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	Emiko Kaneko Assistant Professor
Kiyomi Okamoto Assistant Professor	Paul A. Lyddon Assistant Professor	Jason R. Ginsburg 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 fields through the research and teaching of successful language use in academic and workplace contexts  Ein particular, the use of English for academic and professional purposes. Faculty research focuses on language theory, use, pedagogy, and acquisition as well as on supporting educational technologies. 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

[kaneko-01:2009]	E. Kaneko. A Comparison Between Holistic Scores and Learner Oral Performance: Implications for the Development of L2 Fluency, Accuracy and Complexity. English Language Assessment, 2:1 E2, 2009.
	This paper investigates how improvement in accuracy, fluency and complexity of learner speech relates to holistic scores in an oral proficiency interview, the Standard Speaking Test (SST), and seeks to identify the stages of oral proficiency learners go through. The SST was developed especially for precise evaluation of oral proficiency among intermediate level learners. Transcription of the SST was coded with tags that indicate accuracy, fluency and complexity of utterances. Significant inter-correlations between these features and the holistic scores provided by SST raters were obtained; ANOVAs show that the holistic scores accurately reflect the improvement in oral performance. The results of the multiple comparison further delineate not only the course of development but also idiosyncrasies at a certain proficiency level, characterized here as communicative strategies that learners adopt under a stressful condition. Overall, the research underscores the importance in language testing as well as in the classroom of distinguishing the use of time-saving strategies from the ability to create speech by applying linguistic rules using a productive lexicon.
[okamoto-01:2009]	K. Okamoto, Y. Yasumuro, E. Yamamoto, and M. Fuyuki. An ICT Based ESP Teaching Method as Part of Content Subject Class. Journal of Japan e-Learning Association, 2009.
	Despite its widespread attention at Japanese universities, there are many problems involved in practicing ESP. In this paper, we propose an ICT-based ESP teaching method which is to be carried out as part of a content subject class. It is distinctive in two aspects. First, instead of developing its own teaching materials, it uses materials available on the Internet. Second, it operates on CEAS, an e-Learning platform which supports a link between in- and out-of-class learning, to make collaboration possible between the content teachers and their English language counterparts. The objectives of this method are twofold: one is to help the students to learn the content subject, and the other is to give opportunities for dry runs so that the students would be capable of continuing professional development, should the need arise in the future, in both engineering and English language learning. Two courses at the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Engineering, Kansai University implemented this method and the positive feedback from the students and the results of the tests have proved the validity of the proposed method.
[t-orr-01:2009]	K. Kanev, S. Kimura, and T. Orr. A framework for collaborative learning in dynamic group environments. International Journal of Distance Educational Technologies, 7(1), March 2009.
	TAbstract: In this article, the authors propose a framework for Computer- Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) employing dynamic groups, where at different stages students work independently, interact with each other in pairs, and conduct joint work in larger groups with varying numbers of participants. A Dynamic Group Environment for Collaborative Learning (DGE/CL) supports students in making informed and intelligent choices about how, when, and with whom to collaborate. This is a face-to-face collaborative environment, where all students are in the same room, can move freely around and interact with each other while using digitally enhanced printed materials with direct point-and-click functionality. Flexible and efficient support for dynamic group management is ensured through the adopted Cluster Pattern Interface (CLUSPI) technology, which, while preserving the original touch-and-feel of printed educational materials, supports additional affordances and allows employment of new, non-traditional paperbased interactions.
[t-orr-02:2009]	T. Orr. Introduction to the special section: Assessment in professional communication. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, 53(1), March 2010.
	Abstract: This article is the special section editorial on assessment in professional communication that I edited for this journal as Guest Editor. The assessment of engineering products and services is central to the work of engineering, but the evaluation of human communication and its development in engineering and other technical professions has not yet received enough attention in IEEE research and publications. This special section begins to remedy this situation by calling for more research in the assessment of professional communication skills and training programs as well as in the development of better assessment tools and procedures. It also features four new articles on the topic in the hope that these will inspire even more research related to the assessment of human communication in scientific and technical professions.
[wilson-01:2009]	F. Campbell, B. Gick, I. Wilson, and E. Vatikiotis-Bateson. Spatial and temporal properties of gestures in North American English /r/. Language and Speech, 53(1):49 E9, 2010.
	Systematic syllable-based variation has been observed in the relative spatial and temporal properties of supralaryngeal gestures in a number of complex segments. Generally, more anterior gestures tend to appear at syllable peripheries while less anterior gestures occur closer to syllable peaks. Because previous studies compared only two gestures, it is not clear how to characterize the gestures, nor whether timing offsets are categorical or gradient. North American English /r/ is an unusually complex segment, having three supralaryngeal constrictions, but technological limitations have hindered simultaneous study of all three. A novel combination of M-mode ultrasound and optical tracking was used to measure gestural relations in productions of /r/ by nine speakers of Canadian English. Results show a front-to-back timing pattern in syllable-initial position: Lip then tongue blade (TB), then tongue root (TR). In syllable-final position TR and Lip are followed by TB. There was also a reduction in magnitude affecting Lip and TB gestures in syllable-final position and TR in syllable-initial position. These findings are not wholly consistent with any theory advanced thus far to explain syllable-based allophonic variation. It is proposed that the relative magnitude of gestures is a better predictor of timing than relative anteriority or an assigned phonological classification.

