Research for developing English learning contents based on User’s native language
Jae-Il Yi
Assistant Professor, College of General Education, Semyung University 65, Semyeong-ro, Jecheon-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, 27136, Republic of Korea
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The development of information and communication technology, the necessity of the common language for the infinite information exchange of this era is considered as important, and one of the representative languages currently playing such role is English.
Methods/Statistical analysis: The proposed system analyzes the vocabulary and written contexts frequently used by the user by collecting the verbal and written text information of the native language which is usually used in the environment such as daily life, work situation or learning situation, and judge suitability through comparison analysis with existing English learning contents so that it can be used as text of English learning contents optimized for learners.
Findings: There are various people learning foreign languages/English that can serve as a lingua franca all over the world. Many of them are non-native speakers and suffer from many difficulties in learning the target language. As a result, various learning methods related to English or foreign language learning have been studied, and new ways of applying new technologies have been diversified in order to make the learners effort more beneficial. Recently, mobile learning using IT devices is actively being used in English learning methods. Since applying mobile learning can offset many of the disadvantaging factors in foreign language learning. In this study, we focused on seeking a way to develop a system to convert learning information of native language into English learning contents utilizing IT devices. The majority of English textbooks and digital contents are based on the author’s knowledge of social and cultural backgrounds, focusing on those who speak English as their native language. However, learners often have an established identity with their social and cultural background knowledge, and the difficulty of acquiring new background knowledge in order to learn a new language makes language learning more difficult. There are a lot of negative opinions about the effectiveness of the English learning materials and contents, and it is convincing that the learning of the target language is more effective by utilizing the English learning materials based on the learners' native language.
Improvements/Applications: The language of learners who learn English is very diverse, and there are many variables in applying their native language for making beneficial learning content of the target language because the structural characteristics of the language and the socio-cultural background are different. Thus, there is a need to find ways to accurately identify and eliminate these variables.
Keywords: Mobile Learning, Digital Learning content, Mother tongue based language learning, Verbal & Written text, Learner background knowledge.
1. Introduction
Due to the rapid development and change of information technology, there has been
considerable development in educational contents using multimedia and constant change is being made in the hope for making language learning a more easy and efficient task. In this environment, various educational methods are continually being studied for a better education environment by seeking technology convergence measures [1]. Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) using IoT devices has been developed as a language learning method and systems for various educational contents optimized for self-directed learning using mobile networks are continuously being developed and released [2]. This paper aims to discuss the level-based learning system according to the user 's level of foreign language based on learner’s native language and social/cultural background. The most important advantage of language learning using mobile devices is that they are no constraints in time and place for learning. Thus, suggesting ways to construct learning information useful for the production of English learning contents by collecting various learning information based on these advantages [3].
2. Materials and Methods
In foreign language learning, especially in English learning, there must be a difference in learning methods depending on the person who is interested in learning the language.
There are two major categories of English learning: one is English learners who speak English as their mother tongue (EMT) and the other is a learner who learns English as a lingua franca (ELF). There is a significant difference in cultural and social background knowledge between the two groups, and there is also a difference in understanding the background in the process of learning the target language. In the past, it was common to learn English in a method of placing EMT and ELF on the same line. However, as a result of various researches related to foreign language learning, a new paradigm has been created for learning English as a lingua franca. Skepticism arose about whether contents or textbooks used for ELF learning are compiled as learner-centered contents and helpful for learning[4].
2.1. Target Language Learning and Schematic Knowledge
It is said that two kinds of knowledge are basically required to convey or express meaning using language. The first is the structural and semantic knowledge of the language the speaker wants to use and the second is schematic knowledge acquired in the society of the person who uses the same kind of language and has a common way of thinking with people who share the same cultural background[5,6]. In the process of learning a native language, the learners simultaneously learn the structure knowledge and background knowledge of the language. However, in the case of learners who learn English as a foreign language, cultural background knowledge regarding the target language is already learned in the native language environment, so there is a tendency to apply their social and cultural background knowledge in learning a foreign language. For example, in some cases, when people with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds share the same word, it often happens that each person shows different understanding of the word. People learn and accumulate cognitive thinking ability naturally from the society and culture they belong to as a member of society. Many of the textbooks used in the EFL(English as a Foreign Language) environment are composed and published in the context of native English speakers' social and cultural background. When the assumption that the background culture of a person plays a significant role in the cognitive ability in learning a language is taken, the learners' social and cultural background knowledge and the structure of the target language, semantic and syntactic knowledge, may interfere in the process of foreign language learning[5].
