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The impact of using machine translation on EFL students’ writing
Abstract
Although it remains controversial, machine translation (MT) has gained popularity both inside and outside of the classroom. Despite the growing number of students using MT, little is known about its use as a pedagogical tool in the EFL classroom. The present study investigated the role of MT as a CALL tool in EFL writing. Most studies on MT as a tool for L2 learning have focused on student postediting of the translation that MT provides; however, the present study employed a different design with students translating their L1 writing into L2 without the help of MT and then correcting their L2 writing using the MT translation for comparison. Text analysis of students’ writing outcomes revealed that MT helped to decrease lexico-grammatical errors and improve student revisions. Using MT for revisions also positively affected student writing strategies and helped them think of writing as a process. The interviews and reflection papers demonstrated that students viewed the use of MT during writing positively. This study found that MT can be a useful aid to language learning, but for it to benefit student learning, teachers must be aware of its limitations and provide adequate guidance to students.
... One area of sustained controversy in this domain centers around machine translation (MT), where language teachers and students have historically disagreed (Lee, 2020). While research has demonstrated the benefits of MT that teacher beliefs can be influenced by 2 professional development and context (Borg, 2015), this study examined (1) contemporary attitudes toward and practices around MT among students (n=75) and teachers (n=25) of diverse languages, and (2) changes in instructor views after high impact pedagogical events: (a) a professional development seminar specifically on MT and (b) the "crisis-prompted [shift to] remote language teaching" (Gacs et al, 2020) as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. ...
... The COVID-19 pandemic and its "crisis-prompted remote language teaching" (Gacs et al, 2020) has elevated focus on educational technologies (Elaish, et al., 2021). One area of sustained controversy in this domain centers around machine translation (MT), where language teachers and students have historically disagreed (Lee, 2020). While research has demonstrated benefits of MT (e.g. ...
... While research has demonstrated benefits of MT (e.g. Benda, 2013;Chon et al. 2021;Correa, 2014;Dziemianko, 2017;Enkin & Mejías-Bikandi, 2016;Garcia and Pena, 2011;Lee, 2020), and students report frequent usage (e.g. ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has elevated focus on educational technologies (Elaish, et al., 2021). One area of sustained controversy in this domain centers around machine translation (MT), where language teachers and students have historically disagreed (Lee, 2020). While research has demonstrated the benefits of MT (e.g. Benda, 2013; Chon et al. 2021; Correa, 2014; Dziemianko, 2017; Enkin & Mejías-Bikandi, 2016; Garcia & Pena, 2011; Lee, 2020; Lee & Briggs, 2021) and studies have consistently reported frequent student usage of MT (e.g. Alhaisoni & Alhaysony, 2017) Clifford, Merschel, & Munné, 2013; Jin & Diefell, 2013; Tsai, 2019; Yang & Wang, 2019), teacher views have traditionally been negative (e.g. Case; 2015; Clifford, Merschel, & Munné, 2013; Niño, 2009; Stapleton & Leung Ka Kin, 2019). Given that recent research on MT has targeted ESOL (e.g. Lee, 2020; Murphy Odo, 2019; Tsai, 2019), that MT itself has evolved considerably since 2016 (Yang & Wang, 2019), and that teacher beliefs can be influenced by professional development and context (Borg, 2015), this study examined (1) contemporary attitudes toward and practices around MT among students (n=75) and teachers (n=25) of diverse languages, and (2) changes in instructor views after high impact pedagogical events: (a) a professional development seminar specifically on MT and (b) the “crisis‐prompted [shift to] remote language teaching” (Gacs et al, 2020) as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Results from four surveys indicate a wide, enduring chasm between students, who increasingly use and feel positively towards MT but are varied in their understanding of implications of its use for academic integrity, and teachers, most of whom make no instructional use of MT, feel negatively about it, have clearer reviews on its relationship to academic integrity, and maintain their views after specific professional development and broad and far-reaching contextual events related to technology. Implications for practice, especially in the context of a surge in academic integrity violations related to MT during the COVID-19 pandemic (Çelik & Lancaster, 2021), will be discussed.
... The findings of this study reveal that students improved in L2 accuracy when using the GT, but they still made mistakes in syntactic structures and lexical items. As the results of the study by Kol et al. [7] also show students can enrich their L2 writing with more words when using the GT. Lee [8] expands that NMT used for revisions also positively affects the students' writing strategies. Generally, research shows that the GT texts are of higher quality than students' self-written texts [9] since the GT texts have a more enriched content with more advanced vocabulary and fewer spelling and grammatical errors than the self-written texts [10]. ...
... Birdsell [11] emphasizes that students should be taught how to effectively use this tool in L2 writing tasks with respect to their critical thinking skills, such as analysing and evaluating their own writing. Research also shows that more advanced FL learners benefit from the use of NMT most because they are able to critically reflect on the output of NMT generated texts more than beginners or lower-intermediate learners [3,8]. ...
... Overall, the findings confirm the positive attitudes of both students and teachers towards the use of NMT tools [5,10,[13][14][15], as well as its positive impact on students' achieving results [8,13,16,17]. However, such learning process might be successful provided that both teachers and students are guided and trained in using the NMT tools [3,18]. ...
With the advent of new emerging technologies, machine translation, especially natural machine translation (NMT) and its tools, is being increasingly applied in second language (L2) acquisition. The aim of this study is to investigate the usefulness of machine translation, specifically DeepL Translator, in the second language acquisition process, since it has a great potential to transform foreign language education. The present empirical pilot study describes an experiment dealing with the use of neural machine translation in the process of formal writing (i.e., writing a summary) in a foreign language. Altogether 16 university students learning English as an applied foreign language with C1 level of English proficiency participated in the experiment. The results show differences between pre-test and post-test, and a significant improvement in students' language skills due to the use of DeepL Translator. The questionnaire survey, among other things, reveals positive perceptions of this tool and awareness of improved language skills by the research participants. The findings indicate that purposefully guided working with a NMT tool can contribute to the perceived usefulness of its use in learning English as an applied foreign language.
... Students in higher education settings view MT positively, for example as a method to expand vocabulary (Clifford et al., 2013;Niño, 2009). In a study investigating Korean university students' use of MT to check their English essays (Lee, 2020) students felt that it facilitated the use of context-appropriate words. By contrast, teachers are concerned with threats to academic integrity, such as generating L2 essays from the L1, its impact on student motivation, and also its capacity to displace traditional classroom approaches (Clifford et al., 2013;Crossley, 2018;Ducar & Schocket, 2018;Lee, 2020). ...
... In a study investigating Korean university students' use of MT to check their English essays (Lee, 2020) students felt that it facilitated the use of context-appropriate words. By contrast, teachers are concerned with threats to academic integrity, such as generating L2 essays from the L1, its impact on student motivation, and also its capacity to displace traditional classroom approaches (Clifford et al., 2013;Crossley, 2018;Ducar & Schocket, 2018;Lee, 2020). Stapleton and Kin (2019) assessed the accuracy of GT on the writings of Hong Kong primary school pupils, and all twelve primary teachers who participated in the study disagreed with the use of MT to translate above the word level when interviewed. ...
... An example of this process is the occasional re-engineering of technologies for purposes beyond those originally intended (Jones & Bissell, 2011). Within the MT literature there is also evidence for such re-engineering, such as the use of MT for electronic "peer-editing" (Lee, 2020). Whereas in standard peer-editing, feedback is obtained from classroom peers, in an MT context, the "peer" is the translation platform itself. ...
The role of Machine Translation (MT) within the L2 classroom has proven controversial. While many students value MT to support various learning objectives, teachers fear its potential to promote passive learning, and undermine academic integrity. Nonetheless, improved reliability and accessibility of MT, combined with student attitudes, makes it increasingly hard to “Google-proof” the classroom. Alternatively, MT might be incorporated into the classroom, while highlighting to students its limitations. A key factor in this dynamic is the attitude of classroom teachers. The current study details the development of a pilot translation app, Transpose, which then acted as discussion prompt to explore teachers’ attitudes towards MT in focus groups. Participants were four UK language teachers working with various age groups and in various contexts. The Transpose app exploited possible advantages of MT by visually comparing the syntactic structure of source and target languages. A thematic analysis found that, overall, teachers viewed translation as an important pedagogical tool. Regarding MT, views were mixed. They enthusiastically suggested novel uses, such as supporting children with English as an Additional Language, yet also felt that such technology was best employed to support independent study in advanced learners. Technological and institutional factors still prevent the seamless integration of IT-related methods within classroom contexts. Overall, while teachers expressed positive attitudes towards translation, and a cautious acceptance of the place the Transpose app could take within the classroom, there remain attitudinal barriers to widespread adoption.
... Lee (2019) examined the effects of using machine translation tools in EFL writing classrooms. The study showed that the use of machine translation software positively improved students' writing quality but over-reliance on machine translation tools could lead to negative results such as mistranslation and dependence on first language writing style (Lee, 2019). With a similar point of view, Lee (2021) affirmed the usefulness of machine translation tools in foreign language learning, claiming that translation tools can effectively reduce lexical and grammatical errors in second language writing. ...
... With a similar point of view, Lee (2021) affirmed the usefulness of machine translation tools in foreign language learning, claiming that translation tools can effectively reduce lexical and grammatical errors in second language writing. However, Lee (2019) also expressed concerns about English teachers' negative attitude towards students' frequent use of machine translation in language learning. To address the problem, Steding (2009) called for actions to prevent academic dishonesty regarding English writing. ...
... Regarding the AI translation tools, Pokrivcakova (2019) showed that AI-based translation tools can facilitate students' production of high-quality writing. Despite acknowledging the effectiveness of machine translation tools, this study also revealed that the mistranslations produced by translation tools would be detrimental to students' English writing, which was consistent with the study by Lee (2019). Nevertheless, no findings in this study reported any academic dishonesty or plagiarism behavior caused by the translation machine (Lee, 2021;Steding, 2009). ...
The development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies provides the opportunity for students from disadvantaged areas to have equal access to educational resources. This paper applies the theory of educational equality to examine AI technology as an alternative to the current ICT practices for the improvement of English language education in rural China. A systematic review was conducted to analyze the research on AI in English language education published between 2017 and 2022. The overall findings show that the use of AI technology can effectively promote English proficiency. Lastly, the paper also establishes pedagogical implications and suggestions for future study.
... In previous studies, the effects of using ASR to improve language learning and learning performance (Kuo et al., 2012;Shadiev et al., 2014Shadiev et al., , 2015Wang & Young, 2014), cognitive load (Chan et al., 2020) as well as visual attention and learning behaviour have been examined. In addition to ASR, NMT has been studied to enhance performance in learning languages, including speaking and writing comprehension (Briggs, 2018;Lee, 2019;Niño, 2020) and reading comprehension (Fuji, 1999;Castilho & Arenas, 2018). However, there is currently a lack of research considering both technologies together. ...
