Software of the Month Club 1998 March/Software of the Month Club 1998 March.iso/pc/win/edu/jaclex/lexinfo.txt

Text File | 1997-10-08 | 19KB | 523 lines

JAC's Language Exercises

This program is designed for language teachers and
learners who have limited access to the much more
sophisticated but also much more expensive software
which is commercially available. With the program a
variety of language learning exercises can be created
by the teacher and performed by learners. It is assumed
that the user is not so totally addicted to "communicative"
methods of teaching and learning that he or she cannot
allow at least a modest place for more traditional drill
and practice exercises for confidence-building through
regular reinforcement of basic grammatical structures and
vocabulary.

TYPES OF EXERCISE
Two main types of exercise can be created and executed-

(a) Phrase-based Exercises in which chunks of the target
    language are presented in sequence for translation
    or for manipulation in order to reinforce particular
    expressions or grammatical patterns. These are of four
    main types-

    (a) Text Translation Exercises in which a passage is
        translated phrase by phrase
        (Example= Letter to Solange)

    (b) Grammar Exercises in which phrases are manipulated
        and transformed with respect to grammatical
        categories like tense, number and gender agreements,
        voice, mood etc.
        (Example= Plural of German Nouns)

    (c) Vocabulary Exercises in which useful phrases are
        studied in advance then recalled through translation
        of equivalent phrases in the native language,
        presented in straight or random sequence.
        (Example= Everyday French Phrases)

    (d) Dialogue or Role Play Exercises in which the learner
        takes part in a language situation, responding to or
        interrogating an interlocutor
        (Example= A la Douane (At the Customs))

(b) Information-Gap Exercises in which a situation (passage
    or picture) is presented as a stimulus for questions
    by the learner, who is asked to find out all the
    information he/she can about the situation.

FORMAT OF EXERCISES

(a) Phrase-based Exercises. A target phrase is presented to
which the learner enters his/her response in the text box
provided. A prompt may also appear. (In the case of Role
Play exercises the prompt is an essential component)
The program scans the learner's input and compares it with
anticipated responses. A comment appears approving the input
or drawing attention to particular errors. Finally a score
is displayed indicating acceptable or unacceptable inputs
to date. The learner clicks a button to move on to the
next phrase. When the exercise is completed the learner
can read a transcript of his performance and if required
send it out to the printer. Except in the case of role
play exercises the learner can set the program to present
the phrases in randon order. He/she can also set the number
of attempts allowed at each phrase before moving on.
Before he/she starts the exercise the learner can study a
model version and commit important language data to memory.
Help with accented characters and with grammar and
vocabulary data is available from a HELP menu.

(b) Information-Gap Exercises. A picture  or a passage is
displayed describing a particular situation. The learner
inputs a series of questions until he/she  has acquired the
information which is the goal of the activity. The program
scans the learner's input and compares it with anticipated
data. A comment is displayed in response to each question.
A score is provided indicating the number of questions
successfully processed by the program.  When the exercise is
completed the learner can read a transcript of his/her
performance and if required send it out to the printer.

PARSING INPUT
The parsing engine used by the program is relatively simple
but quite effective for enabling a reasonably flexible
handling of the learner's input. In the light of experience
of user input the scanning of learners' responses in
exercises can be refined and improved.
By setting a number of parameters in advance the learner's
input can be converted in the following ways to facilitate
and simplify parsing by eliminating features from the
learner's input which may be considered non-essential e.g.

all spaces removed
all question and interrogation marks removed
all periods (full stops) removed
all commas removed
all hyphens removed
all colons and semi-colons removed
all letters converted to lower case
all letters converted to upper case
all accented characters ignored

The program can parse learner input in three possible ways-

(a)Exact matching. The input has to be identical to the
   anticipated string of characters (matchitem)
   e.g. Learner Input="Yes, I'm British. And you?"
        Converted Input="yesi'mbritishandyou"
        Matchitem="yesi'mbritishandyou"

(b)Single string fuzzy matching. The anticipated string
   of characters must be found within the learner's input
   e.g.Learner Input="I've got no money with me, I'm afraid"
       Converted Input="i'vegotnomoneywithmei'mafraid"
       Matchitem="nomoney"

