A Survey on Chinese Sign Language Recognition:From Traditional Methods to Artificial Intelligence

Research on Chinese Sign Language(CSL)provides convenience and support for individuals with hearing impairments to communicate and integrate into society.This article reviews the relevant literature on Chinese Sign Language Recognition(CSLR)in the past 20 years.Hidden Markov Models(HMM),Support Vector Machines(SVM),and Dynamic Time Warping(DTW)were found to be the most commonly employed technologies among traditional identificationmethods.Benefiting from the rapid development of computer vision and artificial intelligence technology,Convolutional Neural Networks(CNN),3D-CNN,YOLO,Capsule Network(CapsNet)and various deep neural networks have sprung up.Deep Neural Networks(DNNs)and their derived models are integral tomodern artificial intelligence recognitionmethods.In addition,technologies thatwerewidely used in the early days have also been integrated and applied to specific hybrid models and customized identification methods.Sign language data collection includes acquiring data from data gloves,data sensors(such as Kinect,LeapMotion,etc.),and high-definition photography.Meanwhile,facial expression recognition,complex background processing,and 3D sign language recognition have also attracted research interests among scholars.Due to the uniqueness and complexity of Chinese sign language,accuracy,robustness,real-time performance,and user independence are significant challenges for future sign language recognition research.Additionally,suitable datasets and evaluation criteria are also worth pursuing.

Integrating Chinese Culture Into Language Curriculum:Teaching Chinese Culture to International Students in China

This paper explores the integration of Chinese culture into language education for German students at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology(USST).Focusing on USST’s Chinese curriculum and pedagogical strategies,the study emphasizes the importance of cultural immersion,experiential learning,and authentic materials.Drawing on Byram’s Intercultural Communicative Competence(ICC)model,the Cultural Studies Approach,and Task-Based Language Teaching(TBLT),the paper presents a case study on incorporating Chinese calligraphy into regular classes.This hands-on approach not only enriches cultural understanding but also enhances language skills.The findings stress the need for tailored,multifaceted pedagogical approaches to prepare international students for cross-cultural interactions in a globalized context.

On the Relationship between Chinese Language Education in Malaysia and Indonesia with Their National Conditions

Chinese language education exists in both Malaysia and Indonesia. The commonalities and individualities of the national conditions of both countries have an impact on their Chinese language education. The official languages scripts, and major beliefs of the two countries are quite similar, and under their influence, local Chinese have special expectations for Chinese language education. Compared to Indonesia, Malaysian Chinese have a larger proportion of the population and a tendency towards marriage, which to some extent is more conducive to the Chinese language education of local Chinese. Both countries’ national conditions and personalities have unfavorable factors for local Chinese language education.

Knowledge Graph Analysis of International Chinese Language Textbooks Based on CiteSpace

Drawing upon relevant papers from Chinese core journals and CSSCI source journals in the CNKI China Academic Journals Full-Text Database spanning from 1992 to 2023,this study utilizes CiteSpace as a research tool to visually analyze the knowledge graph structure of research on international Chinese language textbooks in China.The study maps out the publication timeline,authors,institutions,collaborative networks,and keywords pertaining to research on international Chinese language textbooks.The findings indicate that research on international Chinese language textbooks commenced early and continues to maintain a certain level of research interest,yet lacks sufficient research output.Research institutions predominantly reside in universities and publishing groups specializing in language or education,with collaboration between institutions being relatively scarce.High-frequency keywords in recent research on international Chinese language textbooks include“Chinese language textbooks for the Foreigners,”“Chinese language textbooks,”“Teaching Chinese Language for the Foreigners,”“Textbook compilation,”“International Chinese Language Education and Localization,”which reflect a diversified research perspective with interdisciplinary trends.Future research priorities encompass research on localization,customization of textbooks,and evaluation of textbooks which represent forefront directions of research.

