Abstract
One of the essential parts of second language curriculum is teaching vocabulary. Until now many existing techniques tried to facilitate word acquisition, but one method which has been paid less attention to is code-switching. In this paper, we present an experimental system for computer assisted vocabulary learning in context using a code-switching based method, focusing on teaching Japanese vocabulary to foreign language learners. First, we briefly introduce our Co-MIX method for vocabulary teaching systems using code-switching phenomenon to support vocabulary acquisition. Next, we show how we utilize incidental learning technique with graded readers to facilitate vocabulary learning. We present the systems architecture, underlying technologies and the initial evaluation of the system’s performance by using semantic differential scale. Finally, we discuss the evaluation results and compare them with our English vocabulary teaching system.
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Notes
- 1.
From here onward romanized transliterations of Japanese are italicised. English translations in parentheses accompany the transliterations when needed.
- 2.
The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a standardized test to evaluate and certify the Japanese language proficiency of non-native speakers. “The JLPT is offered in five levels (N1, N2, N3, N4, N5). To measure Japanese-language proficiency as thoroughly as possible, test items are designed for each level”. JLPT Homepage, https://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/points.html, last accessed 2014/10/1.
- 3.
This selection is based on a database of about 18,000 vocabulary words that have appeared on the test with high frequency over the past 20 years.
- 4.
Tanaka Corpus of parallel Japanese-English sentences, http://www.edrdg.org/wiki/index.php/Tanaka_Corpus, last accessed 2014/10/1.
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Mazur, M., Rzepka, R., Araki, K. (2018). Teaching Words in Context: Code-Switching Method for English and Japanese Vocabulary Acquisition Systems. In: Vetulani, Z., Mariani, J., Kubis, M. (eds) Human Language Technology. Challenges for Computer Science and Linguistics. LTC 2015. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 10930. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93782-3_24
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