Mobile Applications for English Conversation Guides

MIRELA-CATRINEL VOICU

Business Information Systems Department

Faculty of Economics and Business Administration

West University of Timisoara

ROMANIA

mirela.voicu@feaa.uvt.ro, http://www.feaa.uvt.ro

Abstract: - In this paper we are focused on building mobile applications used for studying English at a

conversation level. These tools can help travelers. The English topics are centered on useful phrases, lists of

words and items of grammar. These topics are generally found in foreign language guides. We present a

website which has a mobile design and two Android applications - one built with App Inventor and the other

built in Eclipse. We compare the three applications, and we conclude on the use of such software tools in order

to create other mobile applications.

Key-Words: - Mobile applications, websites, Android, APP Inventor, Eclipse

1 Introduction We know very well that today any kind of entity

(companies, institutions, universities, etc) must have

a website. In recent years, given the evolution of

mobiles in the business market, there is a need for

something new, namely the presence of websites

and applications for mobile devices.

Here we do not make a presentation of the

existing mobile devices and their operating systems.

We have focused our presentation on applications

for Android.

In our study we consider applications for English

conversation guides. The English conversation

guide is not considered, in our paper, as the main

learning activity provided by a business entity. We

can consider an example of a company where the

main objective is learning English, or something

similar. In order to maintain the customers’

attention, various mobile applications can be

developed, such as those referring to conversation

guides.

In Section 2, we present the general topic which

can be found in conversation guides. In Section 3 we

present three such implementations:

- a website built using CSS and HTML files - for

the HTML files we use only HTML tags (no

programming);

- an application built with the App Inventor

application;

- an application built in Eclipse, using Java code

and xml files.

According to the situation, we will see that some

tools can be used more than the others.

2 On English Conversation Guides In our study we present applications used for

English learning/ practicing, at conversation level.

Our applications are destined for travelers. In order

to build the application models, we start from

famous conversation guides (see [2, 3, 6, 8 and 11]).

In the conversation guides, generally, we find short

expressions, lists of words and grammar.

For expressions, we find topics including the

following items: the alphabet; everyday

language; the time; weather; family; continents,

countries, nationalities, languages; religion;

stars and star signs; trades and professions

occupations; titles, professional qualifications,

education/professional life, etc.; colours; eating

out; at the post office; using the telephone;

travelling by bus/tram/underground/ taxi;

travelling sightseeing, going on a trip; going to

the shop; services; leisure, culture, amusements;

clothing; payment methods; at the hotel; at the

bank; hunting and fishing; the house, the

garden; the body; temper and emotion; shapes

and dimensions, etc. For grammar we find subjects on the verb, the

noun, the article, the adjective, the pronoun, the

numeral, the adverb, the preposition, the

conjunction, the interjection, etc.

For vocabulary, we can find various lists of

grouped words, such as: plants, food and kitchen,

house, society, etc.

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Starting from the information presented above,

we build mobile applications with the same goal as

a conversation guide.

The applications contain the following general

topics: expressions, vocabulary and grammar (see

also Figure 1), with a phonetic transcription or

including audio tool.

3 Mobile Applications In this section we present a website and two

applications for Android built using App Inventor

and Eclipse.

3.1 Mobile website for English learning

Like in Figure 1, we select the topic of interest:

grammar, vocabulary or expressions. For example, if in Figure 1 we select the

Grammar topic, then in Figure 2 we can select the

desired subject.

Figure 1: Topics in the conversation guide

Figure 2: Grammar topics

For example, with a click on Numeral in Figure

2, we get the webpage from Figure 3. In Figure 3

we can see the cardinal numeral examples and their

phonetic transcription in English. Here, we have

chosen to present each word in English and its

phonetic transcription. However, if we want, we can

add the word translation in different languages - one

or more. At the same time, we consider that for web

design (intended for mobile devices) it is enough to

use only the English language. As in Figure 3, we

can use a Google Translate section. Using the

Google Translation tool we can obtain a translation

in one or more languages quickly. Also, we can hear

the pronunciation of certain words.

