Are the likes of auto-correct, auto-predict and auto-reply on mobile devices beneficial when it comes to language learning? Lulwa Bordcosh explores whether these”auto” tools can be considered friends or foes.
As English teachers, we tend to be “old-school” (the idiom alone speaks volumes to our willingness to change). We believe in i before e except after c and scoff at the idea of spell check. We don’t end sentences with prepositions. We don’t text in fragments. We rarely use emoticons. And GIFs? Forget about it. In so doing, however, we tend to completely write off a different and more modern way of learning, one that can occur automatically, seamlessly and ubiquitously.
Auto-Correct
Most teachers consider auto-correct as the quintessential enemy, but we must just accept the fact, however, that he has turned from foe to friend. I’ll have you know that in writing this post my friend auto-correct helped me on at least four occasions (the correct spelling of quintessential being one of them). Yet, what is auto-correct but essentially the “teach-test-correct-reinforce” method in practice? For example, I spelled the word incorrectly and a bubble appeared with the correct spelling. I could see that the word quintessential comes from the root essential. I think to myself, “Well, that makes sense given the meaning of the word”. I then accept the change and the correct spelling is then shown within the context of the text. Before I send it off, I give it a quick reread and the spelling is once again reinforced. Within this simple text I was able to go from teach to test to correct to reinforce almost instantaneously. Proof of concept? q u i n t e s s e n t i a l (spelled right on first try). Thank you very much.
Auto-Predict
And his friend auto-predict? Well, isn’t he essentially a more sophisticated version of the traditional “fill in the blank” or “complete the following sentence” exercise? Auto-predict enables students to get a better feel for the most common word patterns, clusters and grammar structure. This is truly corpora in action, and one that is continuously evolving with each iOS update.
For example, when a student types the word would, auto-predict lets the student know that a subject should follow, and not just any subject, but those that are most common: you, she, it. The student will then continue this fill in the blank exercise and learn that would statements are generally followed with infinitives: to go, to come, to see. Voila, using “would” to express future second conditionals, in under a minute. A concept that would otherwise be taught in a complicated chart on page 43 of students’ textbooks.
Auto-Emoticon
This was one that was a bit hard for me to swallow as I do believe that emoticons should be held accountable for their part in destroying the English language 😡. Yet, I must admit, that auto-emoticons are essentially the best vocabulary flashcards one could ask for. Students can immediately identify and associate certain words with their corresponding images, which is one of the most basic ways by which language is learned. This does not apply to only beginner students, however. Emoticons have evolved far beyond the smiley face and the number at our disposal is growing exponentially. As a result, students of higher proficiency levels can also benefit from the auto-emoticon—did you know, for example, that your phone will suggest emoticons for words such as skeptical, surly, indecisive, and discombobulated? Now, that is one expressive smiley face.
Auto-Reply
Auto-Reply is a wonderful tool for students to learn common English phrasal verbs and collocations. Simply from rejecting a call, a student can instantly learn what we should say when we don’t want to talk to someone: Sorry, I can’t talk right now; I’m on my way; Can I call you later? Additionally, by simply checking email a student can learn common phrases used in more formal situations: will do, noted, Friday works for me. By using auto-reply, students are able to see these colloquialisms in context and in action.
Auto-Dictate
Auto-dictate can be an excellent tool for students to practice speaking. By using this function students are able to speak aloud, testing their pronunciation and ability to speak clearly and fluidly. Siri has come a long way since inception, and voice recognition is becoming more sophisticated and has improved in its ability to detect accents and dialects. By using auto-dictate students are able to realize those words that they have trouble pronouncing and can continue to try until Siri finally understands them.
Auto-technology does not destroy our language, it simply accelerates our understanding of it. English is an organism that is in the process of being dissected, analyzed, and refined. With every text that we write or word that we misspell, meta-data is being collected and ingenious algorithms are being created, all to an end of making language more accessible. The future of English is not found in our textbooks, it is found in our pockets.
Catch up with Lulwa’s previous article, featuring episode 1 of her video series The Teachers’ Bag of Tips & Tricks.