(c)Multi string fuzzy matching. The anticipated sequence of
   character strings must be found within the learner's
   input
   e.g. Learner Input="What on earth is the height of the
        mountain?"
        Converted Input="whatonearthistheheightofthemountain"
        MatchItem="wh/heig/mount/"

Exact match searches are appropriate for scanning for
anticipated correct responses, though single string fuzzy
matching can also be used for this purpose if there are many
possible variations of the correct answer. Fuzzy matching is
useful for scanning for anticipated errors which can be drawn
to the attention of the learner.
Each matchitem is associated with a comment number. The
comment represented by that number is displayed each time
the relevant matchitem is successfully found.

FILES
Phrase-based exercises have three files. The first file which
has the suffix '.lxa' contains all the general parameters for
the exercise, including the settings for conversion of user
input and the comments to be displayed. The second file, with
the suffix '.lxb', contains the phrases,the prompts, the model
responses, and all the match data. A third file, with suffix
'.lxh' contains all passages, instructions and help data.
Information-gap exercises have two files, a '.xig' file which
contains all the essential data, and a '.lxh' file.

DOING LANGUAGE EXERCISES
For Phrase-based Exercises-

Click menu-item LOAD EXERCISE FILE and then LOAD PHRASE FILE.

Select .lxa file from the directory containing the language
 exercises.

Click menu-item DO PHRASE FILE.

If the file has more than one topic the TOPICS menu will be
displayed. Click on a topic and the .lxb file will be loaded.
If the file has only one topic the .lxb file will be loaded
automatically.

Click on HELP-Instructions for exercise instructions
Click on HELP-Gram/Vocab for grammar/vocabulary data

Click on ACTION-See Task for passage (if appropriate)
Click on ACTION-See Model Version to study the exercise in
advance
Click on ACTION-Set Tries to set the number of tries
Click on ACTION-Set Random to present phrases in random order

Click on ACTION-DO TASK to proceed with the exercise

Enter your response to the phrase presented

Click on DO PHRASE or hit RETURN

Note the comment on your response
If you are asked to TRY AGAIN enter a response and DO PHRASE

Click on GET NEXT PHRASE to continue

When TASK COMPLETED appears click menu-item ACTION-See
 Performance to review your performance
Click ACTION -Print Performance for a print-out if required

Click EXIT to leave exercise screen

For Info-Gap Exercises-

Click menu-item LOAD EXERCISE FILE and then LOAD INFO-GAP FILE.

Select .xig file from the directory containing the language
 exercises.

Click menu-item DO INFO-GAP FILE.

Click on HELP-Instructions for exercise instructions
Click on HELP-Gram/Vocab for grammar/vocabulary data

Click on ACTION-DO TASK to proceed with the exercise

Enter your question when YOUR QUESTION is displayed

Click on DO QUESTION or hit RETURN

Note the comment on your question

Click on  NEXT QUESTION to continue

When TASK COMPLETED appears click menu-item ACTION-See
 Performance to review your performance
Click ACTION -Print Performance for a print-out if required

Click EXIT to leave exercise screen

CREATING LANGUAGE EXERCISES
It is important to write down all the data required for an
exercise and to think the parsing (matchitem) strategy
through carefully before you input data to the program.
You can of course amend your data later by editing the file
you have created but it is better to aim at maximum accuracy
at the first attempt to avoid complex problems at the re-edit
stage. Start with short simple exercises until you have
mastered the techniques required for more complex products.
Study carefully the examples given. (Be sure to make BACKUPS
of the files before you submit them to the EDIT process in
order to study them!) Note that once you have decided on the
number of topics and the number of phrases within each topic
you will be unable to change these parameters when you edit
the exercise.
NB The order in which matchitems are entered may be crucial to
the success of the exercise. e.g. it is pointless to have a
fuzzy matchitem "dogfish" coming before a matchitem "dog"

To create a phrase-based file-

Click menu-item CREATE PHRASE FILE

Enter a NAME for the exercise
Enter the number of separate TOPICS included in this exercise

Click the button corresponding to the required EXERCISE TYPE

Choose the MATCH OPTIONS for converting the learner's input
by clicking on the check boxes corresponding to the required
parameters

Normally you would choose to ignore spaces and question marks
etc. However for a language like German commas may be essential
and the difference between upper and lower case may be
significant. Once the choices have been made they will apply
throughout the exercise and your matchitems must reflect the
conversion in question.

