The present study explored the use of translation technology in second language (L2) writing by English as a Second Language (ESL) students at the University level. The appropriate role of translation, and specifically translation technology, in L2 curricula has been the subject of theoretical and practical debate. In order to address knowledge gaps relevant to this debate, the present study sought to document students’ current use of translation technology, specifically free online translation (FOT) tools, and their opinions about these tools. The study’s mixed-methods design included video observations and questionnaires regarding FOT use completed by 19 university students enrolled in a high intermediate-level ESL course. Semi-structured follow-up interviews were conducted with the six participants who were observed using FOT tools extensively on the video recordings. Results showed that high intermediate-level ESL students have a primarily positive attitude toward FOT tools. In addition, the majority of students reported using such tools regularly, even though only about one third of the students were actually observed using the tools significantly in the video recordings. Results are discussed in the context of the ongoing debate over whether and how translation technology should be used in L2 classrooms.

Kent Fredholm (2015). Eleverna, datorn och språket: Studier av skoldatoriseringens effekter på elevers attityder, skrivstrategier och textproduktion i spanskundervisningen på gymnasiet. (The Pupils, the Computer and the Language: Studies of the Effects of School Computerisation on Pupils’ Attitudes. Writing Strategies and Written Text Production in Upper Secondary School Spanish Classes.) Stockholm University, Studies in Language Education 12. ISBN 978-91-7649-090-7. Written in Swedish, English and Spanish with abstracts in the three languages and a summary in English. The present work is based upon three studies performed between 2012 and 2014 at the Swedish upper secondary school with pupils studying Spanish as a foreign language. The first study investigates through lesson diaries and an online survey the pupils’ attitudes towards and perceptions of computer use in language learning at large, and specifically of online grammar exercises as compared to paper-based exercises. The participating pupils showed mixed attitudes towards using online exercises for grammar practice, with high demands on websites’ design and user friendliness, as well as for the correctness and reliability of automated corrections. A majority preferred mixed teaching methods (including computer use, teacher-led explanations and the use of paper- and pen-based exercises, especially translation tasks). The major advantage of using computers was considered to be for essay writing and information search. The second study investigates how a group of pupils use online resources when writing essays in Spanish, focussing on their extensive use of online translation services such as Google translate. The writing strategies of these pupils with free access to the Internet are compared to the strategies of another group working without Internet access. The third study examines effects of the use of online translation on the language in the pupils’ essays. The texts written with online translation are compared to texts written without Internet access, but with access to printed dictionaries. Few statistically significant differences can be seen between the two groups. These concern grammatical and lexical complexity and accuracy. The most clear differences regard spelling and article/noun/adjective congruence (with higher degrees of accuracy among the users of online translation), and syntax (with fewer errors in the group writing without online translation). The grammatical complexity was also somewhat higher in the online translation group. As for fluency (text length) and complexity, differences can be correlated to the pupils’ proficiency in Spanish, whereas no such correlation can be seen regarding accuracy.