... Bridging listening and reading comprehension (Garza, 1991) Listening comprehension (Li, 2013;Liyanagunawardena, 2021) Content prediction (van der Zee et al., 2017) Content concentration (Kruger et al., 2017) Vocabulary and Learning comprehension (Hsieh, 2019) Learning outcome and Cognitive load (Cao et al., 2019) Subtitles Content comprehension (Danan, 2004) Listening comprehension (Alabsi, 2020) Learners feel comfortable while watching videos (Guillory, 1998) Cognitive load (Kruger et al., 2013) Immersion (Kruger et al., 2017) Visual attention, Cognitive load, and Comprehension (Liao et al., 2020) Automatic Auto-captions (ASR) Listening comprehension and Learning concentration (Shadiev et al., 2015) Learning performance (Chan et al., 2020;Kuo et al., 2012) Visual attention English pronunciation (Wang & Young, 2014) Auto-translation (NMT) Speaking and Writing comprehension and performance (Briggs, 2018;Niño, 2020) Writing performance (Lee, 2019) Reading comprehension (Fuji, 1999;Castilho & Arenas, 2018) the classroom's learning activities as Classroom Action Research (CAR). All data collected were highly protected and confidential. ...
... Added to this is the assumption of Guillory (1998) that reading subtitles are an easily performed act that makes learners feel comfortable. Additionally, the message translated from machine translation facilitates students' Page 12 of 17 Malakul and Park Smart Learning Environments (2023) 10:4 vocabulary learning (Fuji, 1999;Hsieh, 2019;Lee, 2019;Niño, 2009Niño, , 2020. As a result, the Thai subtitle from the automatic subtitle system, which was conducted in this study, could improve participants' comprehension of video content in English in computing science subjects. ...
While subtitles are considered a primary learning support tool for people who cannot understand video narration in foreign languages, recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have played a pivotal role in automatic subtitling on online video platforms such as YouTube. This study examines the effects of three different types of subtitles in the Thai language (i.e., auto-subtitles, edited subtitles, and no subtitles) on learning comprehension, cognitive load, and satisfaction to determine whether it is feasible to use AI technology as an auto-subtitles system to facilitate online learning with educational videos. To that aim, 79 Thai secondary school students from three Mathayom 5 (Grade 11) computer science classrooms participated in this study. This study used the static group comparison, which is the Posttest-Only Control Group Design. The results of this study found that the auto-subtitles system that generates Thai language subtitles for English educational videos has greater feasibility of implementation to facilitate online learning when compared to editorial subtitles by Thai natives. Therefore, Thai subtitles generated by the auto-subtitles system in English educational videos can facilitate students’ learning comprehension, cognitive load, and satisfaction.
... Studies investigating language instructors' understanding of how their students use MT for L2 study indicate mixed perceptions, suggesting teachers are not entirely up to date regarding the availability and quality of MT tools and remain sceptical about the effectiveness of MT for language learning as well as their implications for academic integrity (Clifford et al., 2013;Grove & Mundt, 2021;Jolley & Maimone, 2015;Lee, 2020;O'Neill, 2019;Vinall & Hellmich, 2021). For example, language instructors in Grove and Mundt's (2021) study expressed acceptance of using MTs to look up words for L2 reading but were reserved about the MT use for writing, especially above word level. ...
... The benefits (and drawbacks) of using MT for L2 writing have been extensively investigated. Improvements in students' writing have been observed in terms of writing speed and fluency (Garcia & Pena, 2011;Ali & Alireza, 2014), accuracy (Chung & Ahn, 2021;Tsai, 2019), number of words written (Tsai, 2019), use of idiomatic language (Kol et al., 2018), and overall writing quality (Lee, 2020). Although using MT as a dictionary in pre-and during-writing processes seems to be most popular among students (Clifford et al., 2013;Lee, 2021), MT can also be used to check grammar such as conjugations, tenses, and other clues for contextual use of words (Briggs, 2018;Nugraha et al., 2019). ...
... Studies also suggest that MT is effective in writing revision (Clifford et al., 2013;Briggs, 2018). These can be done by comparing students' drafts in L2 and MT outputs (Lee, 2020;Tsai, 2020) and by conducting reverse translation (Shei, 2002;Xu, 2020). ...
Using machine translation (MT) tools for language learning has become a common practice among language students in recent years. Studies have investigated how students use MT, how students and teachers perceive its benefits and drawbacks and how helpful it is for language learning. These studies indicate that students think MT tools are helpful in L2 writing due to their quick and easy access and use them in many aspects of L2 writing, such as vocabulary search, grammar checking, and writing revisions. However, concerns for the accuracy of outputs, the effectiveness of MT for language learn- ing and academic integrity are shared among students and teachers. This present study is based on a survey of 12 teachers and 150 students across five different languages and three proficiency levels at a tertiary institution in New Zealand. The quantitative and qualitative data were analysed to compare MT use and perceptions among proficiency levels and languages as well as between teachers and stu- dents. The findings reveal patterns that indicate different practices and perceptions between students of non-alphabet-based and alphabet-based languages. The analysis also demonstrates correlations between advanced-level students and more sophisticated and critical use of MT. With the proliferation of MT tools with neural machine translation (NMT) systems and improvement in their accuracy, the findings of this study contribute to the understanding of MT literacy to ensure effective and critical use of MT with an awareness of unique contexts and expectations of L2 writing in different language courses.
... Studies investigating language instructors' understanding of how their students use MT for L2 study indicate mixed perceptions, suggesting teachers are not entirely up to date regarding the availability and quality of MT tools and remain sceptical about the effectiveness of MT for language learning as well as their implications for academic integrity (Clifford et al., 2013;Grove & Mundt, 2021;Jolley & Maimone, 2015;Lee, 2020;O'Neill, 2019;Vinall & Hellmich, 2021). For example, language instructors in Grove and Mundt's (2021) study expressed acceptance of using MTs to look up words for L2 reading but were reserved about the MT use for writing, especially above word level. ...
... The benefits (and drawbacks) of using MT for L2 writing have been extensively investigated. Improvements in students' writing have been observed in terms of writing speed and fluency (Garcia & Pena, 2011;Ali & Alireza, 2014), accuracy (Chung & Ahn, 2021;Tsai, 2019), number of words written (Tsai, 2019), use of idiomatic language (Kol et al., 2018), and overall writing quality (Lee, 2020). Although using MT as a dictionary in pre-and during-writing processes seems to be most popular among students (Clifford et al., 2013;Lee, 2021), MT can also be used to check grammar such as conjugations, tenses, and other clues for contextual use of words (Briggs, 2018;Nugraha et al., 2019). ...
... Studies also suggest that MT is effective in writing revision (Clifford et al., 2013;Briggs, 2018). These can be done by comparing students' drafts in L2 and MT outputs (Lee, 2020;Tsai, 2020) and by conducting reverse translation (Shei, 2002;Xu, 2020). ...
... The exponential growth in digital technology has catalysed the way students learn foreign languages in self-directed ways with little or no support from teachers or formal language instruction. Evidence from computer-assisted language learning (CALL) literature shows that texts produced by bi/multilingual students with the assistance of digital tools (e.g., online translators and online dictionaries) contain fewer errors (lexical and grammatical) compared to those composed without using these tools (Lee, 2020;Tsai, 2020). Several studies have shown how students use large repositories of information available in search engines (Yahoo, Google) to improve their writing by "checking sentence structures" (Wuttikrikunlaya et al., 2018, p. 117). ...
... Several studies have shown how students use large repositories of information available in search engines (Yahoo, Google) to improve their writing by "checking sentence structures" (Wuttikrikunlaya et al., 2018, p. 117). Other studies have demonstrated the usefulness of online translators, including Google Translate, in developing lexical and syntactic knowledge and enhancing motivation in producing L2 texts (Alhaisoni & Alhasysony, 2017;Lee, 2020;Niño, 2009;Tsai, 2020;Wang & Ke, 2022). Similarly, research on online bilingual dictionary apps with links to features such as thesauruses, conjugators, and large volumes of corpus data has demonstrated that these functionalities have provided opportunities to expand vocabulary knowledge instantly by learning not only literal translations but also contextual meanings and verb forms of unknown words (Garcia & Pena, 2011;Li & Xu, 2015;Wuttikrikunlaya et al., 2018). ...
Although the literature on computer-assisted language learning has demonstrated that digital tools such as online translators and bilingual dictionaries offer affordances to second language (or foreign language) writers of English to solve linguistic (lexical and syntactic) issues, the extent to which digital technology supports multilingual students in producing academic texts has been underexplored. In this study, we investigate what digital technology enables and does not enable students to do in communicating their intended meaning in English by examining the writing experience of a multilingual student in an online higher education environment. The data was derived through screen sharing and online stimulated recall interviews and analysed using the concept of digital translanguaging, which focuses on meaning-making using one's entire meaning-making repertoire. The findings suggest that digital translanguaging offers many opportunities to expand the knowledge of vocabulary through self-learning. However, it also becomes evident that the success of working through lexical and syntactic issues is impacted by several factors, such as prior knowledge of the second language (L2), effective online search strategies, and awareness of digital reference resources for different purposes (e.g., online translators for literal and/or context-appropriate translations and language forums to seek advice about specific language issues from proficient speakers). We conclude by providing insights into instructional and strategic support to effectively assist multilingual students to offer greater opportunities to achieve their communication goals.
... Lee [12] found that MT is a useful tool to help reduce students' lexico-grammatical errors, depressing their anxiety toward language learning, and producing positive learning outcomes. However, Lee [12] stated that teachers needed to be aware of its reliability and should provide appropriate guidance to students, especially to some low proficiency EFL learners who required sufficient listening input to construct speaking output. ...
... Lee [12] found that MT is a useful tool to help reduce students' lexico-grammatical errors, depressing their anxiety toward language learning, and producing positive learning outcomes. However, Lee [12] stated that teachers needed to be aware of its reliability and should provide appropriate guidance to students, especially to some low proficiency EFL learners who required sufficient listening input to construct speaking output. In these cases, TTS technology which provides auditory input and converts text to spoken language could act as an extra important support tool [13]. ...
Despite the importance of English in various aspects of life, students learning English as a foreign language often lack sufficient opportunities to practice speaking in their daily lives. To address these issues, this study proposes an innovative mobile app called Ubiquitous English (UEnglish) that facilitates English speaking learning in authentic contexts anytime and anywhere. Leveraging advanced technologies, UEnglish incorporates automatic speech recognition (ASR), cloud machine translation (MT), and text-to-speech (TTS) functionalities. The primary aim of this study is to assess the impact of UEnglish on students’ English speaking ability, specifically focusing on the quality and quantity of their spoken English when describing comic pictures and authentic pictures. To investigate the learning behaviors and the influence on English speaking learning achievement in this study, 56 fifth-grade students were employed, including 28 students in an experimental group (EG) using UEnglish and 28 students in a control group (CG) with a paper-based teaching method. The results indicated that, after the experiment, EG outperformed CG and EG had significant differences in the quality and quantity of English speaking in the context of describing comic pictures and authentic pictures. Students’ learning portfolios revealed that EG students not only could use more English words and more complex sentences to express their thoughts but also easily applied what they learned when encountering similar contexts. Our findings suggested that authentic contextual English learning with UEnglish was helpful for students to practice speaking English related to their surroundings.
