Computer-Assisted Language Learning in British Sign Language Learning

Integrating scaffolding-learning technologies has been recognized for its potential to create intellectual and engaging classroom interactions. In the United Arab Emirates, having language teachers employ computers as a medium of new pedagogical instrument for teaching second languages generated the idea of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) as a medium of an innovative pedagogical instrument for facilitating and scaffolding language learning, with an aspiration that it will lead to improved English language attainment and better assessment results. This study aims at investigating the perspectives of students and teachers on the advantageous and disadvantageous impacts of CALL on learning and teaching English as a second language in one public school in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The results show that CALL has a facilitating role in L2 classroom and that using CALL activities is advantageous in reducing English learning tension, boosting motivation, catering for student diversity, promoting self-directed language learning and scaffolding while learning English. The results additionally report that numerous aspects like time constraints, teachers’ unsatisfactory computer skills, insufficient computer facilities, and inflexible school courses undesirably affect the implementation of CALL in English classrooms. It is recommended that further studies should be undertaken to investigate the actual effect of CALL on students’ language proficiency.

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Using Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) materials in English as Second Language (ESL) classrooms: perspectives of teachers and students in United Arab Emirates

Journal of Education in Black Sea Region ◽

10.31578/jebs.2018.3.2.5 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 45-62

Author(s):

Ramia DIRAR SHEHADEH MUSMAR

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽

English As Second Language ◽

Teachers And Students

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An Application of Mispronunciation Detecting Network for Computer Assisted Language Learning System

JOURNAL OF ELECTRONICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ◽

10.3724/sp.j.1146.2012.00125 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 34 (9) ◽

pp. 2085-2090 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Li-li An ◽

Yan-nian Wu ◽

Zhi Liu ◽

Run-sheng Liu

Keyword(s):

Language Learning ◽

Learning System ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

Computer Assisted Language Learning

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Crosslinguistic similarity and variation in the simultaneous morphology of sign languages

The Linguistic Review ◽

10.1515/tlr-2020-2055 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 37 (4) ◽

pp. 571-608

Author(s):

Diane Brentari ◽

Laura Horton ◽

Susan Goldin-Meadow

Keyword(s):

American Sign Language ◽

Sign Language ◽

Optimality Theory ◽

Sign Languages ◽

British Sign Language ◽

Verb Phrases ◽

Classifier Predicates ◽

Crosslinguistic Variation ◽

Hong Kong Sign Language ◽

British Sign

Abstract Two differences between signed and spoken languages that have been widely discussed in the literature are: the degree to which morphology is expressed simultaneously (rather than sequentially), and the degree to which iconicity is used, particularly in predicates of motion and location, often referred to as classifier predicates. In this paper we analyze a set of properties marking agency and number in four sign languages for their crosslinguistic similarities and differences regarding simultaneity and iconicity. Data from American Sign Language (ASL), Italian Sign Language (LIS), British Sign Language (BSL), and Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL) are analyzed. We find that iconic, cognitive, phonological, and morphological factors contribute to the distribution of these properties. We conduct two analyses—one of verbs and one of verb phrases. The analysis of classifier verbs shows that, as expected, all four languages exhibit many common formal and iconic properties in the expression of agency and number. The analysis of classifier verb phrases (VPs)—particularly, multiple-verb predicates—reveals (a) that it is grammatical in all four languages to express agency and number within a single verb, but also (b) that there is crosslinguistic variation in expressing agency and number across the four languages. We argue that this variation is motivated by how each language prioritizes, or ranks, several constraints. The rankings can be captured in Optimality Theory. Some constraints in this account, such as a constraint to be redundant, are found in all information systems and might be considered non-linguistic; however, the variation in constraint ranking in verb phrases reveals the grammatical and arbitrary nature of linguistic systems.

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