Prof. GU Yueguo

Prof. GU Yueguo is the Chief Scientist of Artificial Intelligence and Human Languages Lab, Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). Prof. GU is also the President of China Computer-Assisted Language Learning Association (ChinaCALL), the editor-in-chief of Journal of China Computer-Assisted Language Learning, and the founding Dean of the Institute of Online Education of BFSU. He served as Research Professor of Linguistics in the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the editor-in-chief of Contemporary Linguistics, and the editorial board member of Journal of Pragmatics, Text and Talk, Pragmatics, Journal of Intercultural Communication. His research areas include corpus linguistics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, the philosophy of language, and online education.

【Speech Title】

Workshop on Evidence-Based Evaluations of AI-Supported CALL

【Abstract】

The history of CALL development can be characterized in several phases: (1) the mainframe CALL, (2) the microcomputer CALL, (3) the LAN-based CALL, (4) the Web-based CALL, and (5) the mobile CALL. Throughout these five phases, developers have always kept a watchful eye on the advancement of artificial intelligence, and been ever-ready to bring in AI in whatever way to augment CALL. Noticeably there have emerged, side by side, intelligent tutoring system, viz. ITS, artificial intelligence in education, viz. AI-ED or AIED, and parser-based CALL. This AI-Supported trend has gained unpresedented momentum in recent years, thanks for the invention of various machine learning techniques (e.g. deep learning, neural networks) by AI researchers.

For this workshop, the term AI-supported CALL is adopted for convenience. The AI-supported CALL, including ITS, AI-ED, and parser-CALL, will be contrasted with the traditional CALLs, i.e., those CALLs shown in the five phases. The main task of this workshop is to work out principles and parameters drawn from past user evidences so that strengths and weaknesses of both types of CALLs can be compared, contrasted and critically evaluated.

All the participants will be invited to contribute actively to the workshop, minimally giving personal evidence as past user for critical reflection and evaluation.

Dr. Deborah Healey

Dr. Deborah Healey was the 2019-2020 President of the Board of Directors of TESOL International Association. She has taught online and face-to-face teacher training courses, primarily focusing on technology in education, as well as adult ESL and EFL. She is a contributor to two TESOL Technology Standards publications, the TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, and the Routledge Handbook of Language Learning and Technology. She has presented extensively internationally (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America). Her recent areas of research include gamification, equity and inclusion, and online teaching approaches. Her doctorate is in Computers in Education; more information and resources are at https://www.deborahhealey.com.

【Speech Title】

Learning with Gamification

【Abstract】

Most of today’s learners have grown up with video and computer games. They look for excitement and engagement. As a result, the concept of "gamification" - using game elements to motivate and persuade – has become a concept in teaching. Games have long been part of language teaching methods. Gamification is something else, and teachers can benefit from learning about game theory and the elements of games that may be effective in connecting to today's learners. Very importantly, teachers can develop a way of thinking about teaching and learning that takes a gaming approach and changes potentially passive “students” into active “players” in the classroom environment. As with anything else in education, it's how the techniques are used that makes a difference.

This interactive workshop will be gamified, letting you see what it looks like in practice. We’ll start with a brief overview of gamification, then try some gamified individual and group activities. This will help you identify and prepare ways to use gamification in your own classroom.

Dr. MA Qing

Qing Ma (Angel) is an associate professor at the Department of Linguistics and Modern Language Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong. Her main research interests include second language vocabulary acquisition, corpus linguistics, corpus-based language pedagogy (CBLP), computer assisted language learning (CALL) and mobile assisted language learning (MALL). She has developed the Parallel EAP Corpora (http://corpus.eduhk.hk/eap/) for research purposes and the Corpus-Aided Platform for Language Teachers (CAP) (http://corpus.eduhk.hk/cap/) for teaching purposes. She is an experimenter of corpus technology in teaching, and passionate English teacher trainer. Recently, she has established a new corpus-based language pedagogy by theorising and empirically testing it that has positively impacted many pre-service and in-service English teachers. She is the associate editor for two journals: International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching (IJCALLT); Journal of China Computer-Assisted Language Learning (JCCALL).