Figure 3: Cardinal numbers

Given the fact that a conversation guide uses lists

of words or short phrases, the translation with

Google Translate is generally satisfactory (also,

other online tools can be used).

For the website presented in Figures 1-4 we use

only HTML and CSS files. In appearance, this

seems very simple, but if the website is rich in

content, the implementation is not easy.

For example, for cardinal numbers, presented in

Figure 3, we use about forty numbers. For a single

line in Figure 3, for example, for the first one, in the

HTML file, we use the following line:

<tr> <td> <div class = "line_text1"> <font color

="#CC0000" size=6>one</font></div> </td>

<td><div class="line_text1"> <font color=

"#CC0000" size=6>w&#652n </font> </div>

</td> </tr>

To add many such examples of numbers (as in

the page presented in Figure 3), we can consider a

MS Excel worksheet, as in Figure 4. Here, we use

column E for the numbers and column I for their

phonetic transcription (in each case we save the

phonetic symbols for English, with Unicode

numbers - the Unicode numbers are used in the

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HTML code). To the left and the right of each of

these two columns, we add HTML tags. We copy

the values from the cells containing HTML tags (C,

D F G H, J, K - from Figure 4) in the case of each

number used in the columns E.

Figure 4: Using MS Excel worksheet to build HTML tables

After this operation, we can copy the entire table

from MS Excel into the HTML file. Using this

model of operations, we can build HTML pages

quickly.

The example presented above, in which we use a

MS Excel worksheet in order to build HTML files,

can't be used successfully in all situations.

For example, if we are interested in presenting a

verb conjugation example (see also Figure 2), we

know that in most cases we can apply the same

general rules of conjugation.

Generally, we need the infinitive, the third

person singular, the present participle, the past tense

simple and the past participle forms (see also Figure

5). For a mobile website, we can present all

conjugation forms or only some of them (e.g,

present, past, future, etc.).

Figure 5: Verb conjugation

In the case of verbs, the algorithm presented for

numerals is more difficult. A better idea is to

consider a database (see Figure 6) with verbs. For

each verb we consider all the forms: the infinitive,

the third person singular, the present participle the

past tense simple and the past participle. In each

case we consider the word, the phonetic

transcription and the phonetic symbols for English,

with Unicode numbers (used in the HTML files).

In order to build the HTML files, with the same

structure, we use a database and the following code

in Java:

Figure 6: Verb database

import java.io.PrintWriter;

import java.io.FileWriter;

import java.io.IOException;

import java.sql.*;

/* we detect in the database the record of a certain

verb*/

String sql_statement=" ...";

String verb_name="";

String variable_for_read_the_field_values;

String code_html="<html><head> <title>Verb

</title></head><body>";

//the HTML table header

code_html=code_html+...

//the database connection

try {

String dbURL = "jdbc:odbc:verbs";

String user = "";

String password = "";

Class.forName("sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver");

Connection c = DriverManager.getConnection(

dbURL, user, password);

Statement s = c.createStatement();

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ResultSet r = s.executeQuery(sql_statement);

while (r.next()) {

/* reading the verb fields (see Figure 5) - verb forms

and the phonetic transcription - we build HTML

tags */

code_html=code_html+ ...

}

r.close();s.close();}

catch (ClassNotFoundException a) {}

catch (SQLException a) {}

code_html=code_html+"</table></body><html>";

// the HMTL file corresponding to a selected verb

try{

PrintWriter fisier_iesire=new PrintWriter(new

FileWriter(verb_name".html"), true);

fisier_iesire.println(code_html);

fisier_iesire.close();

}

catch (IOException t){

System.out.println("error writing the file");}

}

Once a HTML file with a static form has been

created, we can add it in website.

In this manner, we use only HTML pages with

static content. Of course, if we want we can use a

website with a dynamic content - using a database.

