14th Workshop Call For Papers

30 Sep 2024 - rimusa

== First Call for Papers ==

14th Workshop on Natural Language Processing for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (NLP4CALL 2025)

We would like to invite you to submit papers to the next edition of NLP4CALL workshop to be co-located with NoDaLiDa/Baltic-HLT in Tallinn, Estonia on March 5th, 2025.

Workshop website: https://spraakbanken.gu.se/en/research/themes/icall/nlp4call-workshop-series/nlp4call2025

== Overview ==

The workshop series on Natural Language Processing (NLP) for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (NLP4CALL) is a meeting place for researchers working on integrating Natural Language Processing and Speech Technologies in CALL systems and exploring the theoretical and methodological issues arising in this connection. The latter includes, among others, the integration of insights from Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research, and the promotion of “Computational SLA” through setting up Second Language research infrastructures.

The intersection of Natural Language Processing (or Language Technology / Computational Linguistics) and Speech Technology with Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) brings “understanding” of language to CALL tools, thus making CALL intelligent. This fact has given the name for this area of research — Intelligent CALL, or short, ICALL. As the definition suggests, apart from having excellent knowledge of Natural Language Processing and/or Speech Technology, ICALL researchers need good insights into second language acquisition theories and practices, as well as knowledge of second language pedagogy and didactics. This workshop therefore invites a wide range of ICALL-relevant research, including studies where NLP-enriched tools are used for testing SLA and pedagogical theories, and vice versa, where SLA theories, pedagogical practices or empirical data and modeled in ICALL tools. The NLP4CALL workshop series is aimed at bringing together competences from these areas for sharing experiences and brainstorming around the future of the field.

== Topics of Interest ==

We welcome papers:

• that describe research directly aimed at ICALL
• that describe the ongoing development of resources and tools with potential usage in ICALL, either directly in interactive applications, or indirectly in materials, application, or curriculum development, e.g. learning material generation, assessment of learner texts and responses, individualized learning solutions, provision of feedback
• that discuss challenges and/or research agenda for ICALL
• that describe empirical studies on language learner data
• that explore the use of LLMs and Generative AI to develop ICALL tools

In this edition of the workshop a special focus is given to

• grammatical error correction (see a special track for MultiGEC shared task and a call for participation)
• the use of pedagogically oriented constructicographic resources (constructicons), with an emphasis on their practical application in ICALL. By constructicographic resources, we refer to resources that describe various types of constructions associated with specific meanings or functions, ranging from fully schematic and semi-schematic constructions (e.g., those with both fixed and variable elements) to specific lexical expressions.

We particularly encourage software demonstrations showcasing the potential use of existing Language and Speech Technologies or resources in ICALL applications for Nordic and Finno-Ugric languages.

== Important Dates ==

• Submission date: December 16th, 2024
• Acceptance notification: January 20th, 2025
• Workshop date: March 5th, 2025

== Submission Details ==

We accept both short and long papers, as well as demo papers. The submissions must describe original and unpublished work.

Paper length:

• Short and demo papers must be between 4 and 7 pages.
• Long papers must be between 8 to 12 pages.
• References are not included in the page count.

The submission link will be made available in late October.

== Invited Speakers ==

This year we have the pleasure to announce two invited speakers:

• Andrew Caines from Cambridge University
• The second talk: TBD

== Organizers ==

• Ricardo Muñoz Sánchez, Språkbanken Text, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
• David Alfter, Gothenburg Research Infrastructure in Digital Humanities (GRIDH), University of Gothenburg, Sweden
• Elena Volodina, Språkbanken Text, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
• Jelena Kallas, Institute of the Estonian Language, Estonia

This workshop is supported jointly by:

• The project “Expanding the scope of a multi-purpose lexicographic resource to grammar and L2 competence”, funded by the Estonian Research Council grant (PRG 1978).
• The project “Grandma Karl is 27 years old: Automatic pseudonymization of research data” with the Swedish Research Council grant with funding number 2022-02311.

== Contact Information ==

For questions and comments, please email ricardo.munoz.sanchez@svenska.gu.se