Human–computer interaction in second language word acquisition : A qualitative study on Peruvians’ use of computers to learn new words in Swedish

Abstract: The program for language learning Svenska för invandrare (Swedish for newcomers) has only a small amount of students who complete the program successfully. The use of computers could help students and educators increase the amount of success. A review of the research on second language word acquisition in human–computer interaction suggests that there is lack of studies, especially qualitative ones, in the area. For this reason, the following pilot study explores the possibilities of using audio-visual recordings of open interviews during tasks in order to analyze human–computer interaction and discuss how it enhances or limits Swedish as a second language word acquisition. With this ambition, qualitative information about how four participants looked up the meaning of a few, selected, words on a computer was gathered through recording their interactions and comments. The results of the study are discussed from a cognitive perspective to determine which interactions enhanced, or limited, second language word acquisition. The results preliminary suggest that the use of images and dictionaries of synonyms could enhance word acquisition. However, the use of strategies to avoid writing or holding unknown words in memory, the use of online translating services, changing prefixes and suffixes to generate new queries, and the use of a search engine’s results as an information source, could limit L2 word acquisition for this particular group.