Social Robots for (Second) Language Learning in (Migrant) Primary School Children

Abstract

Especially these days, innovation and support from technology to relieve pressure in education is highly urgent. This study tested the potential advantage of a social robot over a tablet in (second) language learning on performance, engagement, and enjoyment. Shortages in primary education call for new technology solutions. Previous studies combined robots with tablets, to compensate for robot’s limitations, however, this study applied direct human–robot interaction. Primary school children (N = 63, aged 4–6) participated in a 3-wave field experiment with story-telling exercises, either with a semi-autonomous robot (without tablet, using WOz) or a tablet. Results showed increased learning gains over time when training with a social robot, compared to the tablet. Children who trained with a robot were more engaged in the story-telling task and enjoyed it more. Robot’s behavioral style (social or neutral) hardly differed overall, however, seems to vary for high versus low educational abilities. While social robots need sophistication before being implemented in schools, our study shows the potential of social robots as tutors in (second) language learning.

Social robots in a translanguaging pedagogy: A review to identify opportunities for robot-assisted (language) learning

“…Sixteen of the 83 studies (partly) targeted a migrant population (Kim et al, 2014;Gordon et al, 2016;Rosenthalvon der Pütten et al, 2016;Kory Westlund et al, 2017;Lopes et al, 2017;Hemminki and Erkinheimo-Kyllönen, 2017;Goossens et al, 2019;Park et al, 2019;Engwall and Lopes, 2020;Kouri et al, 2020;Schulz et al, 2020;Engwall et al, 2021;Halbach et al, 2021;Leeuwestein et al, 2021;Cumbal, 2022; A robot mostly speaking L2, but also translating target words to L1 Konijn et al, 2022). A striking result is that only one of these studies used students' L1 to support learning of the L2 (Leeuwestein et al, 2021).…”

Social/dialogical roles of social robots in supporting children’s learning of language and literacy—A review and analysis of innovative roles

“…Whereas this example refers to a change in robot’s role from one learning session to another, a change can also take place during one session, when interaction partners become more familiar with each other. This familiarization process, in turn, is influenced by individual differences in children ( Tolksdorf et al, 2021b ; Konijn et al, 2022 ). These plausible dynamics are barely in focus in current research, nor in our review.…”

Do Robotic Tutors Compromise the Social-Emotional Development of Children?

“…• The third type of children that can be considered more sensitive for the robot's interaction, as indicated by two teachers, are children who are underachievers on a certain subject, such as language learning or math. Studies indeed reported good results for language learning (Vogt et al, 2019;Konijn et al, 2021) or rehearsing the times tables (Konijn and Hoorn, 2020). • The fourth and final type of children who are more sensitive to social robots are children with special needs, such as children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), highly sensitive children, highly gifted children, and children sensitive to game addiction.…”

“…Social robots are gradually being introduced in primary education. They provide new opportunities for improving cognitive outcomes, such as learning a second language (Vogt et al, 2019;Konijn et al, 2021), rehearsing the times tables (Konijn and Hoorn, 2020), learning sign language (Luccio and Gaspari, 2020) and training handwriting (Aktar Mispa and Sojib, 2020). In addition, social robots are used to support motivational and affective elements of learning (e.g., the learner being attentive, receptive, responsive, reflective, or inquisitive) (Belpaeme et al, 2018).…”