A Study on the Pedagogical Application of Chinese New Year Culture in International Chinese Language Education

Culture teaching is an inseparable part of International Chinese Language Education,and it has great significance in international Chinese language teaching.Students can enhance their interest in Chinese language learning and improve their learning effect through understanding the excellent traditional Chinese culture,at the same time,culture teaching can help to disseminate the Chinese culture and promote the development of a multicultural world.Taking the teaching of Chinese New Year culture as an example,we analyze the current teaching materials involving Chinese New Year culture with high popularity and acceptance,put forward effective teaching methods matching the feasibility of teaching Chinese New Year culture,and then present the specific teaching design of Chinese New Year culture,in order to provide references for the teaching of culture in International Chinese Language Education.

A review of functional MRI application for brain research of Chinese language processing

As one of the most widely used languages in the world,Chinese language is distinct from most western languages in many properties,thus providing a unique opportunity for understanding the brain basis of human language and cognition.In recent years,non-invasive neuroimaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)blaze a new trail to comprehensively study specific neural correlates of Chinese language processing and Chinese speakers.We reviewed the application of functional MRI(fMRI)in such studies and some essential findings on brain systems in processing Chinese.Specifically,for example,the application of task fMRI and resting-state fMRI in observing the process of reading and writing the logographic characters and producing or listening to the tonal speech.Elementary cognitive neuroscience and several potential research directions around brain and Chinese language were discussed,which may be informative for future research.

Promoting the International Dissemination of Chinese Culture Through International Chinese Language Education: A Case Study of Chinese-English Idiomatic Equivalence

One major task of our improvement of China’s international communication capabilities is to tell China’s stories well and make China’s voice heard to communicate a comprehensive,multi-dimensional view of China in the international arena.International Chinese language education bears the dual responsibility of spreading the Chinese language and promoting the Chinese culture.How to shape global narratives for telling China’s stories and improve China’s international communication capabilities has become an important issue that concerns international Chinese language education.Chinese idioms,which are hidden treasures of the Chinese language,can play a unique role in this regard.It is therefore necessary to review the content and methods of including idioms in international Chinese language education.In this paper,instruction in idioms is approached by making a corpus-based comparative analysis from the theoretical perspectives of equivalence,cognitive metaphor,and second language acquisition.Qualitative and quantitative methods are combined to analyze idioms to be added to the vocabulary of international Chinese language education in three dimensions:word frequency,semantic transparency,and functional equivalence.This paper aims to explore a new approach to the dissemination of Chinese culture through instruction in idioms in international Chinese language education.

Research on the Application of Chinese-Style Songs in the Field of Chinese Second Language Teaching

In recent years,traditional Chinese culture has been continuously revived,integrated into the times and entered people’s daily lives.Chinese-style songs,as a combination of traditional cultural connotations and emerging song forms,have gradually emerged on the music stage in China and even around the world.In the field of teaching Chinese as a second language,the research on teaching Chinese songs has received increasing attention.This article combines the theory of the association between music and language to summarize the research results of Chinese-style songs and their application in the field of teaching Chinese as a second language in the past 30 years.The current research problems are discussed,and suggestions are proposed in order to provide some reference value for teaching Chinese as a second language.

Promoting the Learners’Motivation in Learning Chinese as a Second Language:From Demotivation to Motivational Strategies

Motivation is a key factor that influences the outcome of second language(L2)learning.Chinese as a second language(CSL)learners,however,may experience demotivation in their Chinese learning process which will,more often than not,reduce their learning interest and eventually affect their learning effect,therefore,it is necessary to enhance the learners’motivation level.This article first reviews the research literature in motivation in general,then discusses the CSL learners’demotivation in their Chinses learning process studying in China.Finally,it introduces motivational strategies to activate CSL learners’motivation in learning Chinese.

Task-based Language Teaching in the Chinese Classroom

This article discusses Task-based Language Teaching(TBLT)implemented in the Chinese classroom.TBLT involves a three-phase pedagogical sequence,including pre-task,on-task,and post-task.Different task-based learning activities are designed to promote learners’language acquisition through the performance of tasks.Learners are engaged in interactive and collaborative communication to accomplish meaningful and relevant real life tasks.This article explores the application of one TBLT unit in Chinese for learners’language development in terms of both fluency and accuracy.

