Developing a Bilingual Dialogic eBook With Conversational Agent for Hispanic Families

• In Event: Robotics and Social Agents

Abstract

Dialogic reading is an effective strategy to promote children’s language development. Conversational agents, powered by artificial intelligence that enables machines to understand human speech and respond with natural language, can serve as children’s reading partners during dialogic reading. To enrich children’s home language environment, the present study developed a bilingual dialogic ebook with a culturally and linguistically relevant conversational agent that can support trilogues between parents, children, and the agent, with a specific focus on children from Hispanic communities. A field test revealed that the bilingual conversational agent elicited active discussion between parents and children. Parents valued the cultural relevance of the ebook and appreciated the supportive role of the conversational agent.

Authors

• Kunlei He, University of California - Irvine
  Presenting Author

• Ying Xu, University of Michigan
  Presenting Author

• Valery Vigil, University of California - Irvine
  Non-Presenting Author

• Santiago Ojeda-Ramirez, University of California - Irvine
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kelsyann Cervera, University of California - Irvine
  Non-Presenting Author

• Mark Warschauer, University of California - Irvine
  Non-Presenting Author