LANGUAGE TEACHER VERSION 1.0
User’s Guide
May 13, 1998
Prepared for:
University of Massachusetts Boston, Harbor Campus
100 Morrissey Boulevard
Boston, MA 02125-3393
Professors Henry Batterman and William Campbell
Prepared by:
Language Teacher (LT) Project Team
Satit Phanichyakarn, Project Lead
Contributors: James R. Hill, William Perry, Sagar Malisetti
University of Massachusetts Boston, Harbor Campus
100 Morrissey Boulevard
Boston, MA 02125-3393
YOUR NOTES
LANGUAGE TEACHER VERSION 1.0
User’s Guide
May 13, 1998
Prepared for:
University of Massachusetts Boston, Harbor Campus
100 Morrissey Boulevard
Boston, MA 02125-3393
Professors Henry Batterman and William Campbell
Prepared by:
Language Teacher (LT) Project Team
Satit Phanichyakarn, Project Lead
Contributors: James R. Hill, William Perry, Sagar Malisetti
12
7.0
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MAINTAINING VOCABULARY HISTORY
Page
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1
2.0 GETTING STARTED
2
Your Language Teacher Package
Installing Your Software
Create An Icon To Run Your Language Teacher
Starting Your Language Teacher
3.0 CONFIGURING YOUR OPTIONS
3
Languages, Colors, Sound, Fonts, and Size
Saving Your Options
4.0 READING IN A SECONDARY LANGUAGE
4
Retrieving Text In Language Teacher
Getting Translation and Definition of Selected Words
Building A List of Vocabulary Words
Reviewing Your List Of Vocabulary Words
5.0 VOCABULARY EXERCISES
6
Matching Vocabulary And Translations
Fill-In The Blanks
Reviewing Your Vocabulary History
If you want to see a list of the vocabulary words and translations from the history file, the “History”
button from the system’s toolbar is clicked. The vocabulary history has been generated and saved by
one or more list session(s). It is displayed in a text window in the middle of the screen. Since the
vocabulary history may exceed the display size of the main text window, scrollbars may be used to
view the history from top to bottom.
Removing Words from Your History
6.0 BUILDING VOCABULARY LIST AND HISTORY
9
Listing Of Current Vocabulary Words
Adding Words to History From Current Vocabulary List
7.0 MAINTAINING VOCABULARY HISTORY
10
Reviewing Your Vocabulary History
Removing Words from Your History
YOUR NOTES
11
You may decide to delete a word and its translation from the history file. To do this, tell the system
to delete the word by selecting the word and clicking “Delete” from the “Edit” menu. The system
will remove it and its associated translation from the history file. Continues until your finished.
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You fill-in the keyword by typing each letter. As you type each letter, the system replaces the dash
to the right of the cursor with the typed letter and advances the cursor one space to the right. When
you complete the keyword, “Enter” is clicked and the score is tallied. “Correct!!” is displayed as
feedback to you for successful completion of the missing keyword. “Oops.” is shown for erroneous
or incomplete entries.
You may get assistance from the system while filling-in the letters of the missing keyword. If you
hit the <ESC> key when the cursor is to the right of a dash. The dash is replaced by the correct
corresponding letter of the keyword. The cursor is moved to the right. The “Assists” total is
incremented and displayed. You may also get a complete answer by clicking the “See Answer”
button at the bottom of the text field. If you click the “Definition” submenu item under the
“Exercise” menu item of the “Functions” menu, the keyword definition is presented to you in a
special text window called. You may study the definition(s) of the word. When done, a “Clear”
button is clicked, then the system removes the definition and you may continue the vocabulary
exercise.
1.0
INTRODUCTION
This user’s guide describes how to install, set up and configure your options available with the
Language Teacher (LT) product. It covers the basic features that allow you to read text in a new or
secondary language; development of a vocabulary list; use of vocabulary list in exercises designed to
enhance vocabulary retention; and development of a vocabulary history.
LT operates in a “stand alone” mode and/or interconnected with the Internet. Sample text is made
available directly for you on the system. You can also retrieve text from the Internet, if an Internet
connection is available, you may retrieve text for your exercise from it.
Reading; Reviewing; Exercises; List, and History
You move to the next sentence by clicking the “Next” button. You may go back to the previous
sentence by clicking the “Repeat” button. You continue filling-in the keywords until each sentence
in the word list has been exercised.
When finished with the vocabulary exercise function, you may select a
new function. The system clears the main text window, the new function interface view is presented
to you and the “Exercise” button in the system toolbar becomes active again.
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Installation Files
Language Teacher (LT) Java Classes
Java Foundation Classes (JFC)/Swing
Java Development Kit (JDK)
Sample Text (Text Files)
Miscellaneous Files (Icons, Graphics, Dictionaries, etc.)