The LIST BOX contains a number of frequent COMMENTS on user
input. Add to these in the light of anticipated input for
this exercise and remove unwanted comments if required.

Click on DONE when this form is completed.
The TOPIC INFORMATION screen is now displayed

Enter a TOPIC NAME

Enter the NUMBER of PHRASES for this topic

If the exercise is a dialogue enter a name for the
INTERLOCUTOR

Click TOPIC (topic number) and repeat for further topics

Enter a FILENAME for the exercise (up to 8 characters)
The .lxa file is now complete

Enter TOPIC NUMBER for data input (start normally with topic 1)

Enter target phrase, model(anticipated) response, and prompt
(if required) for PHRASE (phrase number) These strings should
not exceed 60 characters in length.

Select MATCH METHOD for matchitem (item number)

Enter MATCHITEM (item number)
NB each matchitem will be entered into a string of matchitems with
each separated with a "!" Three are three strings-String 1 for
exact matches, String 2 for single fuzzy matches and String
3 for multi fuzzy matches.(You can access these strings later
if required when you load the file in for EDIT.)
NB when entering matchitems of type 3 you must separate the
strings in the sequence with a "/"
NB In the case of matchitems of type 2 the sign '%' can be
used after the item to indicate that a space normally
follows the string (e.g. 'work%' cannot part of 'working'
or 'worked')

Click on the comment which corresponds to this matchitem
NB The number of the selected comment is added to a string of
comment numbers. There are three comment number strings
corresponding to the three match types. (These can also be
accessed when you EDIT the file)

Click on the button 'MATCHITEM (item number)'

Continue to enter matchitems as above until you have run out
of anticipated data (You can add more later at the EDIT
stage)

NB There is a limit of 250 characters for each matchline and
of 100 characters for each comment data line. This allows
a maximum of 50 matchitems per phrase for each of the three
match types, which should be ample to handle a short phrase.

Complete the matchdata entry by typing a "*" and clicking
'MATCHITEM (match number)'

Click button 'PHRASE (phrase number OK'

Continue to enter data as above for each phrase of this topic
Continue as before with each subsequent topic of the exercise

To create an info-gap exercise-

Click menu-item CREATE INFOGAP FILE

Enter a NAME for the exercise

Choose the MATCH OPTIONS for converting the learner's input
by clicking on the check boxes corresponding to the required
parameter. For this type of exercise it is better to set as
many of these options as possible to encourage the learner
with maximum tolerance of variations in input.

Select MATCH METHOD for matchitem (item number)

Enter MATCHITEM (item number)
NB each matchitem will be entered into a string of matchitems with
each separated with a "!" Three are three strings-String 1 for
exact matches, String 2 for single fuzzy matches and String
3 for multi fuzzy matches.(You can access these strings later
if required when you load the file in for EDIT.)
NB when entering matchitems of type 3 you must separate the
strings in the sequence with a "/"

Enter a comment to correspond to the match item
If you wish to use a previously entered comment click on
the menu-item VIEW COMMENTS and click on the required comment
in the drop-down list (To close the list double-click on
the first line)

Click on the button MATCH ITEM (item number)

Continue to enter matchitems as above until you have run out
of anticipated data (You can add more later at the EDIT
stage)

Complete the matchdata entry by typing a "*" and clicking
'MATCHITEM (match number)'


CREATING/EDITING .lxh FILES

For Phrase-based exercises Click (during the CREATE or EDIT
process) on the menu-item CREATE/EDIT TEXTS. Select
Instructions, Passage/Situation or Grammar/Vocab and a Text
Box is displayed into which you can enter the appropriate
information (see examples). Click DONE when entry is complete.