But we would like to recall that we are speaking

about a website for mobiles. For this reason, we

consider that, it is better to use a HTML webpage

with static content.

In a dynamical website we use a single webpage

with dynamical content. This means that we use the

same webpage for each verb presentation.

When we use a static HTML webpage, we use a

webpage for each verb. This means that if we

consider one hundred verbs, then, in the website we

use, one hundred HTML files with the same

structure. Considering the programming algorithm

presented above, we need only a few seconds in

order to build such an HTML file. That means that

the number of HTML files is not a problem. Inside

the website we use hyperlinks.

We do not recommend the use of a dynamical

webpage - the exploration of the database can slow

down the website navigation. The navigation speed

is a very important aspect of the mobile websites.

Also it should be noted that the mobile website

should not be very rich in content. The mobile

websites must be clear and concise, containing little

but relevant information.

3.2 Application using App Inventor

Like in Figure 1, using App Inventor

application, we select the topic of interest:

grammar, vocabulary or expressions. In Figures

7 and 8 we can view the application in an

emulator.

Figure 7 - App Inventor - blocks editor

Figure 8 - Conversation guide - emulator

In Figure 7 you can visualize how we add the

numbers’ list in the application. The App Inventor

application is not recommended for long list of

words. We have the words in English, but we can

add the translation in a certain language. App

Inventor application provides us with tools for

displaying images and sounds. We can add such

components. However, App Inventor is good for a

small application - for such a conversation guide,

see the model presented in [11], which provides

very good information but only on basic terms.

3.3 Application using Java programming in

Eclipse

Like in Figure 1, in Figure 9, we select the

topic of interest: grammar, vocabulary or

expressions.

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Using Java programming in Eclipse, after the

installation of Android SDK, and the creation of

an Android Virtual Device, we can build

complex applications in a very flexible form.

Figure 9 - Java application in Eclipse

Figure 10 - Viewing the application in an

emulator

In Figure 9, for Grammar button component of

the application main menu, in the xml file, we have

the following propertis:

<Button

android:id="@+id/button1"

android:layout_width="fill_parent"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"

android:layout_marginLeft="21dp"

android:layout_marginTop="43dp"

android:text="Grammar"

android:textSize="25px"

android:textColor="#ff0000"

/>

In order to view the menu presented in Figure 10

(going from one activity to another), we use the

following code:

button.setOnClickListener(new

View.OnClickListener() {

public void onClick(View v) {

Intent intent = new Intent(MainActivity.this,

Grammar.class); startActivity(intent);

}

});

In order to obtain the list of numbers, presented

in Figure 10, we can use the following code

sequence:

final TextView txtOut = (TextView)

findViewById(R.id.textView1);

String s="";

s=s+" \n zero ";

....

s=s+" \n two million five hundred thousand

and twenty ";

txtOut.setText(s);

In order to obtain the s variable value quickly,

we can use a MS Excel worksheet, as in Section 3.1.

Also, at this step, we can add word translation or

phonetic transcription.

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4 Conclusion The websites and the application in Java provide us

with very good tools for developing mobile

applications. For a website implementation we need

to know CSS, HTML and we have seen that at some

stages, the implementation is not very simple, but if

you have good software skills you can develop

complex websites.

Also, with Java code in Eclipse, we can build

many complex applications. However, in this case,

you must understand xml files and know Java

programming, and this is not easy. You need solid

knowledge of programming.

The application with App Inventor can be used

successful for small application. It present

advantage especially for the person which do not

know programming and wants to implement mobile

applications. Additionally, App Inventor comes with

many other tools used in mobile applications. They

were not shown in this paper because they were not

necessary for our example. However, their

implementation can be, in some situations, simpler

than in the case of a website or in the case of a Java

application.

As a final conclusion, we can say that there are

different tools which can be used for build mobile

applications. Depending on our objectives we can

use one tool or another, whichever is more adequate.

The application’s success also depends on the

creativity of the builder.

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