Center for Language Research

Thomas K. Orr Professor	Steven D. Tripp Professor	William V. Rozycki Professor	John Brine Associate Professor
Ian Wilson Associate Professor	Debopriyo Roy Assistant Professor	Neil H. Johnson Assistant Professor	Jonathan W. deHaan Assistant Professor
Emiko Kaneko Assistant Professor	Kiyomi Okamoto Assistant Professor

The Center for Language Research (CLR), in the School of Computer Science and Engineering, was established in 1993 to contribute to the development of professionals in computer science, computer engineering, and related elds through the research and teaching of successful language use in academic and workplace contexts-in particular, the use of English for academic and professional purposes. Faculty research focuses on language theory, use, pedagogy, acquisition, and supporting educational technologies. And grounded in this research, CLR faculty provide innovative English language training to University of Aizu students at the graduate and undergraduate levels, as well as to university students and faculty at other universities around the world via keynote speeches, conference presentations, training seminars, and workshops. Researchers interested in applying for a position in the CLR or collaborating with CLR faculty on joint projects should contact the CLR Office at clr-office@u-aizu.ac.jp.

Refereed Journal Papers

[droy-01:2008]	Debopriyo Roy. Designing Text-Graphics Procedural Instructions for Surgical Patient Education Modules: An Experimental Study. Technical Communication Quarterly, 17(2):173–201, April 2008.
	To understand how readers approach mechanical procedural instructions, this study tested surgical patient-education modules for the effectiveness of route and survey spatial perspectives in text. The results showed that subjects’ ability to comprehend an intricate procedural action in surgery varies with learning styles and task approach along with different text-graphic perspectives. Overall, survey perspective worked better than route perspective in text. Readers’ self-reporting of task difficulty and the effects of practicing did not notably affect their judgment.
[rozycki-01:2008]	U. Connor, M. Ruiz-Garrido, W. Rozycki, E. Goering, E.D. Kinney, and J. Koehler. Intercultural study of patient-directed medicine labeling: Text differences between the United States and Spain. Communication & Medicine, 5(2):27–42, 2008.
	We study discourse choices in patient-directed medicine leaflets. Differences between Spanish versions (more technical vocabulary) and English versions (more legal warnings) are found and the reasons connected with cultural contexts in the two countries.
[wilson-01:2008]	J. Brine and I. Wilson. TEFL in a Japanese IT university: Adjusting for cultural learning practices with open-source tools and an LMS. Open Source in Education and Language Learning Online, pages 197–217, 2008.
	Throughout their public school education, Japanese students are socialized into cultural learning practices (Gutierrez & Rogoff, 2003) that emphasize group-oriented tasks. Well-organized group work is paramount to successful EFL teaching in Japan. In this paper, we look at how freeware and open-source software tools are used in two different modes of instruction at a Japanese computer science university to organize both individual and group tasks. The first is a 2nd year undergraduate Technical Reading course that relies extensively on the use of concept mapping using Cmap- Tools, a freeware system, and the management of groups and roles with Moodle, an open-source learning management system. The second is a 3rd year undergraduate Phonetics and Pronunciation course that uses Praat, open-source software for acoustic analysis, also with course administration through Moodle, but presently has a more individual focus. An important aspect of our work is the systematization of group process in language and communication courses and the development of a context for experimentation and action research.

