor Websites • Websites with larges stores of data or corpora • “Virtual Worlds” such as Second Life An example: • http://www.smallworlds.com/login/php

  12. Talking Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tutors • Bots or Chatterbots Animated Talking Heads or Characters Some examples: Pandorabots (Home of ALICE, links to many other bots) http://pandorabots.com/botmaster/en/home

  13. Brainstorm potential uses

  14. What are some benefits of their use? • Potential to promote intrinsic motivation (Eskenazi, 2009) • Real time feedback and encouragement (Wik & Hjalmarsson, 2009) • Improve speaking skills (Levy & Stockwell, 2006) • Increase exposure to input • Build confidence • Provide additional means for practice

  15. Drawbacks Solutions ? • Relatively new technology • Technical Issues • Issue of accuracy • Complement to sound pedagogical practice • Test and monitor technology closely • Controlled environment to ensure no surprises!

  16. Classroom & Online Activities

  17. More General Applications for Grammar Teaching • Complement to grammar teaching • To provide support and reinforcement of grammar points • Enhance communication and practice of grammatical structures • Enhance the learning experience (not everyone loves grammar!)

  18. Thank you!

  19. References Coniam, D. (2008). Evaluating the language resources of chatbots for their potential in English as a second language. ReCALL, 20(1), 98-116. Eskenazi, Z. (2009). An overview of spoken language technology for education. Speech Communication, 51(10), 832-844. Fryer, L. & Carpenter, R. (2006). Emerging technologies: Bots as language learning tools. Language Learning and Technology, 10(3), 8-14. Jia, J. (2009). CSIEC A computer assisted English learning chatbot based on textual knowledge and reasoning, Knowledge-Based Systems 22, 249-255. Spada, N. & Lightbown, P.M. (2008). Form-focused instruction: Isolated or Integrated? TESOL Quarterly, 42,181-207. TutorVista.com (2008). Tutorvista.com. Retrieved from http://www.tutorvista.com/

  20. List of Some AI Chatbot Sites: Pandorabots (Home of ALICE, links to many other bots)http://pandorabots.com/botmaster/en/home Smallworlds (Virtual world- requires free sign up)http://www.smallworlds.com/login.php Hal (“Silly computer bot”)http://www.zabaware.com/webhal/hal6alpha.asp Tinahttp://demo.vhost.pandorabots.com/pandora/talk?botid=a93dcf79ae353e49 iGod http://www.titane.ca/concordia/dfar251/igod/main.html Messenger chatbotshttp://www.messengerfreak.com/chat_bots.php Mike- Bot which assists with free writing practicehttp://www.rong-chang.com/tutor.htm

  21. Chatbot- Aaronhttp://nlp.petamem.com/eng/nlp/chatbot.mpl Elbot- Animated character (Comical “Don’t push my red button” featurehttp://www.elbot.com/ Google Talk- Translation bothttp://blogoscoped.com/archive/2007-12-19-n41.html Egonbot- Grammar website with virtual chat (dragon that moves)http://www.ego4u.com/en/chill-out/chat/egon-bot Ville-Virtual Language Tutor for Swedishhttp://www.speech.kth.se/ville/swell.html Speaking Avatarshttp://www.voki.com/ iPhone Applications Siri Virtual Assistant US Baldi (3D talking bald character)Alice Chatbot

More Related