Refereed Proceeding Papers

[droy-01:2009]	Debopriyo Roy. Exploring the Usability of Collaborative Interfaces and Users EPreference in Combining Resources for Technical Document Production. In Proceedings of the International Technology, Education and Development Conference, Valencia, Spain, 2009.
	An article on the design of collaborative interfaces for producing technical documents
[droy-02:2009]	Debopriyo Roy. Designing a EFL-based Business Communication Course in a Virtual Learning Environment: A Work in Progress. In Proceedings of the 12th International Humans and Computers Conference, Shizuoka, Japan, 2009.
	An article on the design of a business communication course for non-native speakers
[droy-03:2009]	Debopriyo Roy. Designing Complex Instructional Situations. In Proceedings of the International Journal of Arts and Sciences Conference, Bad Hofgastein, Austria, 2009.
	An article on the design of surgical patient education modules: Technical Communication Perspectives
[droy-04:2009]	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, 2009.
	An article on how to define the richness of text in contexts of complex documentation
[droy-05:2009]	Debopriyo Roy. Off-shoring Technical Writing Projects to India: Studying the Potential in an Emerging Market. In Proceedings of the International Journal of Arts and Sciences Conference, Bad Hofgastein, Austria, 2009.
	An article on the off-shoring prospects of technical communication projects to India
[droy-06:2009]	Debopriyo Roy. Designing Complex Instructional Illustrations: A Case Study with Patient Education Modules. In Proceedings of the IEEE Professional Communication Society Japan Chapter Annual Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 2009.
	An article on the design of surgical instructions for complex patient education modules (IEEE PCS)
[kaneko-02:2009]	S. Ishikawa, Y. Nakamura, E. Kaneko, and Y. Ito. Eigo speaking test niyoru daigakusei no eigogakuryoku no sokutei/hyoka (Assessing College Students EEnglish Proficiency: Speaking Test Development and Its Application to English Classes). In JACET Annual Convention, 2009.
	This presentation illustrates the reality of English classes for oral proficiency in Japan and suggests the use of a newly developed automatically-graded speaking test.
[kaneko-03:2009]	W. Rozycki E. Kaneko and T. Orr. Survey of Workplace English Needs among Computer Science Graduates. In Proceedings of the IEEE International Professional Communication Conference (IPCC 2009), 2009.
	This paper reports the results of a November 2008 survey sent to 899 Japanese college graduates of computer science and computer engineering courses regarding their use of English in the workplace since graduating from the university. The results, based on a 17.4 for computer specialists in the professional workplace in Japan are the reading of manuals and instructions (for installation, etc.), and the writing of email, faxes, and business letters. English-language speaking and listening tasks are reported by respondents to be not as common in the workplace as English-language writing and reading tasks. Findings suggest that academic institutions training engineers in non-English-language environments should avoid an institutional bias toward English for research purposes by balancing curricula between future professional and workplace needs of the majority of graduates and the needs of faculty for trained graduate students within the academy.
[rozycki-01:2009]	E. Kanemoto, W. Rozycki, and T. Orr. Survey of Workplace English Needs among Computer Science Graduates. In Proceedings of the International Professional Communication Conference 2009, http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/tocresult.jsp?isnumber=5208666&isYear=2009, 2009. IEEE Professional Communication Society.
	http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/tocresult.jspisnumber=5208666&isYear=2009
[t-orr-03:2009]	T. Orr. Profile of a professional in English for science and engineering. In Proceedings of the 2009 International Symposium on ESP and Its Teaching. Sponsored by Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Fooyin University, and Taiwan ESP Association, Publisher: Hubei People’s Press, October 2009.
	Abstract: This paper describes what it means to be a professional in English for Science and Engineering (ESE). The profile of an ESE professional not only serves as a guide for English language specialists who seek to become ESE professionals, but it also provides a guide for Schools of Science and Engineering when they search for ESE professionals who can provide effective English language training for their science and engineering students.
