Design and Evaluation Of An English Conversational Agent To Enrich Home language Support For Young Students: Parental Support, Underlying Mechanism, Train-The-Trainer And Technology Adoption
Funding Scheme
Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (Non-RGC)
Funding Amount
HK$2,453,690
Awarded Year
2024
Helping children acquire a second language in the home
This project addresses the challenges young learners in Hong Kong may face, due to limited exposure and parental support, in acquiring English as a second language (L2). It involves the development and evaluation of an L2 Conversational Agent (LCA) to enhance the home language environment through interactive parent-child games to promote L2 oral language competence and learning motivation for kindergarten (K2 & K3) and primary school (P1) students. It also evaluates the effectiveness of LCA and investigates the mechanisms underlying its use. Additionally, a train-the-trainer program empowers teachers to help parents use the LCA effectively, fostering a richer language-learning environment for children.
Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. The research team contributes towards the following SDG(s):
This research addresses the issue of insufficient parental involvement in L2 learning among young children in Hong Kong. Many parents’ own lack of confidence and/or proficiency limits their ability to support their children's L2 learning beyond homework. The project engages parents through simple, enjoyable, technology-based games, providing a practical method to enhance their involvement and inform the design and development of effective educational tools and training programmes for both parents and teachers. By also exploring various influencing factors, the study improves understanding of effective strategies for fostering young learners' L2 skills and competence, benefiting parents and children in the educational context.
The significance of this research lies in its innovative approach to enhancing English language learning for young learners in Hong Kong through an L2 Conversational Agent (LCA). Crucially, this work addresses the issue of inadequate parental involvement in L2 learning outside the classroom, offering practical tools to empower parents. By integrating technology into language learning, it advances the field by providing insights into effective engagement strategies that parents can implement in the home. The findings will reveal how technological support can enhance L2 oral language competence and learning motivation among young learners, and thus significantly impact future language education practices.
The research will benefit frontline practitioners, particularly educators working with young learners in various educational settings. It will provide them with valuable insights into promoting the LCA and parent-initiated language-focused games, increasing their understanding of technology-supported educational tools and L2 oral language development and facilitating the design of effective parent education programs. Approximately 150 teachers will directly benefit from the train-the-trainer program, which will empower them to provide effective parent education on L2 learning. Resources such as the project website and LCA platform will provide accessible materials for educators to recommend effective home-based language learning strategies to parents, extending the impact to a broader community of educators and families.
Selected Publications
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