... La traducción aplicada, entendida como aquella que se da en situaciones reales para facilitar diferentes actividades (Lee 2018), como puede ser la enseñanza de lenguas, ofrece grandes posibilidades para el aprendizaje del EFE (Salaberry y Lafford 2007). En concreto, las herramientas de traducción automática, que han revolucionado la comunicación interlingüística, resultan de gran utilidad en el aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras (Clifford et al. 2013;Lee 2020;Jolley y Maimone 2022). Entre otras ventajas, facilitan la adquisición del componente léxico de la lengua (Kol et al. 2018), lo que reviste una vital importancia en el desarrollo de competencias en torno al discurso científico-técnico, ya que los términos pertenecientes a áreas especializadas no siempre están incluidos en los diccionarios u otros recursos lingüísticos (Polić 2020). ...
... Mientras que la traducción automática de las unidades poliléxicas de la lengua general (p. ej., tomar el pelo) se ha estudiado ampliamente (Constant et al. 2017; Ortego-Antón y Seghiri 2019; Zaninello y Birch 2020), así como el empleo de la traducción automática en la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras (Clifford et al. 2013;Lee 2020;Jolley y Maimone 2022), la traducción automática de los términos compuestos y, en concreto, su utilidad en el aula de EFE ha recibido menos atención. ...
Las herramientas de traducción automática pueden ser de gran ayuda en la adquisición del componente léxico de la lengua (Kol et al. 2018). En este trabajo investigamos su interés en la producción escrita de términos compuestos especializados en español (p. ej., emisión antropógena de gases de efecto invernadero) por parte de hablantes nativos de inglés. Nuestros objetivos son: (1) evaluar los resultados de la traducción automática de términos compuestos para comprobar si esta puede ser de ayuda en la producción escrita de estos términos y averiguar qué motor, de los disponibles, sería más adecuado; (2) desarrollar una tipología de errores que permita concienciar a los estudiantes sobre las causas y consecuencias de los errores de la traducción automática, así como sus límites; y (3) esbozar una serie de reglas básicas de pre- y post-edición para que los estudiantes saquen mayor partido a la traducción automática como herramienta. Los resultados de este estudio muestran que la traducción automática puede permitir suplir la ausencia de materiales educativos que aborden esta parte del componente léxico de la lengua, lo que constituye uno de los problemas habituales en la enseñanza del español para fines específicos.
... The next study, by Yanxia Yang, Xiangqing Wei, Ping Li and Xuesong Zhai, also looked at writing, but this time at the role of machine translation in the CALL classroom and the influence it has on the revisions to students' writing. It is an approximate replication of Lee's (2020) mixedmethods study, which showed a marked decrease of the number of errors in that study's Korean participants' writing after they had revised their texts with the help of machine-translated texts. But this improvement in terms of errors is not accompanied by an increase in lexical complexity or density. ...
... But this improvement in terms of errors is not accompanied by an increase in lexical complexity or density. Participants of the replication study were Chinese EFL learners of similar proficiency to those in Lee's (2020) study. The authors used screen recordings to replace the reflection paper from the initial study and also refined the quantitative analysis by employing Coh-Metrix instead of Lee's simpler analysis. ...
... Nevertheless, as it is the case with AWE research, research on the use of MT in the L2 writing classroom seems to mainly focus on examining the quality of the writing samples produced using MT rather than trying to answer the one-milliondollar question as to whether or not there was evidence of any gains in lexical or grammatical knowledge or any longterm transfer to general writing ability. Again, and as it is the case with AWE research, several MT studies have reported significant improvement when teachers mediated the learning process and provided training on the use of MT [49,52,95]. In a recent study that examined the impact of providing training on editing texts produced by MT, Zhang and Torres-Hostench [55] found that students could successfully correct raw MT output and gained insight into MT limitations. ...
... Teachers who use AWE or MT as an instructional tool for improving writing and language development tend to use several other strategies as well to provide feedback. It has been shown that automatic writing evaluation and AWCF studies emphasize the importance of keeping using instructor feedback on student writing rather than relying only and exclusively on automated feedback [29,52]. An ideal situation was proposed by Link et al. [23] in which they proposed a hybrid approach. ...
Recent technological advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have paved the way for improved and in many cases the creation of entirely new and innovative, electronic writing tools. These writing support systems assist during and after the writing process making them indispensable to many writers in general and to students in particular who can get human-like sentence completion suggestions and text generation. Although the wide adoption of these tools by students has been faced with a steady growth of scientific publications in the field, the results of these studies are often contradictory and their validity may be questioned. To gain a deeper understanding of the validity of AI-powered writing assistance tools, we conducted a systematic review of the recent empirical AI-powered writing assistance studies. The purpose of this review is twofold. First, we wanted to explore the recent scholarly publications that evaluated the use of AI-powered writing assistance tools in the classroom in terms of their types, uses, limits, and potential for improving students’ writing skills. Second, the review also sought to explore the perceptions of educators and researchers about learners’ use of AI-powered writing tools and review their recommendations on how to best ingrate these tools into the contemporary and future classroom. Using the Scopus research database, a total of 104 peer-reviewed papers were identified and analyzed. The findings indicate that students are increasingly using a variety of AI-powered writing assistance tools for improving their writing. The tools they are using can be categorized into four main groups: (1) automated writing evaluation tools, (2) tools that provide automated writing corrective feedback, (3) AI-powered machine translators, and (4) GPT-3 automatic text generators. The analysis also highlighted the scholars’ recommendations regarding dealing with learners’ use of AI-powered writing assistance tools and grouped the recommendations into two groups for researchers and educators.
... In a globalised society, any field is susceptible to using MT as it is seen as a resource in interlinguistic exchanges and a practical tool for real-time interlinguistic communication. MT is used in the foreign language classroom (Lee, 2020;O'Neill, 2019). Nurminen and Papula (2018) explored how users relied on MT for gist translation while Nurminen and Koponen (2018) showed that MT can be used as an accessibility tool supporting public organisations. ...
... Some of the respondents who are language or translation teachers explained that they recognise students using MT in text-production assignments. Since the popularisation of online MT systems, this has been a challenge in language education and translation training (Carré et al., 2022;Lee, 2020;O'Neill, 2019). In coping with these cases, teachers have integrated contrastive analysis into their classes to exploit the use of MT: ...
En los 20 años de la Revista Tradumàtica, hemos visto cómo la traducción automática ha pasado a formar parte de la vida cotidiana de sus usuarios habituales. Partiendo de 17 respuestas, este artículo reflexiona sobre el uso de la TA entre los no profesionales de la traducción. Tras opinar sobre el uso de la TA como diccionario, para leer noticias, para acceder a la información o para producir textos en situaciones que los usuarios perciben como de bajo o alto riesgo, el artículo ahonda en la concienciación de los usuarios con respecto a la precisión de la TA y la necesidad de comprometerse con el resultado para mejorar la calidad de las traducciones. Además, los resultados también indican que el uso de la TA no solo afecta a la producción en la lengua meta, sino que también influye en la redacción de los originales que se pretende traducir. A partir de las respuestas, el artículo analiza el impacto de la TA en el marco de la accesibilidad y la democratización, revisando cómo la TA y la IA tienen el potencial de apoyar el cambio social pero también de profundizar la desigualdad, reproducir sesgos y reducir la operatividad de los agentes humanos. Por último, el artículo hace un llamamiento a una aplicación crítica y consciente de la TA para apoyar la interacción persona-ordenador como herramienta para el desarrollo de la sociedad.
... Because of these downsides, all respondents tend to minimize their GT use to be only in consulting word level, while fewer respondents in both word and phrase level (Chandra and Yuyun 2018). The results of the study (Lee 2020) show that the use of machine translator as a language learning tool reduces the level of lexical and grammatical errors. ...
The web application "English at a Click", presented in this paper is used for learning specialized English. The application can be integrated into a part of a larger distance learning system, used as a supplement to traditional learning or as an independent web application. The current version of the application is implemented as an independent web application. The basic goal is to show the different contexts in which an English word can be used, which helps the user to choose the most appropriate term when translating a text from English into Serbian language and inversely. The application is in the prototype phase and it’s being tested. The tool presented in this paper was created on a free workspace on Oracle Cloud that the author uses for teaching purposes. The application was created with the idea to facilitate the learning of specialized English using modern technologies. The main advantage of the application compared to similar solutions is that it allows automatic text editing. The words from the text are replaced by the selected synonym only in the sentences that the user marks, very simply, with just a few clicks.
... Other recent studies (Jolley & Maimone, 2022;Valijärvi & Tarsoly, 2019) further concluded that using methods other than MT technology encourages output manipulation and negotiation of meaning. Another study by Lee (2020) provided evidence of the benefits of using MT in pedagogy. ...
Despite its controversial nature, machine translation (MT) has been increasingly integrated into learning in the past decade. This controversy arises from two different beliefs. While some believe that MT negatively impacts students' language proficiency, others argue that it allows students to stay abreast of technological advancements. Despite the numerous risks associated with the unstoppable development and irresistible use of MT, it is imperative to explore appropriate integration methods instead of outrightly banning its use in learning the translation practice. Consequently, this article examines existing research on methods of using MT in classroom learning and highlights its strengths and limitations. The article explores pedagogical solutions to harness the capabilities of MT and proposes a novel approach for the practical and efficient utilization of GNMT in translation-learning classroom. The findings propose a novel strategy for optimizing the efficacy of GNMT tools in the context of classroom learning. Also, they emphasize the importance of integrating MT tools in classroom and to the curriculum design as a fast-developed technology tool.
... There are valid arguments that MT literacy should be included as competence into the CEFR (Delorme Benites/Lehr 2021), making it clear that MT is part of language learning. As Lee (2020) shows, using MT helps students to improve their lexico-grammatical competencies as well as revision strategies for writing texts. ...