Development of International Chinese Language Education in Iran:An Analysis in the Context of Iran’s Foreign Language Policy Characteristics

This paper focuses on examining the relevant policies concerning Chinese language education within Iran’s foreign language education policy framework from the perspective of its historical context.By analyzing the characteristics of Iran’s foreign language policy and the current situation of Chinese language teaching in Iran,this paper studies the future development of international Chinese language education in Iran.

The Role and Value of Sociolinguistics in English Language Teaching

This paper aims to explore how the study of sociolinguistics can benefit teachers,particularly in the context of teaching English as a Foreign Language(EFL)in China.The article will first examine how sociolinguistic knowledge can reshape teachers’perceptions of“English,”focusing on aspects such as English varieties,World Englishes,and Chinese English.Following that,the article discusses the necessity of rethinking current practices in English language teaching,including the nativeness paradigm and the concept of communicative competence based on a reconceptualized view of“English.”Additionally,the discussion will focus on how teachers,informed by sociolinguistic awareness of non-native teachers’identities and teacher agency,can address and resolve existing challenges in EFL teaching.Finally,the article will conclude by summarizing the key issues discussed and highlighting the significance of studying sociolinguistics for language practitioners in China.

Challenges and Countermeasures in Integrating Chinese Traditional Culture into English Listening and Speaking Course

Foreign language education involves not only language education but also cultural education.It is the new mission of today’s foreign language education to integrate Chinese traditional culture into foreign language teaching and cultivate foreign language talents who can tell Chinese stories well and spread Chinese voice.As a basic course for English majors,English Listening and Speaking faces many challenges when it is integrated into Chinese traditional culture,such as complex teaching content,limited teaching resources,insufficient teachers’literacy,and students’listening and speaking difficulties.In order to solve these problems,teachers and universities should work together to sort out the connotation of Chinese traditional culture,develop audio-visual teaching materials,organize teacher training,and innovate teaching methods,so as to effectively promote the connection between Chinese traditional culture and English Listening and Speaking curriculum system.

Word order and thinking mode of English and Chinese languages

This article aims to analyze the difference of word order between English and Chinese languages after making a constructive study of them and concludes that it is the reflection of different thinking characteristics of the two nationalities. The difference of history development, cultural tradition, social economy and geographic environment naturally produces the thinking mode with the national features. The different features certainly influence the language expression. It is because language is not only the main carrier of thinking but also the important expression form. So to well study the features of thinking mode is of great importance to translation, foreign language teaching and cross-cultural communication.

Intercultural Language Education and the Challenges Chinese College English Teachers Face

Currently,intercultural language education is a topic which receives much interest due to the rise of globalization,but theories and practice in this field are on the preliminary stage of development in China.To understand ILE better,its background,theory basis,goals,related researches are reviewed and analyzed.Since ILE is relatively new in China,language teachers are facing new challenges in developing intercultural teaching competence to achieve the success of language education.Such challenges consist of understanding the language itself,the difficulty in understanding and teaching culture,designing practical classroom activities and selecting content.

Critical Pedagogy and Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Chinese College Context

In the field of second language acquisition(SLA),weight has been increasingly attached to the role that a problem-pos ing model of education plays in English as second/foreign language(ES/FL)teaching and learning.By exploring various concepts of the problem-posing approach,also known as critical pedagogy,and its implications for English language teaching(ELT)in the Chinese postsecondary EFL context,the paper makes a tentative attempt to acknowledge the future directions of implementing critical pedagogy in the EFL context.Therefore,the paper is inspired by the ever-increasing popularity of the critical pedagogical approach in the ESL context.The application of critical orientation in language education derives from critical theories of the Frankfurt School,which centers on Marxist societal beliefs of struggling against social inequalities.With the concept of critical pedagogy drawing increasing attention from language educators and teachers alike in English-speaking countries;non-native English teachers who teach in the EFL context has also begun to focus their attention on the educational philosophy as a means to help transform traditional oppressed status of the Chinese EFL learners.From this perspective,this paper,by investigating the multi-dimensional implied meanings of implementing critical pedagogy in the EFL context,unraveling how it works as a way of"doing"in second language(L2)teaching and learning,identifying the probable contexts of critical pedagogy and the contesta tions surrounding critical pedagogy,aims to address the significance of implementing critical pedagogy as an effective way of re forming the ailing English education condition in China.

