Social/dialogical roles of social robots in supporting children's learning of language and literacy - A review and analysis of innovative roles

One of the many purposes for which social robots are designed is education, and there have been many attempts to systematize their potential in this field. What these attempts have in common is the recognition that learning can be supported in a variety of ways because a learner can be engaged in different activities that foster learning. Up to now, three roles have been proposed when designing these activities for robots: as a teacher or tutor, a learning peer, or a novice. Current research proposes that deciding in favor of one role over another depends on the content or preferred pedagogical form. However, the design of activities changes not only the content of learning, but also the nature of a human–robot social relationship. This is particularly important in language acquisition, which has been recognized as a social endeavor. The following review aims to specify the differences in human–robot social relationships when children learn language through interacting with a social robot. After proposing categories for comparing these different relationships, we review established and more specific, innovative roles that a robot can play in language-learning scenarios. This follows Mead’s (1946) theoretical approach proposing that social roles are performed in interactive acts. These acts are crucial for learning, because not only can they shape the social environment of learning but also engage the learner to different degrees. We specify the degree of engagement by referring to Chi’s (2009) progression of learning activities that range from active, constructive, toward interactive with the latter fostering deeper learning. Taken together, this approach enables us to compare and evaluate different human–robot social relationships that arise when applying a robot in a particular social role

GAMIFICAÇÃO NA ALFABETIZAÇÃO: USABILIDADE E LEITURA NO APP GRAPHOGAME BRASIL

The goals of this article are twofold: assessing GraphoGame Brasil’s usability and analyzing the reading experiences proposed by the application in a series of lessons based on phonics instruction. Results show that, in terms of usability, the application presupposes a user who is familiar with technology; in some cases, children needed the help of an adult to navigate the app because the initial images and animations did not provide enough information for them to use it independently. When it comes to the reading experience proposed, it is clear from the first lessons that the app mostly emphasizes repetition of sounds and identification of phonemes-graphemes without much context. This strategy can also be verified in the app’s other exercises.Los objetivos de este artículo son dos: evaluar la usabilidad de GraphoGame Brasil y analizar las experiencias de lectura propuestas por la aplicación en una serie de lecciones basadas en la enseñanza de la fonética. Los resultados muestran que, en términos de usabilidad, la aplicación presupone un usuario familiarizado con la tecnología; en algunos casos, los niños necesitaban la ayuda de un adulto para navegar por la aplicación porque las imágenes y animaciones iniciales no proporcionaban suficiente información para que pudieran usarla de forma independiente. En cuanto a la experiencia de lectura propuesta, desde las primeras lecciones queda claro que la aplicación enfatiza principalmente la repetición de sonidos y la identificación de fonemas-grafemas sin mucho contexto. Esta estrategia también se puede verificar en los otros ejercicios de la aplicación.Os objetivos deste artigo são duplos: avaliar a usabilidade do GraphoGame Brasil e analisar as experiências de leitura propostas pelo aplicativo em uma série de aulas baseadas na instrução fonética. Os resultados mostram que, em termos de usabilidade, o aplicativo pressupõe um usuário familiarizado com a tecnologia; em alguns casos, as crianças precisaram da ajuda de um adulto para navegar no aplicativo, pois as imagens e animações iniciais não forneciam informações suficientes para que pudessem utilizá-lo de forma independente. No que diz respeito à experiência de leitura proposta, fica claro desde as primeiras aulas que o aplicativo enfatiza principalmente a repetição de sons e a identificação de fonemas-grafemas sem muito contexto. Essa estratégia também pode ser verificada nos demais exercícios do app

An exploratory study to investigate the use of concrete manipulatives to support language acquisition and vocabulary development in grade 1 learners

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Education Johannesburg, 2016.The aim of this research is to understand how the use and manipulation of concrete tools, specifically six DUPLO bricks, can impact language acquisition and vocabulary development in second language learners. The study works within a social constructivist paradigm and draws on the work of Vygotsky (1978b). This is an exploratory study and the data is gathered from observations, focus group sessions and semi-structured interviews. The research is conducted over a period of 14 weeks with one class of Grade 1 children who are learning through the medium of English but are also second language learners. The selected school was a northern suburbs government school. The findings show that the children did benefit from the intervention and that learning was enhanced through tactile activities and embodiment. The social collaborative learning through play provided the best opportunities for language acquisition and the development of a shared repertoire of vocabulary. The research study has implications for the theory and practice of teaching early literacy in South Africa in particular language learning and vocabulary development.MT201

English Is It! (ELT Training Series). Vol. 4

English Is It! (ELT Training Series) was created with a view to providing opportunities which can make up, somehow, for this gap. The aforementioned members are the permanent teaching staff in the group, they investigate their different areas of expertise in their classes, expose them to the group and make proposals, which are later turned into articles