【Speech Title】

Free online corpora and teachers’ development of corpus-based language pedagogy (CBLP)

【Abstract】

Despite the great potential of corpus linguistics in facilitating language teaching and learning, a corpus-based linguistic approach remains largely unknown to the professional teaching community. In this workshop, a number of free online corpora will be introduced to language teachers at primary, secondary and university settings. Hands-on practice opportunities will also be provided to help teachers gain familiarity with various corpora. In addition, they will learn about an innovative corpus-based language pedagogy (CBLP) to gain basics about CBLP as well as learn how to use various corpus tools for learning and teaching purposes, with the long-term benefits of maximising the potential in sustainable self-learning for their continuous professional development and conducting effective classroom teaching.

Dr. Deborah Healey

Dr. Deborah Healey was the 2019-2020 President of the Board of Directors of TESOL International Association. She has taught online and face-to-face teacher training courses, primarily focusing on technology in education, as well as adult ESL and EFL. She is a contributor to two TESOL Technology Standards publications, the TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, and the Routledge Handbook of Language Learning and Technology. She has presented extensively internationally (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America). Her recent areas of research include gamification, equity and inclusion, and online teaching approaches. Her doctorate is in Computers in Education; more information and resources are at https://www.deborahhealey.com.

【Speech Title】

Technology and TESOL’s 6 Principles: Making Effective Choices

【Abstract】

As technology-using teachers and teacher educators, we are always looking for research-supported ways to enhance language learning with technology. TESOL International Association has developed the “6 Principles for Exemplary Teaching of English Learners” (the 6 Ps) based on extensive evidence-driven research on what works in English language teaching. The 6 Ps - know your learners, create conditions for language learning, design high-quality language lessons, adapt lesson delivery as needed, monitor and assess student language development, and engage and collaborate within a community of practice - provide a framework for decision-making in preparing for teaching and in the classroom. This talk will demonstrate how teachers can use each of the 6 Ps as a lens with which to view decision-making about CALL, giving examples of specific tech tools and how they can be used to meet each principle. It is easy to be thrilled with new “cool tools,” but the 6 Ps help teachers think about fitting the technology (even very “cool tools”) to pedagogy for best results in the classroom.

Dr. Ursula Stickler

Dr Ursula Stickler is Senior Lecturer in German in the School of Languages and Applied Linguistics at the Open University, UK. Her work entails creating distance teaching materials for language learners at all levels, from beginners to graduates, training language teachers in the use of technology and in online teaching, and supervising doctoral students. The focus of her research is online language teaching and learning. Her recent and upcoming publications include:

1)“Language Learning and Technology” (Cambridge UP)

2)“Online Language Teaching: Crises and Creativities” co-edited with Martina Emke (Castledown)

3)“The Bloomsbury Handbook of Language Learning and Technology” co-edited with Regine Hampel (Bloomsbury).

【Speech Title】

Online Language Teaching Post-pandemic: What do teachers need?

【Abstract】

Since 2020, the situation of technology in teaching has changed considerably: we no longer need to justify the benefits of online language teaching or the use of appropriate ICT. This talk will investigate what has changed and what has remained the same for technology in language teaching, and – most importantly – what teachers need to become successful, competent, and confident online language teachers.

The talk will cover three dimensions: practical, theoretical, and epistemological. In terms of practical change, we will consider training and development for teachers, look at various initiatives to ease the way into online teaching for novices, and consider what tools and techniques teachers choose for their online teaching. On a theoretical level, the historical changes pre-, during and post-pandemic will be highlighted based on surveys and changed perspectives of CALL researchers. The epistemological dimension will help us to consider how meaning making has changed from face-to-face to online teaching, and what impact new communication platforms and practices have on language learning.

Finally, the needs for current and future language teachers will be considered along these three dimensions: practice, theory, and epistemological understanding.

Prof. TANG Jinlan

Dr. Jinlan TANG is the Dean and Professor in the Institute of Online Education, Researcher at Artificial Intelligence and Human Languages Lab, Beijing Foreign Studies University, China. Her research covers the areas of language assessment, teacher training, EFL teaching and learning in the e-learning environment. She also serves as the Co-Editor-In-Chief of Journal of China Computer-assisted Language Learning (JCCALL), and the Secretary-in-General of Computer-Assisted Language Learning Association, CACSEC (ChinaCALL). Her publications include over 40 research papers in international and national journals, one monograph, two co-authored books and three co-authored special issue international journals.