Bei Lernenden, die nicht über ein für den Schriftspracherwerb des Deutschen hinreichendes standardnahes sprechsprachliches Repertoire verfügen, sowie bei Lernenden, die Deutsch als Zweitsprache sprechen, kann es im schulischen und außerschulischen Schrift(sprach)erwerb zu besonderen Herausforderungen kommen. Der vorliegende Beitrag vereint die Disziplinen der Rechtschreib- und Mediendidaktik unter der Perspektive der Inklusion. Im Fokus steht die Frage, welches didaktische Potenzial hinter dem Einsatz digitaler Medien für den gesteuerten Rechtschreiberwerb steckt und wie genau didaktische Arrangements für Kinder mit dialektalen und mehrsprachigen Erfahrungen gestaltet werden müssten. Dazu werden exemplarisch einige digitale Tools für den Rechtschreiberwerb ausgewählt (z. B. digitale Korrekturprogramme, digitale Wörterbücher und interaktive Übungen und Lernpfade), diese didaktisch gerahmt und hinsichtlich des Potenzials für ein inklusives Rechtschreibtraining erörtert.
... Computer-aided translation allows users translate communication content such as texts or speech from one language into another (Lee, 2021;Steigerwald et al., 2022). Evidence shows that translation technologies have a potential to support second or foreign language teaching and learning (Lee, 2020;Murtisari et al., 2019;Wang, 2016). ...
Recent evidence suggests that not many studies on technology-supported cross-cultural learning considered creating authentic, immersive learning environments and addressing the language barrier in communication among representatives of different cultures which are very critical matters in the field. The present study attempted to address this gap. To this end, we designed the cross-cultural learning activity supported by 360-degree video technology and artificial intelligence-based translation tool. Eleven students from China and thirteen students from Russia participated in the activity. They used 360-degree video technology to create virtual reality (VR) cultural content which enabled authentic, immersive cross-cultural learning experiences. They also used AI-based translation technology to bridge the language barrier when communicating and exchanging culture-related information with each other in their native language. With such learning activity, we aimed to facilitate cross-cultural knowledge and attitudes of the participants. We used the convergent mixed methods design, i.e. both qualitative and quantitative data were collected, related and interpreted in response to the research questions. Personal meaning maps (PMMs) were used to measure knowledge of the students in three aspects (i.e. categories of cross-cultural knowledge, number of related and unrelated concepts, and emerged concepts) before and after the activity. We compared PMM outcomes obtained before the learning activity with those obtained after the activity using a statistical method in order to explore cross-cultural knowledge development. In addition, development in cross-cultural knowledge of the students after participating in the learning activity was explored based on the qualitative data. That is, content of 360-degree videos was analyzed and such qualitative findings were used to support the results of the statistical test. Next, cross-cultural attitudes development was explored in four aspects (i.e. interest, curiosity, openness, and respect) using interviews. Finally, participants’ perceptions of the technological support were also researched. The results showed that the cross-cultural learning activity supported by technologies were beneficial for knowledge and attitudes development. More specifically, the activity helped the students acquire cross-cultural knowledge in eight categories. The number of related concepts significantly increased whereas the number of unrelated concepts significantly decreased because of the activity. The students were able to identify, compare and contrast cultural differences, and they maintained an open and respectful attitude toward the culture of their partners after the study; they lacked such knowledge and abilities prior to the study. Finally, the participants positively perceived the technological support. Based on the results, it is suggested that educators and researchers employ 360-degree video and translation technologies in their design of learning activities when focusing on cross-cultural knowledge and attitudes development. Such approach was found to be beneficial to facilitate learning outcomes as authentic and immersive cross-cultural learning environments were created and the language barrier was addressed. The study makes the following contributions: (1) we designed the learning activity supported by 360-degree video and translation technologies to create authentic and immersive cross-cultural learning environments in which the language barrier was addressed, (2) we tested the feasibility of the learning activity supported by technology to facilitate cross-cultural knowledge and attitudes of the participants, and (3) we explored the accuracy rate of translation technology and perceptions of students regarding the learning activity supported by technology. The authenticity of the present study lies in the creation of the technology-supported cross-cultural learning environment in which the students had authentic and immersive learning experiences and were able to communicate with each other without any language barriers.
... According to our study most students use Google Translate to do their English homework (translation of new words and phrases, sometimes texts), to prepare projects and reports for classroom presentations or for submission of assignments. Although there is a general belief that Google Translate does not always provide a high-quality and accurate translation [7], it still provides its users with the main idea of the text and to some extent helps them with vocabulary acquisition and with the development of their pronunciation skills by using GT pronunciation checker [8]. ...
... With the development of the technology, sometimes the students are dependent in using machine translation software. According to Lee, computer-assisted translation contributes to learners' faster and more fluent written productions with minor errors [10]. ...
The aim of this study is to determine the perception on using Google Translate in the third semester of Engineering Students of Akademi Maritim Nusantara Cilacap to improve their writing skill. Ten students were selected as the research participants for this study. The data for this study is obtained by experimental study and questionnaire. The questions consist of the students’ perception in using Google Translate to help them improve their writing skill in EFL and their perception of Google Translate for improving their writing. By using descriptive-qualitative analysis, it is identified that the respondents produce better writing by utilizing Google Translate to help them with their writing task. The study also shows that although there are some disadvantages in using Google Translate, most respondents agree that there are more advantages to it in helping them improve their writing skill. In conclusion, this study reveals that there is positive perception in using Google Translate to improve writing skill and it is useful to improve the students’ writing skill.
... Another tool, Machine Translation, can serve as a supplementary platform that can be used by L2 learners to minimise errors in their writing. The tool can translate technical jargon, phrases and collocations and is more effective to be used compared to the dictionary or other electronic tools (Lee, 2020). Moreover, it is also able to develop lexical knowledge among the students. ...
The study investigates an impromptu writing task administered to diploma students studying in one of the technical universities on the East Coast of Malaysia. In particular, it identifies their errors in writing a one-paragraph essay, the kind of errors students made in completing the task, and the least errors students made in writing the one-paragraph. The samples were 48 students undergoing Preliminary Semester taking English as one of the subjects in the particular semester. The study found that students made errors to a certain degree in using articles, tenses, and subject-verb-agreement (SVA), to name a few in the current study. More specifically, the highest number of errors students made were in tenses, SVA, and word choices, while the least errors were in possessive and attributive structures, gerunds, and infinitives. The study implied that assigning students impromptu writing contributed to their performance errors. Despite their low vocabulary knowledge, it also made them less expressive when writing in the condition.
... Therefore, rules, regulations, standards, and processes that include checking, paraphrasing, summarising, and correctly referencing the source will encourage skill acquisition in performing these processes until the process becomes proceduralised or habitual. The difficulty and simplicity of these procedures, language translation complexity, and how students communicate -all influence how much reading and writing skills learners develop with the aid of MT (Garcia & Pena, 2011;Lee, 2020;Liubinienė et al., 2022). ...
... ] [11] . ...
The study aims at investigating how the use of Machine Translation, especially its latest development ChatGPT hinders or develops students’ English language learning in a prestigious university in Southwest China. A qualitative approach is adopted, involving focus-group interviews, classroom observations and field notes. It is found that the use of Machine Translation is not an issue at all with many supervisors and yet the lack of cognitive engagement with the English language poses a serious threat to the ELT classroom. Implications for teaching practices are explored.
... In addition, some participants stated they used online dictionaries to check their writings accuracy. These findings were in line with the work of Alhaisoni and Alhaysony (2017) and Lee (2020). In the studies on machine translation, translation programs (especially Google Translate), there was a consensus that these programs could make good translations apart from some mechanical errors and were developing day by day. ...
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the genre-based writing method in distance education courses. In this study, where action research was chosen as a research method, the researcher examined the use of the genre-based writing method in writing lessons of 8 foreign students at the B2 level who took a Turkish course over a 7-week period. For the data collection tools; the lessons’ video-recordings (observation), semi-structured interviews (interview) and the writings of the participants (document analysis) were examined. Thematic analysis was used in this study with both deductive and inductive processes. As a result, it was observed that genre-based writing method increased students' writing skills considerably in distance Turkish writing lessons. Another major finding was that the participants’ characteristics affected their success. However, in some sub-headings of this study, because of distance education’s nature, the implementation of the genre-based writing method did not show the expected successes. Finally, large-scale experimental studies containing genre-based writing method implementation and studies on self-regulation strategies in online writing lessons were suggested.
... Machine translation research began in seventeenth century. At the beginning of the research, machine translation mainly adopts the rulebased method, and linguists input the conversion rules between two languages into computers 3 . However, this method is highly dependent on the quality of language rules, and its application is greatly limited 4 . ...
To accelerate the deep application of deep learning in text data processing, an English statistical translation system is established and applied to the question answering of humanoid robot. Firstly, the model of machine translation based on recursive neural network is implemented. A crawler system is established to collect English movie subtitle data. On this basis, an English subtitle translation system is designed. Then, combined with sentence embedding technology, the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm of meta-heuristic algorithm is adopted to locate the defects of translation software. A translation robot automatic question and answer interactive module is constructed. Additionally, the hybrid recommendation mechanism based on personalized learning is built using blockchain technology. Finally, the performance of translation model and software defect location model is evaluated. The results show that the Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) embedding algorithm has certain effect of word clustering. RNN embedded model has a strong ability to process short sentences. The strongest translated sentences are between 11 and 39 words long, while the weakest translated sentences are between 71 and 79 words long. Therefore, the model must strengthen the processing of long sentences, especially character—level input. The average sentence length is much longer than word-level input. The model based on PSO algorithm shows good accuracy in different data sets. This model averages better performance on Tomcat, standard widget toolkits, and Java development tool datasets than other comparison methods. The average reciprocal rank and average accuracy of the weight combination of PSO algorithm are very high. Moreover, this method is greatly affected by the dimension of the word embedding model, and the 300-dimension word embedding model has the best effect. To sum up, this study proposes a good statistical translation model for humanoid robot English translation, which lays the foundation for intelligent interaction between humanoid robots.
... The authors suggest that MT might be a useful tool to help non-native English academics achieve better quality in their writing. Some studies have explored the use of MT for second-language writing (García and Pena 2011;Sangmin-Michelle 2019). Moreover, other researchers have examined the use of lexicographical tools to help non-English speaking academics write papers in English (Laso and John 2017). ...
... Machine translation can help with lexicogrammatically errors in student writing when translating. In other words, machine translation is rated as a useful tool for language learning (Lee, 2020). ...
Background: Information accessed by students does not rule out the possibility of a number of local and foreign languages. Students optimize the use of smartphones by scanning certain pages in foreign books. Purpose: this study aims to reveal the phenomena that encourage changes in students' translation habituation in learning. Design and methods: This research was conducted using a descriptive analysis method, by conducting a survey of undergraduate students at 6 campuses. The data in this study were in the form of a questionnaire and a number of documents from journals and books. The valid data are then analysed to draw generalizations. Results: This study reveals the habituation of using machine translators that are commonly used by students. This translation habituation has two sides, 1) lecture assignments that require information or those that are required to use English can be carried out and 2) students lack information due to lack of understanding of knowledge about the quality of translation.
