Automating Question Generation and Marking of Language Learning Exercises for isiZulu

Abstract

Increase in isiZulu language learning is hampered by the predominantly manual approach to creating and marking homework and test exercises. Extant computer-assisted language learning platforms cannot handle the intricacies of agglutination in isiZulu and related languages. We seek to address this by designing a controlled natural language-based exercise generator and marker for isiZulu. This consists of question and answer sentence templates for exercise types, reusable algorithm snippets as grammar library, a small corpus of words and sentences to be used by the system, a constrained sentence generator to combine the right type of words, and finally the exercise creation and automated marking system. The preliminary evaluation shows encouraging results.