The document discusses the challenges and methods of mobile language learning, particularly English, emphasizing the need for an engaging and effective approach suitable for smartphones. It highlights a study conducted with Japanese high school students comparing vocabulary acquisition through paper books, e-books, and an adaptive learning device, revealing no significant difference in learning effectiveness among the methods. The authors conclude that while no particular technology was shown to enhance incidental learning, ongoing developments like the new Elmo device aim to improve the learning experience.

1. Phone CALLIncidental Language Learning with Mobile TechnologiesMike Sharpleswith Tony Fisher, Richard Pemberton, Tommy SweeneyUniversity of NottinghamHiroaki Ogata, Noriko UosakiUniversity of TokushimaPhil Edmonds, Anthony Hull, Patrick TschornSharp Labs, Europe

2. Mobile language learning is boring

3. ...but important ¼ of the population of China is learning English (300 million people)In the next 5 years all Chinese schools will teach English in kindergartenAll state employees younger than 40 will be required to master 1,000 English phrases“ Numerous obstacles stand in the way of China’s quest, including a shortage of good English teachers and the country’s test-oriented education system”1 billion people in China use mobile phones (67% of the population) of which 100 million are smartphonesIndianapolis Business Journal, “Report from China”, March 2011

4. How can we design language learning for a smartphone that is engaging and effective?

5. Initial vocabulary and grammarDirect instructionIn a contextCreating a contextContextFluencySocial interactionVocabulary acquisitionIncidentallearning

6. Initial vocabulary and grammarDirect instructionBBC Janala in BangladeshEnglish teaching on mobile phonesDial 3000 to access three minute audio lessonsContent linked to youth TV show and newsOver 3.5 million callsContext

7. Initial vocabulary and grammarDirect instructionLearn vocabulary in contextRehearseUse vocabulary to create new contextsShare the contextualised vocabularyContextVocabulary acquisitionIncidental learning

8. Research project by the Learning Sciences Research Institute in association with the University of Tokushima andSharp Laboratories of Europe

9. Incidental second language learningSelf-directed learning of vocabulary in the context of reading from booksFits into gaps in everyday lifeAdaptive tutoringMotivating: e-book & e-gameE-bookReadstory for vocabularyE-gamePractise sentence constructionSelected wordsPersonal vocabularyRehearse vocabularylist GamewordsMissingwords

12. Elmo Mark 2 for smartphonesSmartphones: Sharp WS004SH (3.7 inch colour TFT screen, 480x640 resolution) and Sharp WS007SH (2.8 inch colour TFT screen, 480x640 resolution).

13. Research questionAre there differences in the learning of English vocabulary through reading novels, depending on the mode of mobile interaction?

14. Three modes of interactionPaper booke-book reader with English dictionary‘ELMO’: e-book reader with enhanced software, including adaptive user modelling and additional interactivityPaper bookE-bookElmo adaptive system

15. ParticipantsClass of 39 students (24 female, 15 male) aged 15-17 at a Japanese high schoolClass divided on the basis of a pre-test into 3 comparison groups balanced in terms of English vocabulary and gender, enabling a crossover design to be employed for the study

16. Crossover designSurvey and focus groupsPost-test threeBase-line testPost-test twoPost-test one

17. Conduct of the studyPre-test: test of specific vocabulary from the three novelsTwo weeks to read a novel – students could decide how much, when and whereDiscussion of novel allowed, but no swappingHelp-sheet and local advice in case of a problem with a deviceNo school implications of resultsPost-test: the same words as in pre-test (scored out of 30)

18. Results for adaptive handheld learning device9.598.587.576.565.55PrePostVocabulary score

19. 9.598.58Adaptive7.57Book6.565.55PrePostVocabulary scoreComparison with paper book

20. 9.598.58Adaptive7.5Ebook7Book6.565.55PrePostComparison with e-bookVocabulary score

21. Log data

22. Interview data“Made my eyes tired, so I recommend ‘paper book’”“It is good to write down whatever I want on ‘paper book’”“I do not want to bring another device with me other than my mobile phone to read novels”“Many say that if a small and light device with a satisfactory English-Japanese dictionary, smooth scrolling, less charging is possible, then Adaptive Device would be best” (Teacher)

23. ConclusionsThe study was carefully set up and rigorously conductedIt didn’t show any particular technology to be effective in enhancing incidental learning of English vocabulary

24. ConclusionsThe study was carefully set up and rigorously conductedIt didn’t show effectiveness of any particular technology to enhance incidental learning of English vocabularyBut... Sharp Labs Europe is developing a new version of Elmo with an attractive interface, pictorial e-book and vocabulary games

25. Elmo Mk3 for Android devicesProduct launch in Autumn 2011(NB – these are screenshots from an early prototype version, not the market product)

26. Initial vocabulary and grammarDirect instructionContextFluencySocial interactionVocabulary acquisitionIncidentallearningResearch prototypes for contextual vocabulary acquisition and fluency

27. MiLexicon – Joshua UnderwoodPhD, Institute of Education, Londonhttps://sites.google.com/site/joshunderwood/milexicon

28. miLexicon: connecting vocabularyShareLook up on favourite sitesScroll for self-assessment prompts & item history

29. Toponimo– TommySweeneyPhD, University of Nottingham

30. Initial vocabulary and grammarDirect instructionCreating a contextIn a contextContextFluencySocial interactionVocabulary acquisitionIncidentallearning