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This paper investigates the effects of watching an entire season of a French series with the streaming service Netflix in an out-of-classroom context. University Dutch-speaking low- to high-intermediate learners of French were divided into two groups: a control group who only took the tests (N = 37) and a treatment group (N = 65). Learners in the treatment group watched six episodes with glossed captions provided by the Chrome extension Language Learning with Netflix (i.e., they could access the meaning of the words in the captions whenever they wanted) within a maximum of 21 days. We examined learners’ incidental vocabulary learning gains by means of a form and meaning recall test and also analysed learning gains in relation to different variables: word-related factors, the use of glossed captions and learners’ vocabulary size. Results revealed that participants recalled approximately 35% of the word meanings and 28% of the word forms. Besides, learning gains were positively influenced by the use of the glossed captions as well as vocabulary size scores. Findings also demonstrated that frequency of occurrence positively impacted learning gains, especially when target words appeared more concentrated in one episode rather than across different ones. DOI geeft geen resultaat, klopt wel volgens site journal ispartof: Computer Assisted Language Learning vol:36 issue:1-2 pages:26-51 status: Published online

This study investigates incidental vocabulary learning through captioned or subtitled videos and examines whether and how different learner- (prior vocabulary knowledge) and word-related factors (i.e., frequency of occurrence, cognateness, and imagery) influence learning gains from watching videos. Low-intermediate Dutch-speaking learners of French (N=86) took part in a four week intervention program. They were assigned to a subtitles group, a captions group, or a control group (who only took the tests). Vocabulary learning was measured by means of form and meaning recognition, as well as meaning recall tests. Results revealed that participants learned approximately 15% of the vocabulary they could have learned. Both treatment groups outperformed the control group in the meaning recognition test, but only the captions group outperformed the control group in the meaning recall test. Learning gains were mediated by cognateness with significantly higher odds to recall and recognize a cognate on the posttest than a noncognate. Frequency of occurrence and prior vocabulary knowledge had a positive effect on L2 learners’ ability to recall and recognize the meaning of the target words. A positive relationship was also found between target words that were visually represented in the video and learners’ meaning recognition scores for those words. ispartof: Calico Journal vol:37 issue:3 pages:233-253 status: published

Adaptive learning systems aim to provide learning items tailored to the behavior and needs of individual learners. However, one of the outstanding challenges in adaptive item selection is that often the corresponding systems do not have information on initial ability levels of new learners entering a learning environment. Thus, the proficiency of those new learners is very difficult to be predicted. This heavily impairs the quality of personalized items' recommendation during the initial phase of the learning environment. In order to handle this issue, known as the cold-start problem, we propose a system that combines item response theory (IRT) with machine learning. Specifically, we perform ability estimation and item response prediction for new learners by integrating IRT with classification and regression trees built on learners’ side information. The goal of this work is to build a learning system that incorporates IRT and machine learning into a unified framework. We compare the proposed hybrid model to alternative approaches by conducting experiments on two educational data sets. The obtained results affirmed the potential of the proposed method. In particular, the obtained results indicate that IRT combined with Random Forests provides the lowest error for the ability estimation and the highest accuracy in terms of response prediction. This way, we deduce that the employment of machine learning in combination with IRT could indeed alleviate the effect of the cold start problem in an adaptive learning environment. ispartof: Computers and Education vol:137 pages:91-103 status: Published online

This paper reports on the potential of Oral Elicited Imitation (OEI) as a format for output practice, building on an analysis of picture-matching and spoken data collected from 36 university-level learners of German as a second language (L2) in a web-based assessment task inspired by Input Processing (VanPatten, 2004). The design and development of OEI for output practice faces two key challenges: learners must be engaged in meaningful language processing rather than in mere repetition of oral stimuli, and the task must eventually provide individualized and qualitative corrective feedback that helps learners to notice gaps between their interlanguage and the target language. Results show that learners attended to meaning and that a commercially available speech recognition tool was able to transcribe learner speech remarkably well. ispartof: pages:86-91 ispartof: CALL in a climate of change: adapting to turbulent global conditions – short papers from EUROCALL 2017 pages:86-91 ispartof: EUROCALL 2017 location:Southampton, UK date:23 Aug - 26 Aug 2017 status: published