Refereed Proceeding Papers

[brine-01:2008]	John Brine and Ian Wilson. TEFL in a Japanese IT University: Adjusting for Cultural Learning Practices with Open-source Tools and an LMS. In Birna Arnbjrnsdttir and Matthew Whelpton, editors, Open Source in Education and Language Learning Online, pages 197–217, Reykjavk, Iceland, 2008. Hsklatgfan/Stofnun Vigdsar Finnbogadttur.
	Throughout their public school education, Japanese students are socialized into cultural learning practices (Gutirrez and Rogoff, 2003) that emphasize group-oriented tasks. Well-organized group work is paramount to successful EFL teaching in Japan. In this paper, we look at how freeware and open-source software tools are used in two different modes of instruction at a Japanese computer science university to organize both individual and group tasks. The first is a 2nd year undergraduate Technical Reading course which relies extensively on the use of concept mapping using CmapTools, a freeware system, and the management of groups and roles with Moodle, an open-source learning management system. The second is a 3rd year undergraduate Phonetics and Pronunciation course which uses Praat, open-source software for acoustic analysis, also in Moodle, but presently has a more individual focus. An important aspect of our work is the systematization of group process in language and communication courses and the development of a context for experimentation and action research.
[brine-02:2008]	Debopriyo Roy and John Brine. Structured Authoring of Technical Documents through Systematic Collaboration in Using Open-Source Technologies. In Proceedings of the 7TH IASTED International Conference on Web-based Education, Innsbruck, Austria, 2008.
	This paper explores the efficiency with which different kinds of open-source software such as Google Docs, CmapTools, and Moodle can be used for producing technical documents that require collaborative writing practices. This paper has focused on the importance of systematic role-playing, collaboration, proper sequence of activities and efficient project-specific software usage. The observational study demonstrates that the systematic usage of features in the open-source programs coupled with the structured nature of assignment instructions helps students to author their technical documents effectively. Further, it is also demonstrated and argued that instructors have greater control of the student activities and performance with learning management systems such as Moodle, when used in combination with document production systems like Google Docs and CmapTools.
[brine-03:2008]	John Brine and E. Marcia Johnson. Collaborative Development of EFL in Vietnam through Open Source Software. In Proceedings of the 3rd International WorldCALL Conference: Using Technologies for Language Learning. http://www.j-let.org/ wcf/modules/tinyd12/index.php?id=6, 2008.
	The University of Aizu, in collaboration with the University of Waikato, has been investigating the use of open source, server-based software for the enhancement of English language instruction in Vietnam. In this paper, we describe recent educational, technical, and English language reforms in Vietnam which have facilitated a new approach to the teaching and learning not only of English, but also Computer Science concepts. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the efficacy of using open source tools and highly structured instructional approaches for English language teaching in developing nations.
[droy-02:2008]	Debopriyo Roy. Exploring the Usability of Collaborative Interfaces and Users’ Preference in Combining Resources for Technical Document Production. In Proceedings of the International Technology, Education and Development Conference. Valencia, Spain., March 2009.
	This paper studies the ability for students to collaborate and coordinate activities between multiple interfaces for completing a document production activity. This article focuses on the complex information environments and how writers create expertise central to technical writing practices both as a professional and rhetorical skill. A study involving 22 students from an advanced technical writing class is reported in this article. Students studied technical articles central to the content and also coordinated multiple program interfaces like Moodle, Google docs, Google Scholar and translation services for authoring a single document. Results indicate that students could effectively coordinate activities between multiple interfaces and understand their specific purpose to a large extent. However, the study also pointed out that participants needed more time to understand the content and intricacies related to Google docs. This indicated that efforts and learning outcome could improve with more time and practice.
