LingoTowns: A Virtual World For Natural Language Annotation and Language Learning

Abstract

In this paper we introduce LingoTowns, a new gwap platform targeting language learners. LingoTowns provides a unified experience integrating games for multiple aspects of lexical and grammatical experience in a single virtual world, whilst simultaneously collecting judgements. Both LingoTowns and its constituent games are designed to provide more engagement to the players/ learners than normal gwaps. The platform also incorporates knowledge tracing methods ensuring that the players' progress in terms of understanding of grammatical concepts is tracked both at the individual game level and overall.