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Brendan O'REGAN (Lille 3)From Spell, Grammar and Style Checkers to Writing Aids for English and French as a Foreign Language: Challenges and Opportunities2010, Vol. XV-2, pp. 67-84
For spell and grammar checkers to be useful, they need to be geared towards language learners. In this paper, we focus on spelling, grammar and style checkers, which have been specifically designed for learners of French and English, some of them evolving towards real writing aids. We examine the features of the programs on the market which characterise this evolution towards real writing aids. This paper examines the capabilities of these writing tools when faced with a corpus of learner-written production and evaluates the opportunities these findings present us with as well as the challenges that lay ahead for an efficient integration within a foreign language learning environment focusing on written expression.
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Serge VERLINDE (Louvain, Belgique)The conception of Integrated Tutorial Software as an Aid for Reading, Translation and Writing2010, Vol. XV-2, pp. 53-65
The Base lexicale du français (BLF) website functions as a portal to numerous lexicographic resources for French. The structure of the interface is based on the potential needs of the users. However, the various options available may also confuse the user. Therefore, we have developed a new functionality which allows users to submit texts they either want to read or translate. After the texts have been analysed, they are presented to the user with an additional layer of relevant lexicographic information. This information appears in the form of a pop-up window for every word. In addition to these reading and translation assistants, the BLF also offers a writing assistant which differs considerably from traditional grammar checkers.
Computer-based teaching programmes