[t-orr-04:2009]	T. Orr and D. Ma. The language and rhetoric of bibliographic citation in the field of computing: A report of preliminary results. In Proceedings of the 2009 IEEE International Professional Communication Conference. Sponsored by the IEEE Professional Communication Society, Publisher: IEEE and Omnipress, July 2009.
	Abstract: This paper describes a preliminary investigation of bibliographic citation practices in the field of computing, based on linguistic and rhetorical analyses of 1,255 citations in 36 academic papers from four representative journals in the field: IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing, IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, and the IEEE Transactions on Computers. Rhetorical functions of the citations are identified, along with representative examples of the language that is used to achieve the rhetorical goals. The data is then discussed in light of current bibliographic citation instruction, and recommendations are made for developing better training for novices and nonnative speakers of English who need more specific than is normally available.
[wilson-02:2009]	N. Horiguchi and I. Wilson. Design of an interactive GUI for pronunciation evaluation and training. In Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Humans and Computers (HC-2009), pages 225 E29, 2009.
	Although language learners often desire to improve their pronunciation of a foreign language, the software to help them do so is limited in scope. Most commercial software for pronunciation evaluation and training focuses on the acoustic signal in the evaluation and training of a learner. However, few systems, if any, give visual feedback of the learner’s articulators (lips, tongue, jaw). In this paper, we describe the ongoing development of a GUI that is programmed in Objective-C for Mac OS X. Our software uses QTKit framework for video recording and playing, and some open source libraries for audio recording, audio playing, and pitch detection. The GUI incorporates and links together many kinds of phonetic data for the pronunciation learner - for example, real-time frontal video of the learner, recorded frontal and side videos of a native speaker’s face during pronunciation, an ultrasound movie of the tongue moving in the mouth, and MRI images of the native speaker’s tongue during the production of all the sounds in the training text.
[wilson-03:2009]	I. Wilson, J. Fujinuma, N. Horiguchi, and K. Yamauchi. Acoustic analysis of the English pronunciation of Japanese high school teachers and university students. In Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, volume 126, page 2312, 2009.
	As Japan attempts to meet the demands of the Ministry of Education by introducing English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) classes in all elementary schools, there has been a shortage of qualified native Japanese EFL teachers. The English communicative ability (and pronunciation, in particular) of Japanese EFL teachers varies across educational levels, throughout Japan and even within individual prefectures. This study presents an acoustic analysis of 77 Fukushima Prefecture junior and senior high school Japanese EFL teachersread speech, comparing the two levels. It also presents an analysis of 133 Japanese university students Eread speech, recorded both before and after 14 weeks of weekly 90-minute explicit pronunciation instruction. The reading passage was the ’Please call Stella Eparagraph from the Speech Accent Archive http://accent.gmu.edu/. Detailed analyses of vowel formants, voice onset time, fricative spectral peaks, and intonation were carried out using Praat and will be presented. The data have implications for curriculum planning for both EFL pronunciation classes and teacher training courses in Japan.

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

[kaneko-04:2009]	E. Kaneko. Daigaku eigo jugyo niokeru syllabus (Syllabi and College English Education). In Eigo speaking noryoku no sokutei to hyokaho no kenkyu (A Study on Measurement and Assessment for English Oral Proficiency), 2009.
	This report first describes the importance of syllabi in American universities and then suggests the advantage of using them in Japanese English education. (Japanese)

Chapters in Book

[okamoto-02:2009]

K. Okamoto. From a language learner to a language user: an alternative approach to ESP teaching, page na. City University of Hong Kong, Asia-Pacific LSP and Professional Communication Association, and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2009.