Internet
LANGUAGE TEACHER (LT)
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5.0
VOCABULARY EXERCISES
Matching Vocabulary And Translations
When you select the “Match” function, the system presents a match view. It opens a two column
text window. The current word list generated earlier during a reading session is used. The words
from the list are randomly ordered and presented in the left side column. The translations are also
randomly ordered and displayed for you in the right side column. Since both the words and
translations may exceed the text window size, scrollbars may be used to view the lists from top to
button. The scrollbars for each side work independently of each other. The translations in the right
side are enumerated using positive numerical digits (numbers), i.e., 1, 2, 3, .... To the right of the
words, a text field is provided for matching entries.
Study the words and translations. When a matching translation for a selected word is believed to
have been found, you enter the number corresponding to the translation in the text field adjacent to
the matching word. Continue until finished. You may also ask the system for the answers by
clicking “Answers.” Blank fields are treated by the system as errors.
The score is presented in a text field at the bottom of the screen labeled “Score.” Incorrect matching
entries are highlighted around the text fields corresponding to the erroneous matches. You may then
attempt to correct the errors or ask the system for the answers as before. You may also clear the
answers in the boxes next to the words by clicking a “Clear” button and start over.
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3.0
CONFIGURING YOUR OPTIONS
Languages, Colors, Sound, Fonts, and Size
If you want to change the primary or secondary language being used in the LT program, select the
‘Options’ menu, clicks on the “Primary Language” or “Secondary Language” selection. The current
language is shown with a drop down choice of other available languages. The current setting is
noted with a check beside it. Select a desired language. The interface will be displayed in the
primary language.
The same basic scenario occurs if you desire to change the sound options, color scheme, or any other
future option. However, the options working in Language Teacher Version 1.0 are languages, font,
and size.
Similarly (but not shown in figure), if you want to change the font or size of the text being used in
the LT program, select the ‘Format’ menu, click on the choice and select the desired setting.
Saving Your Options
Changes are saved for you when the system is shut down. When you re-start, options will be as you
left them.
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YOUR NOTES
11
6.0
BUILDING VOCABULARY LIST AND HISTORY
Listing Of Current Vocabulary Words
If you want to see the list of the vocabulary words and their corresponding translations selected
during a reading session, the “List” button from the system’s toolbar is clicked. The vocabulary
contained in the word list generated by a reading session is retrieved by the system for the list. It is
displayed in a text window in the middle of the screen. Since the word list may exceed the display
size of the main text window, scrollbars may be used to view the word list from top to bottom.
Adding Words to History From Current Vocabulary List
You may decide to add a word and its translation from the current word list to the history file. To do
this, tell the system to add the word by selecting the word and clicking “Insert” from the “Edit”
menu. The system will add it and its associated translation to the history file. You may continue this
until your finished.
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2.0
GETTING STARTED
5.0
VOCABULARY EXERCISES (CONTINUED)
Your Language Teacher Package
Your package should contain the following items: CD-ROM, and a User’s Guide. The software
package comes with all you need on a single CD ROM, including:
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Installation Files
Language Teacher (LT) Java Classes
Java Foundation Classes (JFC)/Swing
Java Development Kit (JDK)
Sample Text (Text Files)
Miscellaneous Files (Icons, Graphics, Dictionaries, etc.)
Installing Your Software
Insert the CD-ROM into CD-ROM drive.
Double click on "My Computer" on desktop. A list of “My Computer” icons is shown.
Double click on CD-ROM Icon which says "LanguageTeacher." This will display all
folders and files from the CD-ROM
Double click on file "Install.bat"
Files are copied from the CD-ROM to your system. You will see a message at the end of
install saying “Language Teacher install completed.” Language Teacher has been
installed to your local hard drive.
Close the window. You are ready to run the Language Teacher application.
Fill-In The Blanks View Of Language Teacher
Create An Icon To Run Your Language Teacher
Double click on “My Computer “ icon
Double click on C: drive icon .
Double click on a Folder called “Language Teacher V1.0”.
Click on “Create Shortcut” to create a short cut to run Language Teacher application.
Drag shortcut icon onto desktop. Close open windows and Icon for LanguageTeacher.
The ‘Exercise’ view of the LT user interface maintains the basic layout of LT. It has three areas.
The top area or panel, the center area, and the bottom feedback area. During this exercise, the
EXERCISE button in the top area is inactive, i.e., “clicking” on it does nothing. The center area
contains a panel for filling-in-the-blanks with vocabulary words or keyword list selected during the
reading session. LT presents sentences in which vocabulary words were selected. Letters of the
words are shown as “dashes.” The user replaces dashes with letters of the word. There are four
buttons. The ENTER button, tells LT to check entry and compute the score. REPEAT takes the
user back to the last word/sentence. NEXT takes the user to the next sentence on the keyword list.
