University of New Orleans
Foreign Language
Reproduced with permission from NeXT Computer, Inc.
A Reference Guide to NeXT in Higher Education, Fall 1992
ยช 1992 NeXT Computer, Inc
Custom application teaches reading and writing
With funding from the state of Louisiana, Hans Martin, professor of computer science at the University of New Orleans, has created a NeXTSTEP language-learning application to help functionally illiterate adults develop reading and writing skills. The application can also help elementary school children learn to read and improve their language skills.
"With NeXTSTEP, we were able to put the application together in just a few months," says Martin. "Interface Builder, Objective C, AppKit, and Sound Kit were key in allowing us to create the application so quickly. The software is also very easy for students to operate on the NeXT because of the system's friendly graphical interface, large screen, and multitasking capabilities. The NeXT machine is a wonderful tool for students to learn with."
Using Martin's application, students practice reading different text displayed on the screen. By clicking on a particular word, students can ask the computer for its pronunciation and meaning. Martin says students can repeat this function as much as necessary. For example, if a student is having difficulty deciphering the meaning of a particular word, he or she can repeat the process over and over until he or she is confident of the meaning of the word and how to pronounce and spell it.
At the end of each session, the program provides students with feedback in the form of a review by repeating in random order the words the student had difficulty pronouncing or defining.
Martin adds that the application can also be used in the workplace so employees, for example, can "quickly acquire an advanced, specialized, and highly technical vocabulary while they train for a new line of work."
In addition, Martin says students studying foreign language can use the application to practice their pronunciation by recording words and comparing their pronunciation with that of a native speaker. The native speaker's pronunciation is stored in a NeXT computer dictionary and reproduced with digital quality.
"This kind of learning device is particularly important for the proper study of foreign languages because nuances of sound formation are most critical," says Martin. "A student in first-year German, for instance, who wants to build a basic vocabulary and a grasp of grammar is served as well as the professional interpreter who is working on accent-free pronunciation."
Martin says that the application's English dictionary contains more than 5,000 entries and is constantly growing. He is also compiling German, French, Spanish, and Russian dictionaries.
For more information, please contact:
Hans J. Martin
Professor of Computer Science
University of New Orleans
New Orleans, LA 70148
(504) 286-7191
jjmcs@uno.edu