Learner-Centered Language Programs: Integrating Disparate Resources for Task-Based Interaction

Abstract

In this chapter we first discuss three factors believed to be important for success insecond-language learning: comprehensible input, comprehensible output and noticingdiscrepancies. We then discuss our current research work in integrating variouscomponents of human language technology to address these three language acquisitionfactors. Our efforts involve creating a wide spectrum of interesting language-learningapplications, including question answering and pronunciation tutoring. Theseapplications show the potential of combining speech processing with other importantnatural-language tools, such as external knowledge sources and dialog move engines.The applications we have developed not only show that this integration can besuccessful in creating non-trivial applications, but that there is much work that canbe done to build on what we have accomplished thus far.