The objective of this study was to investigate the perceptions of students with varying levels of writing anxiety regarding the learning activities associated with using teacher feedback and peer feedback. The present study utilized a quantitative approach for data collection. The quantitative data were obtained through a survey administered to 46 students in the English Department of a state Islamic University. The quantitative data were subsequently analyzed using descriptive statistics, specifically percentages and frequency, and non-parametric analysis employing the Mann-Whitney test. The findings indicated no statistically significant difference in the perceptions of students who experienced writing anxiety and received instruction through either teacher or peer feedback. Essentially, students who demonstrate lower levels of writing anxiety display a cheerful disposition towards the incorporation of both teacher feedback and peer feedback. During the intervening period, discernible differences arose in the viewpoints of students demonstrating heightened writing anxiety levels who were provided with instructions through teacher feedback instead of peer feedback
With globalization, the exchange of people between different countries is becoming more frequent. Due to different languages, there are serious obstacles to personnel exchanges. To a large extent, they hinder the growth of industries such as economy, culture and tourism in each country. The emergence of Machine Translation (MT) has effectively improved the problem of language barriers, and greatly reduced the workload of translators in text translation. However, MT does not have the same flexible flexibility as human translation. It just translates the text word by word, which is often difficult to meet people's higher needs. This paper proposed to build a Japanese-Chinese MT system and integrate machine learning and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) technology into the system. To further enhance the efficiency of the system, enhancement algorithms were also applied to the system to optimize the performance of the system. From the experimental results, in terms of BLEU (Bilingual Evaluation Understudy) index, the average BLEU index of the algorithm in this paper was 8.59, and that of the traditional algorithm was 6.55. In terms of translation precision, the average precision of the algorithm in this paper was 91.53%, while that of the traditional algorithm was 87.28%. In terms of translation readability, the average readability of the algorithm in this paper was 93.32%, while that of the traditional algorithm was 89.22%. By comparison, the average BLEU index of the algorithm in this paper has increased by 2.04; the average accuracy of translation increased by 4.25%; the average readability increased by 4.1%. From the above data, it was evident that the enhancement algorithm can optimize the performance of the Japanese-Chinese MT system well.
Scholars who use English as an additional language (EAL) worldwide are under increasing pressure to write and publish in English due to the pervasive publish‐or‐perish culture and the growing dominance of English in academia. While previous studies have focused either on textual differences between EAL scholars' writing and native writers', or explored the difficulties EAL scholars meet and strategies they employ in the process, this paper examines a longitudinal case of a Chinese engineering scholar using online machine translation (MT) to support his academic writing and publishing in English. Drawing from the technology acceptance model as the theoretical background, this study shows that online MT can be a crucial support for scholars with limited English proficiency in the process of preparing a manuscript, submitting it and communicating with editors and reviewers. Frequently occurring problems in machine‐translated academic texts include improper use of technical terms, use of informal language and the inclusion of grammatical mistakes. However, in the last decade, online MT has made great improvements in academic translation. We believe these findings can empower EAL scholars to effectively use online MT in academic English writing and inspire educators to help novice scholars mobilize various high‐tech tools such as online MT to support their writing and international publishing.
This research aimed to investigate students’ voices regarding the complexities that contribute to challenges and the coping strategies that address academic writing challenges they use in academic writing. Through a qualitative method, four female students majoring in English Education in the eighth semester at a private university in Indonesia were chosen as participants in this study's interview. Data analysis techniques employed include analyzing the data, coding the data, and interpreting the data. The findings indicated that twelve complexities contributed, namely learners’ low motivation, lack of lecturers’ feedback, lack of translation, lack of references, lack of time, lack of research background, low students' self-confidence, lack of experience in writing, lack of proficiency in reading, lack of critical thinking skill, lack of proper preparation in writing, and lack of a supportive writing learning environment. Students used twelve coping strategies for organization, ideas development, vocabulary, grammar, and mechanics. These strategies included exercises, feedback, reading academic papers, extensive reading, Google Translate, QuillBot, Grammarly, and Mendeley for arranging academic style. The implication of this research has been discussed here.
Machine translation (MT), i.e., automatic translation, is a growing field in artificial intelligence with huge impacts on societies and businesses. Despite its importance for traveling and tourism communication, it has not been approached within tourism research. This study aims to fill this gap in knowledge by analyzing how attitudes toward machine translation are related to tourists' profiles, travel behaviors, and language mindsets. It comprises two parts. The first one concerns a sample of 2,535 individuals, while the second concerns a sub-sample of 907 language tourists (LTs). Specific research goals are set for each study: i) to compare individuals with opposing viewpoints on the importance of MT in terms of profiles and attitudes toward languages; and ii) to understand how LTs' profiles and travel experiences differed according to their agreement with the importance of MT in their most significant language trip. Statistical exploratory and inferential analyses have been conducted. We conclude that those with more positive views of MT tend to be younger and less educated, report poorer language skills, and attribute greater importance to the role of English as a lingua franca. Concerning LTs, those who rate MT as less important are more likely to have acquired language skills formally, engage more in cultural activities, and have closer contact with locals during their language trips. Acknowledging the role of MT in their most significant language trip is neither associated with a more unfavorable attitude towards the role of language in tourism nor with perceived diminished travel outcomes.
Neural Machine Translation (NMT) has gained increasing popularity among EFL learners as a CALL tool to improve vocabulary, and many learners have reported its helpfulness for vocabulary learning. However, while there has been some evidence suggesting NMT’s facilitative role in improving learners’ writing on the lexical level, no study has examined whether vocabulary improvement made with the aid of NMT leads to any vocabulary retention when the tool is no longer in use. The present study employed a quasi-experimental design to examine the extent to which editing with NMT may lead to vocabulary improvement, immediate vocabulary retention and delayed vocabulary retention in the legal context and how the findings may vary by learners’ proficiency level. ANOVA results revealed that learners with higher proficiency achieved a similar level of immediate and delayed retention compared to their vocabulary improvement, while the benefits of NMT for learners with lower proficiency were significantly confined to vocabulary improvement and immediate vocabulary retention.
This study investigates the effect of interactive games on improving reading comprehension skills and attitudes toward games among Iranian learners of English as a foreign language. In this quantitative study, the participants in the control group received reading comprehension instruction through traditional models of teaching reading while the participants in the experimental group developed their reading skills through participating in interactive games. A reading comprehension test was administered as a posttest. The mean performance of the two groups was compared by performing an independent-samples t-test and a paired-samples t-test. The analysis revealed that participants in the experimental group (N = 30, M = 26.33, SD = 2.80) significantly outperformed those in the control group (N = 30, M = 16.80, SD = 3.71) in the posttest. Moreover, an examination of the participants’ perceptions showed they have a positive attitude toward games. The findings of this study suggest that interactive games are powerful tools for improving student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes in the classroom.
This survey investigates teacher and student perceptions and beliefs relating to the use of digital translation tools and online dictionaries (e. g. Google Translate, DeepL, Leo, Pons) in the foreign language classroom. Over the past few years, these tools have become increasingly popular, a development that has given rise to questions about their benefits for foreign language learning and teaching. A total of 1187 participants (985 students and 202 teachers) took part in the study. They came from primary schools, lower and upper secondary schools (Gymnasium and Fachmatura, vocational schools), as well as tertiary education and professional development classes. The survey was conducted in French (n=834) and German (n=353) in the cantons of Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel and Solothurn. Participation was voluntary. Results show that regardless of language background and educational context, participants perceive of the tools as a normal and largely established part of their everyday practices. Compared to their teachers, students are more optimistic about the tools’ potential contribution to foreign language learning and less concerned about possible pitfalls linked to using the tools. Students in lower secondary school use digital translation aids less frequently and rate their contribution to language learning and motivation less favourably than the other learner groups. Many teachers would like to use digital translators and online dictionaries in their classroom, but they express uncertainty about how to do so meaningfully. Teachers voice concerns over certain student practices, namely the lack of cognitive involvement when simply translating text without considering the output. Teachers also highlight the gap between curricular/institutional prescriptions and the way the tools are commonly used, a mismatch that can affect their teaching. Overall, our findings emphasize the need for a) empirical evidence on the effects of digital translation tools on foreign language acquisition, b) pedagogical scenarios for implementing the tools, and 3) alignment of policy with practice.
A contemporary review (over a 10-year period) was conducted into studies that used computer-assisted language learning (CALL) strategies to learn a second language (L2) by considering the impact of cognitive load. Twelve affordances were identified that led to enhanced learning, namely, online annotations and glosses, captioning, digital game-based language learning, videoconferencing and video feedback, visualization-based learning approaches, online instructional content and features, online machine translation tools, online interactive collaborative learning, (meta) cognitive learning strategies argument mapping, computer-mediated dictionary assisted learning, and multiple display screens. Associated with these affordances were a number of conditions and learner characteristics that modified the effectiveness of the affordances such as L2 proficiency. Most learning strategies were used to reduce cognitive load, although a limited number fostered germane cognitive load through generative learning practices. A number of issues associated with measuring cognitive load, multimedia learning, and research designs are also discussed.
This study aims to develop and implement a PBL framework using AI technology-based learning tools, namely, Naver Papago, Google Translate, and Grammarly. The six-week framework was embedded into a General English course at a university, and a total of 20 students participated in the study. After collecting 19 students’ questionnaires and 4 sets of group journals in which 20 students participated in four groups, the data were analyzed in order to investigate the students’ English learning experiences through the General English course. The findings are as follows. The students had positive English learning experiences in terms of cognitive factors, affective factors, satisfaction, linguistic factors, knowledge construction, and reflective practices. On the other hand, the students had negative learning experiences in relation to the inadequate quality of AI technology-based tools and the rather over-reliance on the tools. The study concludes with some pedagogical implications: the inclusion of a student-initiated grammar session involving feedback provided by Grammarly, and English language practices involving speaking and writing, both of which should serve to lower the over-reliance of the technology-based tools.
This research aimed to reveal English as a Foreign Language (henceforth EFL) learners' attitudes toward the written corrective feedback (WCF) from their peers and their teacher during their composition in the context of EFL writing. Fifty-nine students were involved in this research and were required to fill in the questionnaire to collect the research data. Additionally, the analysis of the data showed that: (1) students generally have a positive attitude toward both the teacher's and their peers' WCF; (2) they felt challenged and encouraged to have better writing when their teacher or peers always corrected the errors they had made in their writing composition; (3) they had a more positive attitude toward direct WCF than indirect WCF; (4) they expected the most pervasive errors in their composition to be corrected; (5) they preferred global errors to be corrected instead of local errors. Based on the findings, it is possible to conclude that EFL learners generally require WCF when learning to write a composition. It must include considerations such as the types of correction techniques used (direct and indirect), which errors are prioritized for correction (the most common), and who should correct the errors (teachers are preferred against peers).
