A Survey of Robot-Assisted Language Learning (RALL) <s> Languages <s> We report results of a study in which a low cost sociable robot was immersed at an Early Childhood Education Center for a period of 2 weeks. The study was designed to investigate whether the robot, which operated fully autonomously during the intervention period, could improve target vocabulary skills of 18-24 month of age toddlers. The results showed a 27 % improvement in knowledge of the target words taught by the robot when compared to a matched set of control words. The results suggest that sociable robots may be an effective and low cost technology to enrich Early Childhood Education environments. <s> BIB001 </s> A Survey of Robot-Assisted Language Learning (RALL) <s> Languages <s> There is an on-going study which aims to assist in teaching Sign Language (SL) to hearing impaired children by means of non-verbal communication and imitation based interaction games between a humanoid robot and the child. In this study, the robot will be able to express a word in SL among a set of chosen words using hand movements, body and face gestures. Having comprehended the word, the child will give relevant feedback to the robot. In the current study, we propose an interactive story telling game between a NAO H25 humanoid robot and preschool children based on Turkish Sign Language (TSL). Since most of the children do not know how to read and write, and they are not familiar with sign language, we prepared a short story including specially selected words which is performed by the robot verbally and with sign language as well. The children are expected to give feedback to the robot with matching colour flashcards when it implements a word in sign language. The robotic event covered 106 preschool children. The aim is to evaluate the children's sign language learning ability from a robot, and comparison of these results with the results of video based studies. <s> BIB002 </s> A Survey of Robot-Assisted Language Learning (RALL) <s> Languages <s> The CoWriter activity involves a child in a rich and complex interaction where he has to teach handwriting to a robot. The robot must convince the child it needs his help and it actually learns from his lessons. To keep the child engaged, the robot must learn at the right rate, not too fast otherwise the kid will have no opportunity for improving his skills and not too slow otherwise he may loose trust in his ability to improve the robot' skills. We tested this approach in real pedagogic/therapeutic contexts with children in difficulty over repeated long sessions (40-60 min). Through 3 different case studies, we explored and refined experimental designs and algorithms in order for the robot to adapt to the troubles of each child and to promote their motivation and self confidence. We report positive observations, suggesting commitment of children to help the robot, and their comprehension that they were good enough to be teachers, overcoming their initial low confidence with handwriting. <s> BIB003 </s> A Survey of Robot-Assisted Language Learning (RALL) <s> Languages <s> Abstract Social robots are innovative new technologies that have considerable potential to support children’s education as tutors and learning companions. Given this potential, it behooves us to study the mechanisms by which children learn from social robots, as well as the similarities and differences between children’s learning from robots as compared to human partners. In the present study, we examined whether young children will attend to the same nonverbal social cues from a robot as from a human partner during a word learning task, specifically gaze and bodily orientation to an unfamiliar referent. Thirty-six children viewed images of unfamiliar animals with a human and with a robot. The interlocutor (human or robot) oriented toward, and provided names for, some of the animals, and children were given a posttest to assess their recall of the names. We found that children performed equally well on the recall test whether they had been provided with names by the robot or by the human. Moreover, in each case, their performance was constrained by the spatial distinctiveness of nonverbal orientation cues available to determine which animal was being referred to during naming. <s> BIB004
Predominantly, RALL has targeted teaching a foreign language-and this language is typically English. However, languages run the gamut, including artificial languages such as Toki Pona and ROILA and non-verbal languages such as sign languages. Only four studies have focused on native language development BIB003 BIB002 BIB001 BIB004 . Differences exist between possible strategies to teach foreign and native languages. For word learning, native language learning requires the mapping of a name to an image of the target, while foreign language learning may only employ mapping a new name to an existing name space. As well, in native language learning conversational ability arises naturally after prolonged language input-grammar rules and colloquialisms are not explicitly taught, with children receiving additional input and implicit and explicit feedback to improve. While foreign language learning can be taught like this, it is often accompanied by explicit grammar rules and translations.