A Haptic Handwriting Device in MOALEM Platform for Arabic Vocabulary Learning

Abstract

Several research works have demonstrated the high importance of handwriting in a language acquisition. Learners prefer to use the traditional method of writing with a pen and pencil to strengthen the understanding of the language vocabularies. Research has shown that an assistive haptic device can greatly benefit handwriting skills development and language learning. In this paper, we propose a haptic device with a pen and control algorithms that can improve the acquisition of Arabic letters and facilitate the mastering of the language. We tested the device with none-native Arabic speakers over several sessions with full and partial guidance methods. Experiments showed that both methods helped the learners to improve their skills of writing. The proposed haptic device is part of the MOALEM platform to teach the Arabic language for children and forging learners. MOALEM incorporates components for text understanding, text-image pairing, and a talking face for vocabulary proper pronunciation.