Incorporating Linguistic Rules in Statistical Chinese Language Model for Pinyin-to-character Conversion

An N-gram Chinese language model incorporating linguistic rules is presented. By constructing elements lattice, rules information is incorporated in statistical frame. To facilitate the hybrid modeling, novel methods such as MI-based rule evaluating, weighted rule quantification and element-based n-gram probability approximation are presented. Dynamic Viterbi algorithm is adopted to search the best path in lattice. To strengthen the model, transformation-based error-driven rules learning is adopted. Applying proposed model to Chinese Pinyin-to-character conversion, high performance has been achieved in accuracy, flexibility and robustness simultaneously. Tests show correct rate achieves 94.81% instead of 90.53% using bi-gram Markov model alone. Many long-distance dependency and recursion in language can be processed effectively.

On untranslatability of classical Chinese poetry： From the perspective of aesthetic function of language

The author analyzes the untranslatability of the classical Chinese poetry from the perspective of aesthetic function of language. The untranslatability lies firstly in the heterogeneity, indeterminism and the ambiguity of the Chinese language itself. Moreover, the classical Chinese poetry displays its unique features and beauty which can not be rendered into English in terms of aesthetic function of language.

An Optimized Convolutional Neural Network with Combination Blocks for Chinese Sign Language Identification

(Aim)Chinese sign language is an essential tool for hearing-impaired to live,learn and communicate in deaf communities.Moreover,Chinese sign language plays a significant role in speech therapy and rehabilitation.Chinese sign language identification can provide convenience for those hearing impaired people and eliminate the communication barrier between the deaf community and the rest of society.Similar to the research of many biomedical image processing(such as automatic chest radiograph processing,diagnosis of chest radiological images,etc.),with the rapid development of artificial intelligence,especially deep learning technologies and algorithms,sign language image recognition ushered in the spring.This study aims to propose a novel sign language image recognition method based on an optimized convolutional neural network.(Method)Three different combinations of blocks:Conv-BN-ReLU-Pooling,Conv-BN-ReLU,Conv-BN-ReLU-BN were employed,including some advanced technologies such as batch normalization,dropout,and Leaky ReLU.We proposed an optimized convolutional neural network to identify 1320 sign language images,which was called as CNN-CB method.Totally ten runs were implemented with the hold-out randomly set for each run.(Results)The results indicate that our CNN-CB method gained an overall accuracy of 94.88±0.99%.(Conclusion)Our CNN-CB method is superior to thirteen state-of-the-art methods:eight traditional machine learning approaches and five modern convolutional neural network approaches.

Learner Autonomy in the National English Language Curricula for Chinese Universities 1978-2007:A Historical Analysis

This historical study investigates the concept of learner autonomy in the national English language curricula for Chinese universities.It seeks to understand the meaning of learner autonomy in China and the intentionality of promoting this concept through the curricula from 1978 to 2007.By adopting Quentin Skinner’s intentionalist approach to analyzing the history of ideas,this study conducted a systematic document analysis of three national curricula in relation to their linguistic and practical contexts constituted of 169 Chinese academic articles in total.The study revealed that learner autonomy mainly referred to students’motivation and ability to work hard on their own outside the classroom in the Chinese context.Importing this concept,however,caused ideological confusion and exacerbated the disempowerment of teachers within the dynamics of China’s English language education at the tertiary level.The study raises awareness for borrowing concepts across different cultural contexts and has implications for research,policymaking,teacher development,and pedagogical practice in second language education in China.