【Speech Title】

Using VR in language learning

【Abstract】

Constructing an authentic target language environment, where learners can use the language for real-life communication, has always been challenging in foreign language settings, which negatively impacts learners’ development of communicative competence. In recent years, the integration of virtual reality (VR) in language learning has gained increasing attention among educators for its ability to create immersive, interactive experiences. VR allows for situated, interactive, and experiential language learning grounded in fully digitally simulated environments. This talk will first discuss current VR studies on language learning and suggest guiding principles for learning design. It will then introduce how a tertiary-level VR-based foreign language and culture course was devised according to a cross-cultural comparison perspective and students' co-created materials design approach. VR, combined with automated speech evaluation technology, is applied to simulate culturally significant landmarks and events, thereby enabling students to experience culture and interact with the target language in an immersive environment. As a result, students have reported increased authentic language practice, acquisition of cultural nuances, and a deep connection with the target language and culture.

Prof. Thang Siew Ming

Dr. Thang Siew Ming is a Professor at HELP University, Kuala Lumpur. She is also an Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Her areas of interest are CALL, Learner Autonomy, Motivation, and Eye-tracking research. She is President of PacCALL and Co-chair of GLoCALL series of conferences. She has published extensively and is on the editorial boards of numerous well-known CALL and Language Education journals. Her recent publications are available in highly reputable journals such as the CALL, TAPER, Language & Education, EAR, AJET, IRRODL, IJPL, 3L and GEMA.

【Speech Title】

Language Learning for Futures:  Imagining the Possibilities with ChatGPT

【Abstract】

Technology is here to stay. The Covid-19 Pandemic assures it. Let's us from the field of language learning secure ourselves a place in the bandwagon. How do we do it? By assuring we are aware of new changes and developments and exploring the possibilities of harnessing them for our language classrooms - virtual and real. For this paper I will share information regarding an exciting new development in technology that is creating a buzz in the world i.e., AI chatbot ChatGPT.

What is AI chatbot ChatGPT? It is an impressive language model developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text.  It “interacts in a conversational way” and can “answer follow up questions.” This means learners can engage in conversational interactions that enables negotiations of meaning, provide immediate feedback, and draw learners’ attention to their errors and gaps in their language knowledge and skills. The true potential of Chat GPT is still not known as it is still in its infancy. It will continue to evolve and become more intelligent and possibly more human-like in capabilities. The specific impact that ChatGPT will have on various disciplines awaits further exploration.

For this paper I would like to focus on the power of ChatGPT for language teaching and learning. I will explore the ways in which ChatGPT can be used for language learning, including its ability to generate text in multiple languages, provide interactive conversation practice, assist with language translation and its ability to serve as a tutor to teach any subject, including foreign languages. Its effectiveness as well as its strength and weaknesses will be explored. In addition to this, I will also present debates and drawbacks of ChatGPT as well as the digital competencies that are required for teachers and learners to use this chatbot ethically and effectively to support language learning. Recent studies that investigate the use of GPT for language teaching and learning will also be shared.

Dr. Bin Zou

Dr Bin Zou is an Associate Professor and PhD supervisor at the Department of Applied Linguistics, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China. He is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching and the International Journal of EAP: Research and Practice.

【Speech Title】

Interactions in the Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based speaking practice in EFL Learning

【Abstract】

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in voice evaluation has enhanced speaking practice in foreign language learning. Language learners can receive instant feedback for their speaking performances from the AI programs for speaking practice via human-computer interaction. Learners may also have opportunities to interact with other learners in the AI-speaking practice context. This study explores the impact of AI-learner interaction and social network-based interaction on students' English-speaking practice with AI-speaking apps in China. While obtaining feedback from the AI speech evaluation platform, participants were encouraged to engage in various interactive activities when practicing speaking with AI apps. Data was collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and pre-and post-tests. The results indicated that students were generally satisfied with the AI apps' feedback and interactive activities with others when using AI apps to practice spoken English. The finding also showed that social network-based interaction might help improve learners' speaking skills in the AI context. It is suggested that integrating social network-based interaction may reinforce learning outcomes when using AI apps to practice speaking skills.