Technology has greatly improved and made learning English easier in this day and age. Machine translation (MT) is the use of computers to translate documents from one human language into another. This research aims to examine the machine translation in enhancing English vocabulary mastery for University Students. The methodology used in this study is descriptive qualitative. Vocabulary comprehension is considered to be a difficult subject, although the majority of pupils find it difficult. Due to the complexity of word forms, word choices, and various meanings, learning to master English vocabulary can be difficult. Google Translate is one program that employs multilingual translation processes using online machine translation (MT) methodologies. The results showed that vocabulary learning strategies should be applied in the classroom to boost university students' vocabulary expansion. To increase one's command of the target language and advance to competency levels, one must learn new vocabulary. Therefore, researchers are always looking for the best approach to teach vocabulary by using machine translation.
With the dramatic improvement in quality, machine translation has emerged as a tool widely adopted by language learners. Its use, however, has been a divisive issue in language education. We conducted an approximate replication of Lee (2020) about the impact of machine translation on EFL writing. This study used a mixed-methods approach with automatic text analyzer Coh-Metrix and human ratings, supplemented with questionnaires, interviews, and screen recordings. The findings obtained support most of the original work, suggesting that machine translation can help language learners improve their EFL writing proficiency, specifically in strengthening lexical expressions. Students generally hold positive attitudes towards machine translation, despite some skeptical views regarding the values of machine translation. Most students express a strong wish to learn how to effectively use machine translation. Machine translation literacy instruction is therefore suggested for incorporation into the curriculum for language students.
This qualitative research aims to investigate and analyze the practice of post-editing activity in Saudi translation agencies and translation centers. The study’s focus is on the importance of post-editing Machine Translation (MT) output as an approach to upgrade the quality of MT results to enhance the accuracy of translations. The study data were collected through an electronic survey (questionnaire) comprising short questions about post-editing practice and guidelines in addition to their knowledge about post-editing certification programs. The participants in this study were 18 professional translators working in certified translation agencies and translation centers across different universities between Jeddah, Dammam, and Riyadh cities. The results of the study showed that the participants post-edited the MT outputs in their tasks and recognized the importance of being aware of post-editing standards and guidelines. Further, the findings demonstrated that the majority of the participants used machine translation tools. Finally, they were positively disposed about post-editing certification programs to take employment as post-editors. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended to analyze the state of post-editing in Saudi Arabia on a larger sample to investigate the attitudes of Saudi translation students towards practicing post-editing of MT outputs, and analyzing the activity of post-editing MT in specialized texts by Saudi professional translators.
This paper tackles the concept of AI, its justification, and its applications in the field of education in general, and in the field of teaching/learning English Language, in particular. The paper focuses specifically on the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI), which includes a wide range of technologies and methods, such as machine learning, adaptive learning, natural language processing, data mining, crowdsourcing, neural networks or an algorithm, into foreign language learning and teaching. First, the paper is concerned with changes brought to education in general and foreign language education specifically through the application of AI-powered tools and discusses ICALL (intelligent computer assisted language learning) as a subset of CALL. Second, it delineates the implementation of AI in the field of ESL/EFL. Third, it summarizes the consequences of applying AI-powered tools for foreign language education. Fourth, it discusses the benefits and challenges that the AI implementation entails. Finally, it puts forward a number of guidelines and recommendations for education policy-makers targeting the basic requirements for AI implementation.
Cet article aborde un sujet très actuel dans l’apprentissage des langues secondes et étrangères du XXIe siècle : l'utilisation excessive des outils de traduction automatique par les apprenants et l’incertitude des enseignants universitaires comment gérer cette nouvelle réalité. Nous proposons d’aborder cette problématique de manière positive, en considérant des traducteurs automatiques en ligne comme outils pédagogiques. Ainsi, nous suggérons un atelier de formation conçu pour préparer les apprenants de français langue seconde/étrangère à l'usage responsable et efficace de DeepL, un des logiciels de TA les plus sophistiqués. Notre approche privilégie une discussion ouverte sur l’utilisation et l’utilité de la TA dans l’apprentissage des langues et met à la disposition des enseignants universitaires une ressource pédagogique à explorer afin de reconsidérer le rôle des technologies langagières dans l’apprentissage des langues.
Machine translation has recently improved dramatically in accuracy, convenience, and accessibility, and while it has been widely adopted, it remains far from perfect. This chapter considers the perils and potential benefits of machine translation in English-medium of instruction transnational higher education. The perils of machine translation in this context are that it can stunt language learning and cause miscomprehension; it problematizes authorship; it facilitates novel forms of plagiarism; and it can hurt transnational higher education institutions' reputations and devalue their degrees. The potential benefits of machine translation are that it can aid reading comprehension, raise writing level, and help student retention; it provides an opportunity for critically engaging with digital technology and its appropriate use; and it facilitates instruction and research beyond instructor and student language competencies, which can broaden and transnationalize the often Americentric and Eurocentric content of transnational higher education.
With a significant number of students using machine translation (MT) for academic purposes in recent years, language teachers can no longer ignore it in their classrooms. Although an increasing number of studies have reported its pedagogical benefits, studies have also revealed that language teachers are still sceptical about using MT for various reasons. Most of all, they have limited trust in MT quality and the effectiveness of using MT in foreign language (FL) learning. Hence, the current study examined these issues to provide an overview and a guide to language teachers regarding the use of MT in FL education. The study examined 87 MT studies related to FL education published between 2000 and 2019. It employed both systematic review (primary) and meta-analysis (secondary) as research methods for a robust data analysis. The results showed that the number of publications in this area has increased in recent years and that MT quality has been significantly enhanced. Most studies also reported the positive impacts of using MT in FL learning, particularly for writing. However, this study also found that students had mixed emotions about MT and that there are disparities in perceptions between instructors and students. Based on the results, the present study presents several pedagogical implications and suggestions for future research on MT.
Résumé
S’il est vrai que « l’intelligence artificielle et les médias sociaux ont considérablement modifié notre rapport à la communication en général et à la traduction en particulier » ( EMT 2017 , 2), il faut pourtant constater que l’impact de ce nouveau paradigme de l’intelligence artificielle sur la formation universitaire et sur la pratique professionnelle est loin de contribuer à une harmonisation des pratiques. Dans le cadre de cette contribution, nous essaierons de développer une réflexion autour de la compétence traductive à l’ère de l’intelligence artificielle (IA) en vue de déterminer la mesure dans laquelle la compétence traductive évolue actuellement dans le contexte de la formation universitaire et celui de la traduction institutionnelle pour répondre aux nouveaux modes d’interaction avec les systèmes de traduction automatique neuronale. Notre objectif est, en ce sens, de contribuer à l’identification des perspectives d’intégration de la traduction automatique neuronale, dans le sens d’une convergence entre formation et profession. Dans un premier temps (cf. Sections 1 et 2 ), on se propose de définir ce que devient la traduction à l’ère de l’intelligence artificielle, en accordant une attention particulière à l’acquisition des compétences technologiques. Dans un deuxième temps (cf. Sections 3 et 4 ), ces compétences spécifiques seront mises en relation avec les pratiques professionnelles et notamment celles qui caractérisent le flux de traduction de la direction générale de la traduction (DGT) de la Commission européenne. Les compétences technologiques telles qu’elles ont été définies par le réseau européen des masters en traduction (EMT), dans le référentiel élaboré en 2017 et adopté pour la période 2018–2024, seront utilisées ici pour appuyer nos propos, dans le sens où ce référentiel constitue un pont entre la formation et la pratique professionnelle.
As technology advances, the teaching-learning process becomes more robust. In addition to technological possibilities and opportunities, the functions that academics give to technology have an impact on its effective application in the field of education. In this study, it is intended to investigate technologically based studies in the field of English language instruction. The study evaluated research articles published in the journals "Language Learning & Technology" "The Journal of the European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning" and "Computer Assisted Language Learning" in 2020 and 2021 and indexed by the Web of social science. The articles were thematically analyzed. Examined were the study's objective, methods and approaches, technological instruments, and data collection tools. The primary factor is how technology is utilized in the study. Particularly in language education, the role of technology in teaching English as a second language has been investigated. Technology helps EFL students learn. This study will try to conceptualize technology's role. Technology is supposed to develop writing and language abilities first. Quantitative research predominated, followed by mixed-methods. Most research sampled college students. The study mostly used learner-centered and task-based instruction. Language-learning websites are chosen. Second-tier mobile apps. Technological tools are employed directly as teaching tools individually or in groups, but their use as a communication tool between students and teachers and as a tool for student cooperation is highlighted.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7968.2016v36nesp1p14
This contribution reviews the idea of discovery learning with corpora, proposed in the 1990s, evaluating its potential and its implications with reference to the education of translators today. The rationale behind this approach to data-driven learning, combining project-based and form-focused instruction within a socio-constructivistically inspired environment, is discussed. Examples are also provided of authentic, open-ended learning experiences, thanks to which students of translation share responsibility over the development of corpora and their consultation, and teachers can abandon the challenging role of omniscient knowledge providers and wear the more honest hat of "learning experts". Adding to the more straightforward uses of corpora in courses that aim to develop thematic, technological and information mining competences – i.e., in which training is offered in the use of corpora as professional aids –, attention is focused on foreign language teaching for translators and on corpora as learning aids, highlighting their potential for the development of the three other European Master's in Translation (EMT) competences (translation service provision, language and intercultural ones).
It is argued that the popularity of Google Translate is increasing and users are implementing this giant search engine for different purposes. Hence, this paper reports the results of a study on attitudes toward the use of Google Translate (GT). The participants were 92 Saudi EFL university English major students. A questionnaire was used as an instrument in this study. The results revealed that almost all of the subjects reported using GT. Vocabulary, writing and reading were the three most frequent purposes for which they use GT, whereas translation was the least frequently used. The results also showed that GT is frequently used to get the meaning of unknown words, writing assignments and reading an English textbook. The findings of the study have implications for students, instructors and researchers.
If you can not beat them, join him [sic] (Google Translation of Si no puedes con tu enemigo, únete a él). Academic dishonesty is widespread in schools and colleges across the world, and with the advent of technology, cheating is easier than ever: While computers and the internet provide students with all the tools they need to plagiarize from the comfort of their own home, instructors find themselves playing “forensic linguist” in order to gather evidence of cheating. Academic dishonesty in the foreign language classroom is not that different from academic dishonesty in other disciplines except for two areas: unauthorized editing by a proficient/native speaker and the use of online translators (OTs). While these two are not usually an issue for assignments in chemistry or psychology, they are two well-known types of academic dishonesty in the foreign languages. In this paper, I examine the use of OTs: how are they different from an online dictionary? How can they be detected? How can their use be prevented? Finally, I propose using them as part of the class in order to discourage/minimize academic dishonesty and raise metalinguistic awareness.
The role of translation in second language learning has long been recognized. With the advent of social collaborative platforms, its importance can be further emphasized. In this paper, we propose a social collaborative platform based on the popular MediaWiki, together with its Translation extension, that aims to align translation technology and second language learning to create a collaborative environment, thus enabling high-quality learning experiences. The platform has been developed in the WALLeT (Wiki Assisted Language Learning and Translation) project in Tor Vergata University of Rome, and it is currently being tested in two university courses, English and Spanish, for students enroled in the Languages in the Information Society Degree.