For Info-Gap exercises Click (during the CREATE or EDIT
process) on menu-items CREATE/EDIT INSTRUCTIONS, CREATE/EDIT
PASSAGE or CREATE/EDIT HELP DATA and enter the appropriate
information in the Text Box. Click DONE to finish.

EDITING LANGUAGE EXERCISES

For Phrase-based exercises-

Click on LOAD PHRASE FILE

Click on EDIT PHRASE FILE

Select Topic to start editing
The general parameters are displayed

Amend EXERCISE NAME if required
NB You cannot amend the number of topics

Amend MATCH OPTIONS if required

Amend EXERCISE TYPE if required

Add or Remove COMMENTS if required

Amend TOPIC NAME for Topic (topic number) if required
NB You cannot amend the number of phrases

For a Dialogue Exercise amend INTERLOCUTOR if required

Click on TOPIC (topic number)

Repeat for remaining topics

The data for topics is displayed starting with the selected
topic

Amend if required target phrase, model response, and prompt
for phrase number. You cannot exceed the maximum of 60
characters

Amend match data lines if required. You cannot exceed the
maximum of 250 characters
NB Each matchitem must end in a "!" Each string in a type 3
matchitem must be separated by a "/"

Amend comment number lines if required. You cannot exceed the
maximum of 100 characters
NB Take care that any changes in the numbers correspond
exactly to changes made in the match datalines
NB Check comments by clicking on the menu-item  VIEW COMMENTS
NB Comment numbers must always consist of TWO digits. Single
digits must be prefixed by a zero (e.g. 01, 05)

Click on PHRASE (phrase number) OK to confirm completion

Repeat for subsequent phrases
A message will indicate resaving of the topic to file

Repeat the process for other topics if required

NB Do not EXIT until the topic is re-saved to file otherwise
any changes will be lost

For Information-Gap Exercises-

Click on LOAD INFO-GAP FILE

Click on EDIT INFO-GAP FILE
The general parameters are displayed

Amend EXERCISE NAME if required

Amend MATCH OPTIONS if required

Click on CONTINUE
The match data is displayed

Amend match data lines if required
NB Each matchitem must end in a "!" Each string in a type 3
matchitem must be separated by a "/"
There is no limit on the length of matchdata lines for
info-gap exercises

Amend comment number lines if required
There is no limit on the length of comment number lines
NB Take care that any changes in the numbers correspond
exactly to changes made in the match datalines
NB Check comments by clicking on the menu-item  VIEW COMMENTS
NB Comment numbers must always consist of THREE digits. Single
digits must be prefixed by two zeros (e.g. 001, 005), double
digits by one zero (e.g. 023,056)

Click on DONE to confirm completion


GENERAL INFORMATION

The program is placed in the public domain. It may be
distributed freely but must not be altered, adapted or used
for commercial purposes without my permission.

The program is an update of software which I produced in the
1980s for use in Scottish schools on the BBC Microcomputer,
when I was involved in curriculum development in language
teaching. (I am now happily retired and have time to indulge
my computing hobbies)

Other programs by JAC of interest to language teachers
and learners are as follows-

-CLOZE (Cloze or gap-filling exercises for language learners)

-FLCLOCK (Analogue Clock for language learners with exercises
          involving numbers and times)

-JACMIDI (MIDI song player with display of song words)

All these are available for download from Compuserve and
AOL forums

The program is written in Visual Basic Version 3 and will
run in both Windows 3.1 and Windows 95.

The design is purely functional and lacks the sophistication
and visual appeal of commercially produced programs.

No guarantee is given that the program is completely free of
bugs. I have done my best to test it thoroughly before
distribution but, inevitably in the case of a product developed
by an amateur programmer without the backup of commercial
resources, a number of imperfections will reveal themselves.
I will be glad to hear comments from users about possible bugs
and suggestions for improvements which may lead to a new
version at a later date, or even to further programs of
use to language teachers and learners.

I can be reached by EMAIL at [e-mail] and
[e-mail], and by 'snail mail' at-

   Mr J. A. Campbell
   26, Manor Gardens
   Blairgowrie
   Perthshire
   Scotland, U.K.
   PH10 6JS