Grants

[wilson-04:2009]

I. Wilson, K. Yamauchi, and E. Kaneko. FY 2009 Subsidy of the Fukushima Prefectural Foundation for Advancement of Science and Education (KENZAIDAN), 2009.

Academic Activities

[brine-01:2009]	J. Brine, 2009. Vice-President, Pacific Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning.
[t-orr-05:2009]	T. Orr, 2009 Serious English education for serious engineering schools, Keynote conference speech delivered at the IEEE Professional Communication Society, Japan Chapter, 2009 Conference (IEEE PCSJ 2009), Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
[t-orr-06:2009]	T. Orr, 2000-present. President, Professional English Research Consortium (PERC).
[t-orr-07:2009]	T. Orr (IEEE PCS President), President’s column: New year for IEEE PCS, IEEE Professional Communication Society Newsletter, 54(1), January 2010.
[t-orr-08:2009]	T. Orr (IEEE PCS President), President’s column: PCS think tanks, IEEE Professional Communication Society Newsletter, 54(3), March 2010.
[t-orr-09:2009]	T. Orr, January 2010 - December 2011. President, IEEE Professional Communication Society.
[t-orr-10:2009]	T. Orr, J. Noguchi, and T. Muller, Student Motivation: Can students truly use English for global living, working, and studying?, Invited panel presentation presented at the Japan Association for Language Teaching, College and University Educators Conference (JALT CUE 2009), Nara, Japan.
[t-orr-11:2009]	T. Orr, English education for engineering schools, Invited keynote speech for a faculty development symposium at the Faculty of Engineering, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan, March 30, 2009
[t-orr-12:2009]	T. Orr, January 2008 - December 2009. Vice President, IEEE Professional Communication Society.
[t-orr-13:2009]	T. Orr, January 2010 - December 2011. Member, IEEE Technical Activities Board (TAB).
[t-orr-14:2009]	T. Orr, Creating bilingual professionals in spite of the obstacles, Keynote speech presented at the Japan Association for Language Teaching, College and University Educators Conference (JALT CUE 2009), Nara, Japan.
[t-orr-15:2009]	T. Orr (IEEE PCS President), President’s column: Becoming more professional improves our communication as a professional, IEEE Professional Communication Society Newsletter, 54(2), February 2010.
[t-orr-16:2009]	T. Orr, 2000-present. Associate Editor, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication.
[wilson-05:2009]	I. Wilson, 2008 E009. Publicity Committee, FAN  E9: 19th Annual Intelligent System Symposium.
[wilson-06:2009]	I. Wilson, 2009. Reviewer, Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.

Ph.D and Others Theses

[brine-02:2009]	T. Hara. Graduation Thesis: Learning Ruby Programming With Moodle LMS, February 2009. Thesis Advisor: J. Brine
[wilson-08:2009]	Naoto Maekawa. Graduation Thesis: Automated Measurement of Ultrasound Image Tongue Position Using MATLAB, University of Aizu, 2009. Thesis Advisor: I. Wilson, Referee: Prof. K. Markov
[wilson-09:2009]	Isao Shigeno. Graduation Thesis: Pitch Comparison of Aizu Dialects and Standard Japanese, University of Aizu, 2009. Thesis Advisor: I. Wilson, Referee: Prof. M. Cohen
[wilson-10:2009]	Michiharu Sakamoto. Graduation Thesis: Phonological Processes and Formant Analyses of Aizu Dialects, University of Aizu, 2009. Thesis Advisor: I. Wilson, Referee: Prof. M. Cohen
[wilson-11:2009]	Naoya Horiguchi. Graduation Thesis: Design of an Interactive GUI for Pronunciation Evaluation and Training, University of Aizu, 2009. Thesis Advisor: I. Wilson, Referee: Prof. K. Markov

Others

[wilson-12:2009]	I. Wilson. (2010, January–March) Appeared weekly on Japanese national TV and NHK’s overseas TV: NHK Educational Television’s  E-Month Topics in English Conversation  ESpeak and Understand! Native Pronunciation Clinic E
[wilson-13:2009]	I. Wilson. (2009, July–August) Was an invited Visiting Scholar at Univeristy of California (Berkeley), co-teaching an intensive course at the Summer Institute of Linguistics. 229

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