2.2.Mother-tongue to Target Language Learning
In the past and even up to now, many foreign textbooks have been composed and published based on the social and cultural background knowledge of the native speaker.
This kind of phenomenon is very natural since most of the writers/authors are usually the members of such society. It is also possible to regard the social and cultural background knowledge of the target language as a process of language acquisition, given the basic view that language is used as a tool to communicate meaning in the society constituted by people who share the language. In English, which is currently regarded as a lingua franca, the context and background knowledge of people using English is very diverse, and the level of individual knowledge of English users also varies widely. Therefore, it is inappropriate and unrealistic to set up a language learning environment for non-native English speakers in the process of writing the textbooks required for English learning. The familiarity of the learning contents and the background knowledge of the target language help the learners to concentrate on the pure structural features of the language, thus benefiting the language learning. Several researchers have taken similar stances and have emphasized the importance of familiarity with content in learning a foreign language[7].
As a result, it has been actively studied to learn the target language by using the learner’s mother tongue in order to avoid publishing a foreign language textbook in the perspective of the native speaker’s point of view.
2.3.Corpus based Computer Assisted Language Learning
From the 1950s, corpus linguistics, which has recently entered the field of linguistics, has been utilized in various language learning fields due to the development of computer technology[8,9].As in previous learning methods, English learning using corpus has been based on background knowledge of users who speak English as their first language. In the early 1990s, collecting and analyzing of learning data for learners learning English as a foreign language started to show improvements. The corpus, which is regarded as the representative of the corpus, is ICLE (International Corpus of Learner English).The structure of ICLE is shown in Fig. 1 below[10].
Figure 1. ICE Task and Learner Variables[10]
Corpus-based research and teaching regards the importance of vocabulary and text information that users often encounter as relatively high. Based on these hypotheses, dictionaries and learning materials are also being produced, and publications related to English language teaching are also being published with regards to the user familiarity of the target language.
3. English learning content development for EFL environment
3.1.Sub-Difficulty of English learning in EFL environment
English is widely used as a lingua franca. Consequently, English related learning and education are constantly being studied, and discussions are under way to better develop English learning for non-native learners. The most ideal environment for learning English is to be exposed to such environment where the language is used for any kind of communication, and it is ideal for the learner to experience the target language and cultural background in real life and acquire it and associate it with English learning. The longer learners are exposed to the English-speaking environment, the less time they will need to achieve the aimed learning goals. It is a common method presented by various previous studies related to foreign language learning research, and it is said that improving the actuality of target language through repeated use and learning in real environment is a very effective learning method for language learning[11].
The English language learning in the general EFL environment does not have proper learning methods except for the time that the learners study in the educational institution.
In other words, since there is no room for learners to practice using the contents learned in the educational institution, learners of English in the EFL environment find it quite difficult in a situation when they really face the moment for showing the effectiveness of their learning. It is also common that there are consequences of not being able to use the learned language or to understand it. In addition, it is often the case that the cultural background and social environment of learner's mother tongue and that of English language is not mutually understandable to understand the implications of the context or vocabulary of each other due to the cultural background, social environment, or place where the language is used. The system proposed in this study is based on the mother tongue-based education(MTBE), so that it can design a better learning environment and method for learning in EFL environment, thereby positively affecting learning English as a lingua franca and improving learning effect.
3.2.Customizing EFL content based on Mother tongue learning material
Figure 2 and 3 below are system design configurations for building a learning database based on the user’s mothertongue.
Figure 2. Mother tongue written and verbal text collection process
Above Figure 2 illustrates a method of collecting written text information of a learner.
This is a method of collecting the written text that the learner usually uses in the real life based on the stylus pen. The method of collecting written text using a stylus pen is a method of writing to a device supporting a pressure-sensitive type or electrostatic type touch screen with a Bluetooth connection or a wireless network by pairing with a smart device. And the data is stored in a storage medium such as a smart device or a cloud to be
used for production of learning contents. Among these methods, gathering handwriting directly to a smart device can be accomplished by utilizing a smart phone or a tablet PC.
