Conversational agents for learning foreign languages -- a survey

Conversational practice, while crucial for all language learners, can be challenging to get enough of and very expensive. Chatbots are computer programs developed to engage in conversations with humans. They are designed as software avatars with limited, but growing conversational capability. The mo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inarXiv.org
Main Authors Petrovic, Jasna, Jovanovic, Mladjan
Format Paper Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 16.11.2020
Subjects
Artificial intelligence
Avatars
Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence
Computer Science - Human-Computer Interaction
Foreign languages
Learning
Software
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Summary:Conversational practice, while crucial for all language learners, can be challenging to get enough of and very expensive. Chatbots are computer programs developed to engage in conversations with humans. They are designed as software avatars with limited, but growing conversational capability. The most natural and potentially powerful application of chatbots is in line with their fundamental nature - language practice. However, their role and outcomes within (in)formal language learning are currently tangential at best. Existing research in the area has generally focused on chatbots' comprehensibility and the motivation they inspire in their users. In this paper, we provide an overview of the chatbots for learning languages, critically analyze existing approaches, and discuss the major challenges for future work.
ISSN:2331-8422
DOI:10.48550/arxiv.2011.07901