[droy-03:2008]	Debopriyo Roy. Using Concept Maps for Information Conceptualization and Schematization in Technical Reading and Writing Courses: A Case Study for Computer Science Majors in Japan. In Proceedings of the IEEE IPCC, Montreal, Canada., July 2008.
	In this article, we argue for the importance of using concept maps in an advanced technical reading class offered for computer science students. This article presents a strong argument that use of concept maps should be effectively integrated with traditional document conceptualization and production techniques. Assignments based on designing concept maps in a technical reading classroom should address the use of knowledge models like concept maps and should be effectively integrated with technical writing assignments. This study reports that readers think concept map and the associated software as an effective tool for comprehending technical details and they prefer to use various strategies (when it is part of the class design) for dissecting the technical text to be used in concept maps. Readers ’self-reports also suggested that readers used concept maps for a variety of reasons.
[droy-04:2008]	Debopriyo Roy and John Brine. Intelligent Graphics and Media Richness: Redefining Text as a Medium. In Proceedings of the International Technology, Education and Development Conference. Valencia, Spain., March 2009.
	The idea behind the media richness theory is unique. It argues that the more complex a task gets in terms of the processes that lead to the final outcome, the richer the medium that should be used to attain the goal. A medium is rich or lean based on the organizational context in which it is used. However, the central argument as put forward in this paper is the question whether medium is about how the output is demonstrated or used, or is it about the ingredients that construct the medium. Intelligent graphics, as it is used for flight manuals and other advanced purposes, demonstrate that the application is very rich because the design of the medium supports that cause and nature of application. However, the design of intelligent graphics is a front-end output, but at the back-end it is still the same old text that has programmed the application. This paper argues that superior learning designs in educational context for example, might not necessarily mean that a richer medium is used as defined traditionally, but the application and the design is richer. There should be a logical difference between what makes up a medium and how the medium is used.
[okamoto-01:2008]	K. Okamoto, Y. Yasumuro, E. Yamamoto and M. Fuyuki. ESP Teaching for Potential English User Incorporated in IT Engineering Education. In Proceedings for the Fall 2008 Conference of Japan e-Learning Association, 2008.
	This article introduces an educational model for the Japanese IT engineering undergraduate students who do not need English while at school but they will as IT engineers after graduation. The model utilizing CEAS, a CMS developed at Kansai University, shows that it is effective with a very large class of over 100 students, and also demonstrates that it has given a positive impact on not only the students’ attitude towards English but understanding of the topic subject itself.(in Japanese)
[rozycki-02:2008]	W. Rozycki and U. Connor. Training postdoctoral researchers: A model for professional development. In L. Anthony, editor, PSC-J 2008 Annual Seminar Proceedings, 2008.
	http://www.ieee-jp.org/japancouncil/chapter/PC-26/downloads/pcsj annual seminar 2008 proceedings.pdf
[t-orr-01:2008]	T. Orr. Next generation English for specific purposes (NextGen ESP). In L. M. Huang and Editors L. T. Li, editors, English Education and English for Specific Puposes, pages 1–6, Taipei, Taiwan, 2008. International Conference on English Education, Crane Publishing, Co.
	Abstract: This paper describes Next Generation English for Specific Purposes (NextGen ESP), a term coined by the author to describe recent new movements in ESP that seek to fully integrate academic and occupational language instruction with more essential components of professional development. NextGen ESP moves language instruction out of English departments and language schools to professional language support centers where human instructors and educational machinery work together efficiently to take learners further in their professional development than FirstGen or SecondGen ESP have been able to accomplish thus far. This paper explains the rationale for NextGen ESP and then details the characteristics that make it worthy of implementation in progressive educational environments. The paper accompanies an invited keynote speech delivered at the International Conference on English Education, with the theme English for Specific Purposes: Theory into Practice, held April 26-27, 2008 at Shih Chien University in Taipei, Taiwan.