Despite the acknowledged importance of translation technology in translation studies programmes and the current ascendancy of Statistical Machine Translation (SMT), there has been little reflection to date on how SMT can or should be integrated into the translation studies curriculum. In a companion paper we set out a rationale for including a holistic SMT syllabus in the translation curriculum. In this paper, we show how the priorities and aspirations articulated in that source can be operationalised in the translation technology classroom and lab. We draw on our experience of designing and evaluating an SMT syllabus for a cohort of postgraduate student translators at Dublin City University in 2012. In particular, we report on data derived from a mixed-methods approach that aims to capture the students' view of the syllabus and their self-assessment of their own learning. Using the construct of self-efficacy, we show significant increases in students' knowledge of and confidence in using machine translation in general and SMT in particular, after completion of teaching units in SMT. We report on additional insights gleaned from student assignments, and conclude with ideas for future refinements of the syllabus.
There has been an enormous boom in Machine Translation (MT) research and practice in recent years. Today millions of words are being translated into different languages by people using computers every day, and this number is anticipated to increase exponentially in the near future. This reality has gone in tandem with the fact that English is currently enjoying the status of being international lingua franca (Cook, 2003). Machine translation of many types of straightforward text between the major languages already meets the quality standards for practical applications. Such a popularity of the practice is realized in the typical EFL classrooms in the Arab world especially in the Gulf States where MT is one of the strategies employed by students in learning English. However, the adoption of MT by EFL Arabic-speaking students is better examined in the light of the fact that Arabic language and its dialectical variations present many challenges for computational processing and machine translation. This paper investigates the usage and dependence on machine translation by EFL Arabic speaking learners and the implications of that on meaning accuracy and message consistency. The paper also explores the impact of MT on human translation profession and practice.
When machine translation researchers par-ticipate in evaluation tasks, they typically design their primary submissions using ideas that are not genre-specific. In fact, their systems look much the same from one evaluation campaign to another. In this pa-per, we analyze two popular genres: spoken language and written news, using publicly available corpora which stem from the popular WMT and IWSLT evaluation campaigns. We show that there is a sufficient amount of difference between the two genres that particular statistical mod-eling strategies should be applied to each task. We identify translation problems that are unique to each translation task and advise researchers of these phenomena to fo-cus their efforts on the particular task.
This article shall discuss a number of factors to be considered in the process of integrating computer technology into the student language learning experience. It examines research on student attitudes and the factors that affect student engagement with the technology before looking at the experiences of a project undertaken at the University of Ulster aimed at integrating computer technology into the delivery of undergraduate classes on French translation. By drawing on the experience and examples in the project, this article shall conclude by outlining a number of issues to be considered in the integration of multimedia technologies in the delivery of language learning. This will include a range of considerations, such as student attitudes and level of comfort as well as pedagogical concerns.
Paraphrasing, or restating information using different words, is critical to successful writing. However, EFL learners have difficulty making paraphrases to meet their writing demand, and there has been little research on developing automatic reference tools to assist these learners’ paraphrase skills for better writing quality. In this study, we developed PREFER, an online corpus-based paraphrasing assistance system. Allowing multi-word input and returning promptly with a list of paraphrases in English and Chinese, along with usage patterns and example sentences, PREFER provides substantial support for EFL learners to vary their expressions during writing. An assessment study of the effectiveness of PREFER was conducted with fifty-five Chinese-speaking EFL college freshmen in an Asian country. The results indicated that PREFER offered the most benefits to students’ writing performance (with an after-use improvement of 38.2%), compared with an online dictionary and an online thesaurus (-31.6% and -6.2% respectively). Further investigation revealed that the less proficient, more motivated, and more conservative students showed more significant progress in the paraphrasing task with the help of PREFER. In the meantime, nearly 90 percent of the students expressed satisfaction with the paraphrases generated by PREFER, and its functions, and another 75 percent of them acknowledged that PREFER benefits their writing task.
This paper explores the motivation and prerequisites for successful integration of Intelligent Computer-Assisted Language Learning (ICALL) tools into current foreign language teaching and learning (FLTL) practice. We focus on two aspects, which we argue to be important for effective ICALL system development and use: (i) the relationship between activity design and restrictions needed to make natural language processing tractable and reliable, and (ii) pedagogical considerations and the influence of activity design choices on the integration of ICALL systems into FLTL practice.
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of feedback on writing accuracy over time and examine the relevance
of the students’ mother tongue to the feedback effect. To this end, the study compared two groups of Iranian English majors
(N=56) over a period of four months: one with indirect grammar feedback and the other with no grammar feedback whatsoever.
The results of the study did not show a significant effect for the teachers’ feedback. However, the results showed a main
effect for practice and the interaction of practice and feedback as a result of which both groups improved their writing accuracy
over the course of one semester, with the feedback group making more improvement. The results also showed significant differences
between the two groups in reducing their errors in various grammatical categories. The study further revealed that the success
ratio of error reduction in each category was highly sensitive to cross-linguistic differences. The students’ views, elicited
after the study, support the findings obtained from the analysis of the quantitative data.
This is the second half of a study on the advisability of having undergraduates perform an exercise in post-editing (PE) on output from machine translation (MT). After a sketch of its chequered history, I take up the various ways in which students could be introduced to MT, and conclude that PE is the most useful, mainly because it makes them aware of MT's limitations and fundamental language properties underlying these limitations. Through a review of the literature on PE practices and challenges, especially a psycho-linguistic study by Krings (2001), I highlight crucial differences between professional PE and our pedagogical experiment. An error analysis of the student PE results (English to French) is then compared with analyses of the MT input, student translations of the same text from scratch, and parallel results from the initial, Frenchto-English experiment. Finally, student comments on the exercise suggest that weaker students especially find it beneficial.
Learning Vocabulary in Another Language provides a detailed survey of research and theory on the teaching and learning of vocabulary with the aim of providing pedagogical suggestions for both teachers and learners. It contains descriptions of numerous vocabulary learning strategies which are justified and supported by reference to experimental research, case studies, and teaching experience. It also describes what vocabulary learners need to know to be effective language users. Learning Vocabulary in Another Language shows that by taking a systematic approach to vocabulary learning, teachers can make the best use of class time and help learners get the best return for their learning effort. It will quickly establish itself as the point of reference for future vocabulary work.
Cambridge Core - ELT Applied Linguistics - Learning Vocabulary in Another Language - by I. S. P. Nation
This article describes the peer-editing behaviors of eight undergraduate students in a third-year Spanish composition and grammar review course. Data collected over four months through interviews, participant observation, artifact inventories, and questionnaires revealed a strong tendency among informants to define the peer-editing process in social and emotional terms, but did not support some of the previously held views regarding the effectiveness of the process. The author's findings challenge common beliefs about the effects that audience awareness and response may have on students' writing and students' attitude toward writing, and suggest implications for the classroom.
This article presents the first study on using a parallel corpus to teach Cantonese, the variety of Chinese spoken in Hong Kong. We evaluated this approach with Mandarin-speaking undergraduate students at the beginner level. Exploiting their knowledge of Mandarin, a closely related language, the students studied Cantonese with authentic material in a Cantonese-Mandarin parallel corpus, transcribed from television programs. They were given a list of Mandarin words that yield a range of possible Cantonese translations, depending on the linguistic context. Leveraging sentence and word alignments in the parallel corpus, the students independently searched for example sentences to discover these translation equivalents. Experimental results showed that, in both the short- and long-term, this data-driven learning approach helped students improve their knowledge of Cantonese vocabulary. These results suggest the potential of applying parallel corpora at even the beginners’ level for other L1-L2 pairs of closely related languages.
Examining and establishing task equivalence in writing tests that employ various tasks across test occasions and/or offer examinees task choice are an essential step to ensure valid score interpretations and fair decisions across examinees, tasks, and test occasions. This chapter illustrates how the question of task equivalence in writing assessment could be empirically examined by combining score and text analysis approaches. A data set, consisting of essays written by EFL (English as a Foreign Language) university students on two argumentative tasks that are assumed to be equivalent in terms of difficulty, is used to illustrate how this approach could help test developers identify the direct and indirect effects of tasks on writing test performance. Students' written responses to the two tasks were coded in terms of various linguistic and discourse features based on the writing competence model (Connor & Mbaye, 2002) and their scores were analyzed using a measurement model, multi-faceted Rasch measurement (Linacre, 2012). This approach can contribute to future studies on task equivalence and on variability in examinee and rater performance in writing assessment settings. © 2012 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. All rights reserved.
This thesis explores the area where translation and language learning intersects. However, this intersection is not one in the traditional sense of second language teaching: where translation is used as a means for learning a foreign language. This thesis treats translating into the foreign language as a separate entity, one that is as important as learning the foreign language itself. Thus the discussion in this thesis is especially relevant to an academic institution which contemplates training foreign language learners who can perform translation into the foreign language at a professional level. The thesis concentrates on developing a pedagogical model which can achieve the goal of fostering linguistic competence and translation competence at the same time. It argues that constructing such a model under a computerised framework is a viable approach, since the task of translation nowadays relies heavily on all kinds of
A study was conducted to investigate the levels of representation in memory constructed as an outcome of L2 reading comprehension, and the effects of L2 proficiency, prior knowledge, and L1 reading skills on the construction of the representation. A total number of 128 Korean EFL learners participated in the study. Their L2 reading comprehension was tested through verification measure and comprehension questions designed to assess different levels of understanding including the sentence-level, textbase understanding and the situation model, or the deeper level of understanding of what the text is about. Results showed that the representation the L2 readers constructed was characterized as consisting of rather loose textbase understanding and relatively weak, but varying degrees of, situational understanding. Only L2 proficiency, among the three factors, appeared to have a significant effect on the levels of understanding in the representation the L2 readers constructed.
This article briefly reviews the current state of Machine Translation (MT) (understood to refer to computer systems that attempt some degree of automatic natural language translation). Particular reference is made to two operational systems and to the training needs of students who will be the professional translators of the immediate future. The experiences of teaching MT to modern language students at the University of Exeter using a commercially available system are described; an overview of the main features of the system is given, along with samples of translation output and indications of how such material may be pedagogkally exploited.
Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) is an alternative approach to computer translation that integrates human expertise into the automatic translation process. In this realm, the few studies that deal with Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) as a language learning tool focus on its use by advanced learners, not by beginners. Yet, freely available CAT engines (i.e. Google Translate) position themselves to cater precisely to the needs of learners with a limited command of a second language (L2). Anecdotal classroom evidence points to beginners availing themselves of CAT help, even against the advice of teachers. In order to find out whether CAT could help develop learners’ writing skills in L2, some tests were run asking participants to write directly into L2 in one instance and into L1 in another, while pre-editing the L1 and post-editing the L2 within the CAT’s Translate.google.com interface. The analysis of the output shows that CAT helps beginners to communicate more, particularly when they have a lesser mastery of the language. The less their mastery of the L2, the greater the difference between the number of words composed with the help of CAT and the number of those written directly into L2. It also helps them to communicate better, with blind marking indicating higher quality when writing with CAT mediation. Looking at the screen recordings, on the other hand, we found that writing directly into L2 requires more effort, as measured by number of pauses, and involves more engagement with the task, as measured by the number of editing interventions.
A recent development in digital technology, machine translation (MT), is improving in its ability to translate with grammatical and lexical accuracy, and is also becoming increasingly available for students of language for academic purposes. Given the acceptance of other digital technology for teaching and learning, it seems likely that machine translation will become a tool students will rely on to complete their assignments in a second language. This would have implications for the community of practice of academic language teaching. In this study students were asked to submit an essay in their first language and this was then translated into English through a web-based translation engine. The resulting English text was analysed for grammatical error. The analysis found that the translation engine was far from able to produce error-free text – however, judging in relation to international testing standards, the level of accuracy is approaching the minimum needed for university admission at many institutions. Thus, this paper sets out to argue, based on the assumption that MT will continue to improve, that this technology will have a profound influence on the teaching of Languages for Academic Purposes, and with imaginative use, will allow this influence to be positive for both the students and their instructors.
The few studies that deal with machine translation (MT) as a language learning tool focus on its use by advanced learners, never by beginners. Yet, freely available MT engines (i.e. Google Translate) and MT-related web initiatives (i.e. Gabble-on.com) position themselves to cater precisely to the needs of learners with a limited command of a second language (L2). Anecdotal classroom evidence points to beginners availing themselves of MT help, even against the advice of teachers. In order to find out whether MT could help develop learners' writing skills in L2, we ran some tests asking participants to write directly into L2 in one instance and into L1 in another, while pre-editing the L1 and post-editing the L2 within the MT's Tradukka.com interface. Analysis of the output produced has found that MT helps beginners to communicate more, particularly when they had a lesser mastery of the language. The less their mastery of the L2, the greater the difference between the number of words composed with the help of MT and the number of those written directly into L2. It also helped them to communicate better, with blind marking indicating higher quality when writing with MT mediation. Looking at the screen recordings, on the other hand, we found that writing directly into L2 requires more effort, as measured by number of pauses, and involves more engagement with the task, as measured by the number of editing interventions.
The relationship between revision and text improvement was explored as part of a study investigating the effect of systematic revision instruction on L2 writing. Students in two Form Four/Five classes in a Hong Kong secondary school were taught to revise their first drafts for six writing tasks completed over one academic year. A selection of 30% of student original and revised texts were analysed for revision changes. This analysis showed that all revised texts were longer containing more elaboration. Six student writers were then interviewed to examine how they interpret the influence of their revisions on their texts. These interviews indicated a common belief that text 'improvement' was beyond the writers' capabilities as it entailed 'more' accurate texts.
The paper first describes a web-based essay critiquing system developed by the authors using latent semantic analysis (LSA), an automatic text analysis technique, to provide students with immediate feedback on content and organisation for revision whenever there is an internet connection. It reports on its effectiveness in enhancing adult EFL students' writing quantitatively and qualitatively. Finally it suggests ways to use the system effectively.An experimental study was conducted. Twenty-seven student writers, who were assigned to the control and experimental groups randomly, wrote a 300-word argumentative essay, a genre usually tested in local and public examinations, over an 80-minute duration. The experimental group received two modes of feedback from the system whereas the control group typed and revised their essays on the computer in the traditional pen and paper way only. Their final submissions were co-marked by two raters, and comparison on essay length and final scores between the two groups was made. Although it was found that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in these two aspects, the experimental group's writing strategies shed some light on pedagogy.
Generalised access to the Internet and globalisation has led to increased demand for translation services and a resurgence in the use of machine translation (MT) systems. MT post-editing or the correction of MT output to an acceptable standard is known to be one of the ways to face the huge demand on multilingual communication. Given that the use of translation and MT post-editing are increasing the demand for language-skilled professionals, in this article we aim at evaluating the use of MT post-editing in the foreign language class. For this purpose we make use of computer-aided error analysis (CEA) to extract patterns of error found in translation and MT post-editing into the foreign language. This methodology will provide some insights as to the main difficulties found by the students in post-editing into the foreign language and about the suitability of using raw MT output as input for foreign language written production. Thus, a comparative analysis of error frequency is performed on the results of a group of advanced students of Spanish doing post-editing as compared to another group doing translation in order to gauge the level of difficulty of MT post-editing as opposed to translation into the foreign language.
Lack of research on the characteristics of peer assessment in EFL writing may inhibit teachers from appreciating the utility of this innovative assessment. This study addressed the following research questions: (1) How similar are peer, self- and teacher ratings of EFL writing?; (2) Do students favour peer ratings?; and (3) Does peer feedback influence students’ attitudes about peer rating? Forty-seven college students studying English writing in a Japanese college were assigned to write two essays. Each essay was commented on and rated by two teachers, three peers and the writers themselves. Students also completed a five-item questionnaire about their attitudes regarding peer rating. Peer and teacher ratings were found to correlate significantly. The results of the questionnaire indicated that students had favourable attitudes towards peer rating. A regression analysis suggested that peer feedback did not influence students’ favourable attitudes about the feedback.
The relative effects of various types of negative feedback on the acquisition of the English dative alternation by 100 adult Spanish-speaking learners of English as a second language were investigated. Our objective was to determine empirically whether feedback can help learners learn the appropriate abstract constraints on an overgeneral rule. All subjects were trained on the alternation, which was presented in terms of a simple structural change. Subjects were divided into groups according to the type of feedback they received when they made an error. Specifically, upon making an error, Group A subjects were given explicit metalinguistic information about the generalization we hoped they would learn. Group B subjects were told that their response was wrong. Group C subjects were corrected when they erred, giving them a model of the response desired along with implicit negative evidence that their response was incorrect. Group D subjects, having made an error, were asked if they were sure about their response. The comparison group received no feedback.
This paper presents a snapshot of what has been investigated in terms of the relationship between machine translation (MT) and foreign language (FL) teaching and learning. For this purpose four different roles of MT in the language class have been identified: MT as a bad model, MT as a good model, MT as a vocational training tool (especially in the form of translation memories, pre-editing and post-editing), and MT as a “CALL tool”. Subsequently, some of the implications of the use of MT and of free online MT for FL learning are outlined and discussed along with practical examples for language teaching purposes. Finally, qualitative data, drawn from our empirical investigation are presented as synthesized findings pertaining to the perceptions of language learners and tutors in relation to the use of MT and, in particular, free online MT as a language tool.
ABSTRACT This article describes the peer-editing behaviors of eight undergraduate students in a third-year Spanish composition and grammar review course. Data collected over four months through interviews, participant observation, artifact inventories, and questionnaires revealed a strong tendency among informants to define the peer-editing process in social and emotional terms, but did not support some of the previously held views regarding the effectiveness of the process. The author's findings challenge common beliefs about the effects that audience awareness and response may have on students' writing and students' attitude toward writing, and suggest implications for the classroom.
This article addresses a pervasive problem of concern to teachers of many foreign languages: the use of Web-Based Machine Translation (WBMT) by students who do not understand the complexities of this relatively new tool. Although networked technologies have greatly increased access to many language and communication tools, WBMT is still ineffective for translating text into another language, especially when the user of the software is not able to make grammaticality and acceptability judgments in the target language. This article explains some specific limitations of WBMT (with examples from French) and provides a pedagogical plan for teachers to present this tool to students in order to promote language awareness and electronic literacy, which could help reduce the widespread misuse of this tool by students.
This preliminary classroom study aims to examine the impact of trained responders’ feedback on EFL college students’ revisions, both in terms of revision types and quality. After a 4-hour in-class demonstration and a 1-hour after-class reviewer-teacher conference with each student (n = 18), the instructor/researcher collected students’ first drafts and revisions, as well as reviewers’ written feedback, and compared them with those produced prior to training. Results show that students incorporated a significantly higher number of reviewers’ comments into revisions post peer review training. The number of peer-triggered revisions comprised 90% of the total revisions, and the number of revisions with enhanced quality was significantly higher than that before peer review training. The researcher concludes that with extensive training inside and outside of class, trained peer review feedback can positively impact EFL students’ revision types and quality of texts directly.
Vague feedback and misinterpretation of writers’ intentions on the reviewers’ part have been found to be two major reasons why most of their comments are disregarded during writers’ revision in one EFL writing class. To resolve this problem, a training was conducted to coach these students to generate more specific comments. Four characteristics of comments that were found to facilitate students’ revisions in previous research were identified and used as guidelines during training: Clarifying writers’ intentions, identifying problems, explaining the nature of problems, and making specific suggestions. Two teacher–student conferences with each reviewer were also held to provide individual assistance. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses of students’ comments after training were conducted. Students were able to generate significantly more comments containing two or three afore-mentioned characteristics and were able to produce more relevant and specific comments on global issues. As reviewers students benefited from this training in skill improvement, confidence build-up, language acquisition and metacognitive strategy use. As writers they were able to approach topics of interest to them from multiple perspectives and to increase their vocabulary repertoire after training.
This research uses experimental and control group data to show that students’ correction of grammatical and lexical error between assignments reduces such error in subsequent writing over one semester without reducing fluency or quality. A second study further examines how error correction should be done. Should a teacher correct errors or mark errors for student self-correction? If the latter, should the teacher indicate location or type of error or both? Measures include change in the accuracy of both revisions and of subsequent writing, change in fluency, change in holistic ratings, student attitudes toward the four different kinds of teacher response, and time required by student and teacher for each kind of response. Findings are that both direct correction and simple underlining of errors are significantly superior to describing the type of error, even with underlining, for reducing long-term error. Direct correction is best for producing accurate revisions, and students prefer it because it is the fastest and easiest way for them as well as the fastest way for teachers over several drafts. However, students feel that they learn more from self-correction, and simple underlining of errors takes less teacher time on the first draft. Both are viable methods depending on other goals.
An analysis of Google Translate accuracy
- M Aiken
- S Balan
Aiken, M., & Balan, S. (2011). An analysis of Google Translate accuracy. Translation
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Google Translate as a supplementary tool for learning Malay: A case study at Universiti Sains Malaysia
- H Bahri
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Bahri, H., & Mahadi, T. (2016). Google Translate as a supplementary tool for learning
Malay: A case study at Universiti Sains Malaysia. Advances in Language and Literary
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State-of-the-art and future directions of smart learning: Lecture notes in educational technology
- V Baraniello
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- L Laura
- M Lozano
- M Zahonero
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