Rainbow Rummy : a Web-based game for vocabulary acquisition using computer-directed speech

Abstract

Acquiring vocabulary in a foreign language is a long process which often involves the use of flashcards or cycling through long word lists for memorization. While many students learn effectively in this way, research at the Spoken Language Systems Group (SLS) has been exploring alternative methods which make use of speech recognition and generation technology. In this thesis, I designed and implemented a speech-enabled game to aid learners of Mandarin Chinese with this task of vocabulary acquisition. Our approach is, customizable, allowing user control of the vocabulary words, web-based, providing potential for widespread use, and game-based, engaging the user in an interactive session with a computer or another human player. We evaluated the feasibility of the game as a web-based CALL (Computer Aided Language Learning) system through its deployment for use by the general public. Secondly, we ran a study to measure the effect of computer-directed user speech on vocabulary acquisition in comparison to a system which only provides listening practice.