[t-orr-02:2008]	K. Yamuchi and T. Orr. Communication problems in the modern Japanese workplace: An exploratory investigation of employee opinions. In Proceedings of the IEEE International Professional Communication Conference (IPCC 2008). IEEE Professional Communication Society, IEEE, 2008.
	Abstract: Communication problems in the modern Japanese workplace are growing increasingly serious and complex, threatening both health and prosperity. Public commentary by journalists and big-name CEOs frequently appears in the press, but systematic investigations of the problems and their causes occur far less frequently, thus making it difficult to discover how these problems can be successfully solved. This paper addresses this shortage of research by disseminating the findings of one small exploratory investigation of communication problems in the modern Japanese workplace, based on online and face-to-face communication with 20 Japanese employees in 20 different workplace contexts, who experience modern communication problems firsthand. Findings from this investigation suggest where pre-employment training at Japanese universities might be improved as well as where further research might be effectively targeted. Keywords: communication, social skills, technology, globalization, language training
[t-orr-03:2008]	T. Orr, W. Chang, S. Inomata, K. Itabashi, T. Itagaki, D. Ma, G. Na, and K. Noda. Writing for publication: An undergraduate course for students in computing. In Proceedings of the IEEE Professional Communication Society Japan Chapter Annual Seminar. IEEE Professional Communication Society, IEEE, 2008.
	Abstract: This short paper briefly describes the design and initial delivery of a new course for undergraduates in computing (computer science, computer engineering, and information systems) called Writing for Publication. The paper explains the rationale for its inclusion in the university ’s curriculum, the educational philosophies upon which it is based, achievements from the first trial run, and plans for improvement based on student and faculty evaluation.
[wilson-02:2008]	I. Wilson. Using Praat and Moodle for teaching segmental and suprasegmental pronunciation. In Proceedings of the 3rd International WorldCALL Conference: Using Technologies for Language Learning (WorldCALL 2008). Published online at http://www.jlet. org/ wcf/modules/tinyd12/index.php?id=5, 2008.
	The use of Praat (open-source acoustic analysis software) to provide feedback for learning vowels and diphthongs was described by Brett (2004 - ReCALL 16:103-113). However, his conclusion, and that of Setter and Jenkins (2005 - Language Teaching 38:1-17), was that formant plot interpretation using Praat’s interface is too complex for learners. In this paper, classroom data elucidates the use of Praat for measurements such as the duration, pitch, and intensity of sounds. It is shown that a combination of Praat and the Choice activity in Moodle (an open-source Learning Management System) provides a method of pinpointing the weaknesses of each student, thus helping the teacher to make efficient use of class time.
[wilson-03:2008]	B. Gick, P. Bacsfalvi, B.M. Bernhardt, S. Oh., S. Stolar, and I. Wilson. A motor differentiation model for liquid substitutions: English /r/ variants in normal and disordered acquisition. In Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, volume 1, pages 1–9, 2008.
	Studies of lip-jaw coordination in children have shown a lack of motor differentiation between anatomically coupled articulators in young children’s speech [Green et al. 2000, JSLHR 43: 239-255]. A model is described in which children contending with their developing motor systems generally strive to reduce the degrees of freedom of complex anatomical structures (e.g., the tongue). The claim is pursued that segmental substitutions (e.g., /w/ replacing /r/ or /l/) are the result of specific compensation strategies which aim to simplify the complexity of the articulatory task. The proposal that gestural simplification may dictate substitution strategies for liquid consonants has been suggested previously [Studdert-Kennedy and Goldstein 2003, Language Evolution, Oxford U. Pr. 235-254]. It is proposed here that gestural simplification may be achieved via one of two basic mechanisms: gestural omission and stiffening (and hence merger), and that these two mechanisms account for all of the commonly attested substitutions for English /r/ and /l/. Supporting data are presented from ultrasound studies of: postvocalic /r/ production of an 11-month-old female speaker of English, liquid production of a group of 3–5-year-old speakers of English, and liquid production and substitutions in the speech of adolescent speakers of English with speech and hearing disorders.