A teacher's use of play to promote literacy learning in a prekindergarten classroom serving children from diverse language backgrounds

textThis study looked at both a teacher’s beliefs about the role of play and that teacher’s use of play in literacy learning serving children from diverse language backgrounds. Although several researchers have explored children’s literacy development in a play context, there is little research on this topic for children from diverse language backgrounds. In order to explore the role of play in literacy learning for children from diverse language backgrounds, I used a qualitative research approach to collect data from interviews, informal conversations, observations, and self-reflexive notes. In this study, the teacher believed play could be an ideal medium for ESL children who did not speak English fluently. Play gave them a relaxed and comfortable environment to practice a new language, English, without worrying about making mistakes. She understood play as a “concrete,” “hands-on,” “fun,” and “manipulative” activity that provides a relaxed and comfortable environment, becomes a good medium for integrated lessons, and gives a natural connection between the home language and English. She used play for a warm-up, games or tricks, integrated lessons, assessment, acting out characters, dramatic play, and block play in literacy learning for children from diverse language backgrounds. This study revealed that when a teacher believes that play takes an important role in children’s learning and development, she uses playful activities as potential teaching and learning mediums for ESL children’s literacy learning and development. In addition, the result supported that each teacher may have a unique understanding or practical notion of play in literacy learning, and it may strongly affect his/her classroom practices.Curriculum and Instructio

Metacognition in Learning

Metacognition skills have been proven to have a positive relationship with learning. The strength of metacognition relies heavily on self-efficacy where a student understands his/her learning style, and the ability to use information gathered and align it with his/her learning style. In addition, knowing what you know and how you know it as a student plays a huge role in knowing what you do not know and linking it with what is close or relevant to it, that you know. It is about having skills and knowledge that empowers you to be an independent learner. Literature on classroom practices show a number of short-comings in diverse areas such as poor teacher knowledge, overcrowded classrooms, and lack of resources for learning. An independent student will strive under such an environment by studying independently, searching for resources, and finding multimodal ways of learning. It is also important to note that naturally, human beings are curious and want to learn in order to conquer their world. Hence, Piaget's work of intellectual autonomy cannot be ignored when exploring metacognition. If learning experiences were ideal and developmental, they would be no need to nurture metacognition. Unfortunately, the education systems remove students' curiosity by bringing fake environments into learning that impede creation and imagination. This book emphasises the power of metacognition at different levels of learning. It can be seen as a parallel intervention approach, with expanded knowledge on how to extend existing skills for young children, which is a pre-intervention. Authors in this book bring diverse viewpoints from diverse fields on how to nurture metacognition, thus giving the reader an opportunity to borrow strategies from other fields. This contribution is a mixture of empirical contributions and opinion pieces informed by review of literature

Competencia digital: Una propuesta para su integración en el currículo español de primaria del inglés como lengua extranjera

Despite the vast array of research on digital competence, digital literacy and computational thinking in schools, there is a lack of application of these concepts and proposals for their integration in the foreign language classroom. Existing literature mainly centers on L1 learners or simply connects digital competence to mathematics and science. This paper explores possible activities which allow the successful integration of digital competence in the English as a foreign language classroom, in order to maximize class time and including a variety of English teaching and learning methods, as well as those elements of digital competence most appropriate for Primary level English learners. This paper concludes not only that the successful integration of digital competence in EFL is possible, but that it can, and must, be taken much further.Pese a la multitud de investigaciones sobre competencia digital, pensamiento computacional y alfabetización digital, es latente una falta de aplicación de estos conceptos en la clase de inglés como lengua extranjera, así como propuestas para su integración. La bibliografía existente se centra de manera mayoritaria en los estudiantes de inglés como lengua materna o simplemente en la conexión entre la competencia digital y los ámbitos científico y matemático. Este trabajo de fin de grado explora actividades que permiten la integración de la competencia digital en la clase de inglés como lengua extranjera, con el objetivo de maximizar el horario lectivo e incluyendo varias metodologías de la enseñanza y aprendizaje del inglés, así como aquellos elementos de competencia digital más apropiados para los estudiantes de educación primaria. Este trabajo concluye no sólo que la integración exitosa de la competencia digital en el aula de inglés es posible, sino que puede, y debe, ser llevada más allá.Depto. de Didáctica de las Lenguas, Artes y Educación FísicaFac. de EducaciónTRUEunpu

21st Century Skills: Integrating Digital Competence in the Spanish EFL primary education curriculum

Despite the vast array of research on digital competence, digital literacy and computational thinking in schools, there is a lack of application of these concepts and proposals for their integration in the foreign language classroom. Existing literature mainly centers on L1 learners or simply connects digital competence to mathematics and science. This paper explores possible activities which allow the successful integration of digital competence in the English as a foreign language classroom, in order to maximize class time and including a variety of English teaching and learning methods, as well as those elements of digital competence most appropriate for Primary level English learners. This paper concludes not only that the successful integration of digital competence in EFL is possible, but that it can, and must, be taken much further