Answers may be obtained by “clicking” the SEE ANSWER button. A score is tallied and displayed
a four text fields labeled as “Correct,” “Errors,” “Assists,” and “Total.”.
When a you select the “Exercise” function, the system presents the exercise view to you. It opens a
main text window. The current word list generated earlier during a reading session is used. In the
text window, the system, displays sentences from the word list without the word or keyword. The
keyword is replaced by a series of dashes where each dash represents a letter of the missing keyword.
Starting Your Language Teacher
Double click on Shortcut icon on your desk top to run the Language Teacher application.
A MSDOS window will open indicating the application has been started
For example, the keyword might be “mucho” in a sentence like ”En el banco nacional hay ----dinero.” The system positions the cursor just to the left of the first dash.
The main window of Language Teacher will open and you are ready to use LT.
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4.0
READING IN A SECONDARY LANGUAGE
“Source.” The text is identified as active text and is displayed to you in a main text window in the
middle of the screen. Since active text may exceed the display size of the main text window,
scrollbars may be used to view the active text from beginning to end.
Getting Definition Of Selected Words
While reading the active text, words may be encountered that are unfamiliar to you. When a word is
selected, the system translates it to a word in your primary language. The translation is done by the
system using a translation dictionary. Definition(s), also in your primary language, are retrieved
from a definition dictionary and presented to you in a special text window for “Definitions.”
You may study the definition(s) of the selected word and make a decision to keep the word or not for
later exercises. If you decide to keep the word, an ACCEPT button in the lower right area is clicked
to save the word and its associated translation.
Building A List Of Vocabulary Words
When a word is selected and “Accept” is clicked while reading, the system puts the word in a word
list along with its translation and the sentence from which it was selected. Upon clicking a new
word, the system removes the old definition - leaving you free to continue reading. You may wish
to continue reading. More words may encountered that are unfamiliar. You may select these words,
obtain translations and definitions, and decide to keep them or not. This process is repeated until
you are finished reading the current active text.
When you are finished reading the current active text, you may clear it by clicking an “X” on the
upper right-hand corner of the main text window. Reading may continue with a new source of active
text. New active text is obtained via the “Source” text field as before. It is read. Words are selected.
Definition(s) are furnished. Decisions are made to keep the words or not. More active text is
obtained and so on until you are completely finished reading.
Reading Text View Of Language Teacher
The ‘Read’ view of the LT user interface maintains the basic layout of LT. It has three areas. The
top area or panel contains the main menu, a toolbar that holds the primary function buttons, and a
text field for the user to enter a source of text material. During reading, the READ button is inactive,
i.e., “clicking” on it does nothing. By contrast, “clicking” on any of the other function buttons will
cause LT to switch to the corresponding view of the function selected. Beside the “Source” text
field there is an ENTER button which activates LT to search and retrieve the text material specified.
A keyboard “Enter” input with the cursor located in the “Source” text field is functionally equivalent
to “clicking” on the ENTER button. The center area contains a panel for active text presented in the
secondary language. The caption for the text area identifies the active secondary language. For
visual effect, the area is decorated with relevant icons. The text area needs scrollbars as we expect
the active text will frequently exceed the space available. Translations and definitions are presented
in two text areas in the bottom part of the screen when words are selected in the active text. There is
an ACCEPT button that when clicked will save the word and translation selected for later review.
The bottom area remains as a user feedback area for things like “No Translation Found.”
RetrievingText In Language Teacher
You retrieve text for reading in a secondary language as follows. A SampleTest on disk and/or the
Internet serve as sources of the text. You tell the system where to obtain the text via a text field
labeled
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When finished reading, you may select a new function. The systems clears the main text window,
the new function interface view is presented to you and the “Read” button in the system toolbar
becomes active again. The word list built during this session is saved by the system for your use in
subsequent system functions and exercises.
Reviewing Your List Of Vocabulary Words
If you want to review the vocabulary selected during a reading session, the “Review” button from
the system’s toolbar is clicked. The vocabulary contained in the word list generated by a reading
session is retrieved by the system for review. It is displayed in a text window in the middle of the
screen. Since the word list may exceed the display size of the main text window, scrollbars may be
used to view the word list from top to bottom.
While reviewing the vocabulary, you may wish to re-look at a word’s translation(s) and
definition(s). When a word is selected from the word list, its associated definition is presented in a
special text window near the bottom of the screen. You may review the translation(s) and
definition(s) of the word. When done, a “Clear” button is clicked, then the system removes the
system removes the text and you may continue to review the vocabulary list.
If you decide to remove a word from the word list. you tell the system to delete the word by
selecting the word and clicking “Delete” from the “Edit” menu. Then the system removes it. This
process continues until you are finished reviewing.
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