Unrefereed Papers

[t-orr-04:2008]

T. Orr. Becoming a professional of global value. In Proceedings of the 2008 National Symposium on Teaching English for Business. Hsing Kuo University, Hsing Kuo University, Tainan City, Taiwan, 2008. Commissioned keynote conference speech with extended abstract.

Unrefereed Papers

[droy-05:2008]

Debopriyo Roy. Procedural Instructions for Surgical Patient Education Modules: Spatial Perspectives in Technical Communication. VDM Verlag Dr. Mueller e.K., November 2008.

Technical writers and illustrators often find it reasonably difficult to understand the exact way technical graphics could be designed for complex procedural tasks. Sometimes the problem is due to the multiple sequences involved in the process, graphical angles, the complexity of individual actions and activities, user experience, learning curve and their preference for text and visuals and importantly, the way readers prefer to mentally animate procedures. This book adopts a unique experimental approach in attempting to explore whether and how combinations of spatial perspectives in text and graphics can help readers mentally animate and comprehend a complex sequence of procedural acts as seen in surgical patient education modules. Importantly, this book discusses various textual perspectives and graphical complexities for specific surgical situations and mechanical processes in general, that technical writers and illustrators might find interesting for designing any kind of procedural instructions.

Chapters in Book

[johnson-01:2008]	N. H. Johnson. Postcards from The (Turbulent) Edge (of Chaos) Complexity theory and computer mediated communication, volume 3 of AILA Applied Linguistics Series, pages 73–93. John Benjamins, Amsterdam, 1 edition, May 2008.
[okamoto-02:2008]	K. Okamoto. Senmon eigo e-Learning kyouzai o mochiita jugyo jissen (Teaching Practice Using the Special English e-learning Materials in K. Fukui, J. Noguchi and N. Watanabe (eds.) Towards ESP Bilingualism: Redefining University English Education in Japan ), pages 172–179. Osaka University Press, 2009.
[t-orr-05:2008]	T. Orr, R. Gupta, A. Yamazaki, and L. Anthony. Presenting in English to international audiences: A critical survey of published advice and actual practice (Chapter 9), pages 97–108. Connecting People with Technology: Issues in Professional Communication (Book Title). Baywood Press, Amityville, NY, hayhoe, g. and grady, h. (eds.) edition, 2008.
	This book features a collection of the best papers from the 2005 IEEE International Professional Communication Conference (IPCC 2005) proceedings that were significantly revised and expanded for publication in book form. Chapter 9 features a paper based on research conducted by two faculty members from the CLR, one faculty member from Shibaura Institute of Technology, and one fromWaseda University – all of whom specialize in English for science and engineering.

Grants

[tripp-01:2008]	S. Tripp. Space Grammar: A study of spatial expression, 2008-2009.
[wilson-04:2008]	I. Wilson. JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) KAKENHI 19520355, 2007-2009.
[wilson-05:2008]	I. Wilson. FY 2008 Subsidy of the Fukushima Prefectural Foundation for Advancement of Science and Education (KENZAIDAN), 2008.

Academic Activities

[droy-06:2008]	Debopriyo Roy, 2008. Vice-Chair of the Organization and organized annual conferences and workshops, IEEE PCSJ
[t-orr-06:2008]	T. Orr, 2008. Chair, Professional English Research Consortium (PERC)
[t-orr-07:2008]	T. Orr, 2008. Vice President, IEEE Professional Communication Society
[t-orr-08:2008]	T. Orr, 2008. Chair, Regional Activities Committee, IEEE Professional Communication Society
[t-orr-09:2008]	T. Orr, 2008. Associate Editor, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, IEEE Professional Communication Society
[t-orr-10:2008]	Organized, chaired the IEEE International Symposium on Assessment in Science, and held at the University of Aizu. Engineering Education, August 7-8 2008. Best papers from the international symposium will be published, along with other excellent research articles, in a special issue on assessment in professional communication in the IEEE Transactions in Professional Communication, edited by Thomas Orr. The special issue is scheduled for publication in early 2010.
[tripp-02:2008]	S. Tripp, Jan. 2008. Journal Reviewer, AECT
[wilson-06:2008]	I. Wilson, 2008–2009. Publicity Committee, FAN ’09: 19th Annual Intelligent System Symposium.

Others

[wilson-10:2008]

I. Wilson. (2009, Jan.–Mar.) Appeared weekly on Japanese national TV and NHK’s overseas TV: NHK Educational Television’s ’3-Month Topics in English Conversation – Speak and Understand! Native Pronunciation Clinic’.

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