Though it is a tendency to use larger touch screens in the case of smartphones, considering the portability, which is the biggest advantage of the smartphone, it is actually not easy to raise the screen size beyond a certain limit. Therefore, a restriction is imposed on the amount of text that can be written on the screen due to the size limitation. In result, a disadvantage occurs in that only a simple vocabulary or an abbreviated form is the only suitable form of a written text that can be utilized. On the other hand, the Tablet PC has a relatively large 10-inch touch screen rather than a smart phone, so it is advantageous to write a longer and detailed sentence. However, as the size of the device increases, the weight also increases according to the screen size. This leads to a drawback that portability of the device withers away. Therefore, instead of a touch screen, it would be a great advantage to use IT devices that can store the written notes on a conventional notebook which utilize wireless networking technology in terms of efficiency and portability.
A typical case using this kind of technology is Neo smart-pen. The Neo smart-pen is a smart-pen that converts all the handwritten data created on Ncode printed notebooks to digital and saves it while writing it on the linked device[12]. It is also possible to collect surrounding verbal text information using the voice recording function equipped on the device. In the EFL environment, there are a variety of classes for people who are learning English, such as students working on their class material, office workers who need to use English on the job in the company, or people who need English to learn and use the information needed for their research. Because learners have different learning objectives and different vocabulary and contexts they use, it is more beneficial to learn through learning mediums based on vocabulary and context that individuals are familiar with.
Therefore, a database for analyzing the written contents of a user who uses such devices by simply analyzing the patterns of written texts and extracting frequently used vocabulary and context from the memo or work data can be quite effective. And the need for developing such database will be helpful for language learners in EFL environment.
Figure3. Three stages of learning data processing
Figure 3 illustrates the verification process of the ICE / Grammar DB after extracting the high frequency vocabulary/context of the user based on the information extracted from the comparison analysis between the mother tongue language database and the universal English learning database accumulated through the process of Figure 2.The data that passes the verification process is stored in the learning database after classification process by level.
• Stage 1 – Comparative Analysis of General Database of English and User Mother
tongue Database.
• Stage 2 –Verification of compatibility through ICE and Grammar analysis of user high frequency vocabulary / data confirmed by context.
• Stage 3 –Save the verified data to the learning DB after classifying it by level.
The user learning database constructed through the above three steps in Fig 3 is processed as shown in Figure 4 below to make it useful for personal learner-friendly learning information. The pattern analysis is performed through comparative analysis and the process of combining user-friendly learning data is performed. Based on the data that passed the learning data suitability classification, the content for each learner type is created and the optimal result is calculated. The detailed procedure for yielding the result is as follows.
• Comparative Analysis of information from user learning databases with existing English learning content.
• The suitable data is extracted from the comparative analysis and transmitted to the data combiner.
• Combine two types of learning data in a user-friendly learning database.
• Create combined learning information for each learner type.
Figure4. Final content creation stage
English learners in the EFL environment are constantly under pressure to learn unfamiliar language and social/cultural backgrounds. If the learners have to take into consideration the social/cultural background when they go through the difficult process of learning the new vocabulary, expressions and structural contents of the target language in the process of learning a language other than the native language, it will be natural for learners to suffer the successive difficulties of hardship in language learning. Therefore, the learning system proposed in this paper aims to improve the efficiency of learning by using the familiar vocabulary and context for learners based on their mother tongue as much as possible.
4. Conclusion
The development of IT technology plays a central role in making it very easy to exchange information using wireless networks. For this reason, the need for a unified language, which the people around the world commonly use and understand, has become more important than ever for people using different languages to exchange information without too much difficulty. Currently, English is largely considered and the most commonly used lingua franca in the world. As a result, a wide range of people are
working hard on learning English, but learning an unfamiliar language in accordance with the social and cultural background is not that simple. Therefore, various studies have been conducted on how to make English learning easier, and efforts are being made to improve learning efficiency by utilizing various IT devices and content. In this paper, we have studied the system for developing contents that utilize English learning on the basis of mother tongue, and hope that it would be of a help in developing devices useful for language learners.
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