Linguistic computing can make two important contributions to second language (L2) reading instruction. One is to resolve longstanding research issues that are based on an insufficiency of data for the researcher, and the other is to resolve related pedagogical problems based on insufficiency of input for the learner. The research section of the…

We introduce a computational theory of situated language understanding in which the meaning of words and utterances depends on the physical environment and the goals and plans of communication partners. According to the theory, concepts that ground linguistic meaning are neither internal nor external to language users, but instead span the…

While interaction inside the classroom--frontstage discourse--has been a subject of study and has been considered the most significant type of discourse that teachers engage in, I propose that interaction outside the classroom--backstage discourse--is equally significant and has not thus far received as much attention as it merits. This paper is…

A traditional distance learning system requires supervisors or teachers always available on online to facilitate and monitor a learner's progress by answering questions and guiding users. We presents an English chat room system in which students discuss course contents and ask questions to and receive from teachers and other students. The…

Over the years, educators have proposed a variety of active learning pedagogical approaches that focus on encouraging students to discover for themselves the principles and solutions that will engage them in learning and enhance their educational outcomes. Among these approaches are problem-based, inquiry-based, experiential, and discovery…

Larry Bates argues for vocabulary instruction that emphasizes useful, high-frequency words rather than lists of rarely used terms. He suggests resources for finding frequency ratings for words and for determining appropriately challenging words for students. (Contains 3 figures and 3 notes.)

An important component of fluent linguistic production is control of the multi-word expressions referred to as clusters, chunks or bundles. These are extended collocations which appear more frequently than expected by chance, helping to shape meanings in specific contexts and contributing to our sense of coherence in a text. Bundles have begun to…

This paper presents particular pedagogical applications of a number of corpus-based CALL (computer assisted language learning) programs such as "CONTEXTS" and "CLOZE," "MATCHUP" and "BILINGUAL SENTENCE SHUFFLER," in the teaching of English through children's literature. An elective course in Taiwan for…

The present study investigates the effects of scaffolding and web concordancers on students' proofreading performance. The study addresses the following research questions: (1) How does a concordancer search enhance students' proofreading performance? (2) How does scaffolding for concordancer searches enhance students' proofreading performance?…

A guide to the use of a computer program for discourse analysis is presented. The program, which derives root-words from other word forms, performs an automated, interactive analysis of words in their immediate context, using a previously developed dictionary program. The program is hierarchically menu-driven. The guide outlines the program's…

An automatic classification technique has been developed, based on the character structure of words. (Author)

This report summarizes the capabilities of five computer programs at Yale that do automatic natural language processing as of the end of 1976. For each program an introduction to its overall intent is given, followed by the input/output, a short discussion of the research underlying the program, and a prognosis for future development. The programs…

Describes a method for automatically segmenting words into their stems and affixes using certain statistical properties of a corpus to indicate where words should be divided. (Author/PF)

(Text is in French.)

A SERIES OF SUBROUTINES (READRULE, ANNOTATE, CHOOSE, STORERULE, ADD-ONE AND SUB-ONE, DOMINATE, SUBTREE, TERMINAL, AND EQUAL) WRITTEN UP IN THE "COMIT" PROGRAMING LANGUAGE TO PROVIDE A CONVENIENT WAY FOR LINGUISTS TO TEST ANY SET OF GRAMMAR RULES AND TO GENERATE SENTENCES, ARE GIVEN WITH EXPLANATIONS FOR EACH. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY COMPLETE…