MILLA--Multimodal Interactive Language Learning Agent

Background: Learning a new language involves the acquisition and integration of a range of skills. A human tutor aids learners by (i) providing tasks suitable to the learner’s needs, (ii) monitoring progress and adapting task content and delivery style, and (iii) providing a source of speaking practice and motivation. With the advent of audio-visual technology and the communicative paradigm in language pedagogy, focus has shifted from written grammar and translation to developing communicative competence in listening and spoken production. The Common European Framework of Reference for Language Learning and Teaching (CEFR) recently added amore integrative fifth skill –spoken interaction -to the traditional four skills –reading and listening, and writing and speaking (Little, 2006).While second languages have always been learned conversationally with negotiation of meaning between speakers of different languages sharing living or working environments, these methods did not figure in formal (funded) settings. However, with increased mobility and globalisation, many learners now need language as a practical tool rather than simply as an academic achievement (Gilmartin, 2008).Developments in Computer Assisted Language Learning(CALL)have resulted in free and commercial language learning material for auonomous study. Much of this material transfers well-established text and audio-visual exercises to the computer screen. These resources greatly help develop discrete skills, but the challenge of providing tuition and practice in the ‘fifth skill’, spoken interaction, remains. MILLA, developed at the 2014 eNTERFACE workshop in Bilbaois a multimodal spoken dialogue system combining custom modules with existing web resources in a balanced curriculum, and, by integrating spoken dialogue, modelling some of the advantages of a human tutor