Las tecnologías móviles están aumentando su presencia en las aulas. Mientras estas tecnologías ofrecen oportunidades para facilitar el aprendizaje, entre ellas la adquisición de una segunda lengua (L2), su potencial sigue sin aprovecharse plenamente. Aunque las aplicaciones de las tablets permiten la escritura y tareas similares a las que pueden hacerse en papel, siguen ofreciendo mayoritariamente ejercicios de selección múltiple o de relleno de huecos. Este cambio en medio y modalidad de práctica podría significar un impacto en el aprendizaje de una segunda lengua. Basada en la perspectiva de la cognición incorporada, nuestra hipótesis predice que el hecho de escribir se traduce en un mejor proceso de memorización y una mejor ortografía frente a la mecanografía o al uso de ejercicios de opción múltiple. Esta hipótesis ha sido comprobada en un estudio cuasi-experimental basado en el aula: alumnos (N=282) que practicaron vocabulario de francés a través de tres modalidades de práctica: ejercicios de opción múltiple, escritura con un teclado y escritura a mano alzada. Aunque se haya encontrado que las tres modalidades de práctica apoyaron al proceso de aprendizaje, los resultados demostraron que los alumnos que practicaron el vocabulario escribiendo con lápiz o con la tablet obtuvieron puntuaciones más altas en ortografía y dominio de signos diacríticos comparados con los alumnos que realizaron ejercicios de selección múltiple. Pasar más tiempo aprendiendo vocabulario a un nivel más alto de procesamiento conduce a una mayor adquisición de vocabulario, Mobile technologies are increasingly finding their way into classroom practice. While these technologies can create opportunities that may facilitate learning, including the learning of a second or foreign language (L2), the full potential of these new media often remains underexploited. A case in point concerns tablet applications for language practice: while tablets allow writing, as in pen-and-paper exercises, current applications typically offer multiple-choice exercises or fill-in-the-blank exercises that require typing and tapping. This change in medium and practice modality might have an impact on the actual second language-learning. Based on the embodied cognition perspective, this study hypothesizes that, for the learning of French L2 vocabulary, writing leads to better memorization, spelling, and use of diacritics in comparison with typing and completing multiple-choice exercises. This hypothesis is tested in a quasi-experimental classroom-based study in which learners (N=282) practiced French vocabulary on a tablet in one of three modalities: multiple choice, typing, and writing by means of a stylus. Whereas all three practice modalities aided learning, results show that pupils who had practiced vocabulary by writing or typing obtained higher scores on spelling and use of diacritics than the pupils who had practiced by means of multiple choice. Spending more time on learning vocabulary at a higher processing level leads thus to greater vocabulary gains

This paper explores individual difference factors in relation with usage of optional CF in a written and task-based tutorial CALL environment for English grammar practice that contained gaming features. Previous research in CALL has highlighted the importance of prior knowledge for learners’ usage of CF options (Brandl, 1995; Heift, 2002), but the contribution of metacognitive and affective variables remains unexplored. Based on insights from the literature on tool use (e.g. Author 4 & Elen, 2009), this pilot study considered that learners’ usage of optional CF in CALL might additionally be determined by the perceived usefulness of CF and by learners’ achievement goal orientation. Quantitative analysis of questionnaire data in combination with tracking and logging data showed that usage of optional CF was associated with prior explicit knowledge, but no relation was found with perceived usefulness and achievement goal orientation. Future research on CF usage could benefit from qualitative in-depth analyses of learners’ perceptions and motives.

A key design issue for tutorial CALL is that controlled practice activities need to engage learners in meaningful L2 processing, so that any knowledge developed in such practice may transfer to meaningful L2 use in complex skills. Furthermore, activities for controlled practice ideally engender intrinsic motivation, so that learners are willing to practise and remediate problems outside of the classroom. This paper reports on an experimental and design-focused study that tackled these challenges by means of mini-games embedded in a mystery story read in class. Results show that intensive receptive practice helped learners to develop knowledge that was accurate and quickly retrievable on tests of near transfer, and that practice also transferred to more complex written productive tasks, as well as—to a smaller extent—to spoken productive tasks. We make suggestions for future design on the basis of the spoken productive language test used in this study.

Although there is pedagogical support for using computer adventure and role-playing games in order to learn a second language (L2), commercial games often lack the instructional qualities for making their language comprehensible for learners. In an interdisciplinary approach, this paper proposes a technique for adapting in-game text in order to teach L2 vocabulary, grounded in research on second language acquisition and adaptive learning systems. ispartof: pages:131-146 ispartof: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Adaptive Learning: A Look at the Neighbours vol:126 pages:131-146 ispartof: International Conference on Interdisciplinary Research on Technology, Education and Communication location:Kortrijk date:25 May - 27 May 2010 status: published

One of the major challenges of mobile (language) learning consists in designing content that is based on sound pedagogical (theoretical) frameworks and empirical findings. At the same time, content should be adapted to the technological constraints of mobile devices (e.g. screen size, keyboard, etc.). Based on a literature review of existing mobile language learning applications and insights from an interactionist perspective in the SLA literature, we propose a design for mobile vocabulary learning. The design is centered around the idea of providing learners with rich input (multimedia material) and opportunities for receiving input enhancement through interaction. We justify the design choices that were made and illustrate the vocabulary activity by means of some screenshots of a prototype model.