Author: Deivid Toloza – Data Engineer
Technology has become a fundamental part of our daily lives. It has changed the way we communicate, work and learn. In the information era, you can access quality academic resources from anywhere in the world and learn virtually about almost any subject if you know how to search.
Education has become more accessible and comfortable, and effective learning options have emerged that depart from traditional methods. In the language field, artificial intelligence has developed revolutionary technologies such as large language models (LLMs) capable of understanding and reasoning on texts or models of voice recognition, able to clone voices and translate an audio input into a language of our choice. The possibilities offered by these new technologies are still being explored, and there is much potential for them in the education field. In this article, we will explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in language teaching.
The Evolution of Language Learning
Throughout history, language teaching methods have continuously evolved, driven by advances in understanding human learning and technological advances. At first, traditional methods focused on memorising vocabulary and grammar rules, leaving aside the practical context of language use [1]. Over time, more interactive and student-centred approaches have emerged.
At the end of the 20th century, communicative methodology gained prominence, highlighting the importance of authentic and situational communication over mere memorisation. This paradigm shift recognised the relevance of oral practice and cultural immersion for effective language learning, inspiring us to embrace the richness and diversity of languages and cultures.
Timeline of teaching methods. Taken from: https://sites.google.com/view/enlighteneng/blog/tefl-theory-and-methodology/language-teaching-methods-an-overview#h.p_OhI852jgjYCA
In the contemporary era, integrating artificial intelligence has led to a new phase in the evolution of language teaching methods. The ability of algorithms to adapt to students’ individual needs, provide instant feedback, and provide personalised learning environments has marked a significant milestone. Technology has not only facilitated access to online educational resources. Still, it has also enabled interactive and immersive experiences, transforming language teaching into a dynamic and effective enterprise where technology becomes a valuable ally in the student’s language journey.
The Role of AI in Language Teaching
In this section we will address artificial intelligence technologies used for language learning tools.
Natural Language Processing (NLP):
NLP is a branch of artificial intelligence that enables computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language. AI language teachers rely on NLP algorithms to process text and speech input from students, analyse their language proficiency, and provide appropriate responses and feedback.
Speech Recognition:
AI language teachers often incorporate speech recognition technology to understand spoken language input from students. Speech recognition algorithms convert audio signals into text, allowing the AI to assess pronunciation, fluency, and intonation.
Machine Learning Models:
AI language teachers use machine learning models trained on large amounts of language data to perform various tasks, such as language translation, grammar correction, and semantic understanding. These models are continuously improved and refined through feedback from student interactions.
Advantages of AI in Language Education
Personalised learning experiences.
To provide personalised learning experiences, AI language teachers use algorithms that adapt the curriculum, lesson plans and exercises based on each student’s level of competence, learning goals, and performance. These algorithms can use techniques such as collaborative filtering, reinforcement learning or deep learning to optimise learning outcomes for individual students.
Accessibility and affordability.
AI language teachers are available 24/7, allowing students to learn at any time that suits their schedule. This flexibility is especially advantageous for busy professionals, students with demanding schedules or individuals in different time zones who may have difficulty attending a traditional language class during fixed hours.
Also, AI language learning platforms can be more cost-effective than traditional language learning methods, such as hiring private tutors or attending language schools. Many of these applications offer affordable subscription plans, free trial periods or pay-per-use options, making language education more accessible to people with limited financial resources.
Real-time feedback and assessment.
AI language teachers generate feedback on students’ language skills using algorithms that analyse their responses and compare them to the correct answers or predefined language rules. Feedback may include corrections for grammar errors, corrections for pronunciation, suggestions on better vocabulary to express yourself and encouragement.
Challenges and Concerns
Accurate Assessment
Accurate assessment of language competence is essential for effective language education. However, AI systems may need help providing accurate assessments of language skills, particularly in areas such as fluency, pragmatism and cultural competence. Automated classification of open responses or assessments of conversational flows still presents challenges for AI.
Lack of social interaction:
Language learning is inherently social, involving human interaction to practice speaking, listening, and cultural exchange. AI teachers may have difficulty replicating the richness of face-to-face interactions, including nonverbal language, spontaneous dialogue and social dynamics, which are crucial for language acquisition.
Bias and Cultural Sensitivity
AI systems trained on biased or unrepresentative data can unintentionally promote stereotypes, cultural prejudices or offensive language. Ensuring that AI language teachers are culturally sensitive, inclusive and respectful requires careful curation of training data and continuous monitoring.
*To learn more about bias read our article: Handy resources to avoid cognitive biases in Data Science
Success Stories and Case Studies
Loora is a mobile application that uses artificial intelligence to teach the English language. It is available for iOS and has a solid 5.0 rating in the app store, being the second-best application in the education category after Duolingo. It offers instant feedback on grammar and pronunciation, dynamic conversations based on real-life scenarios, such as business meetings, job interviews or conversations with friends, and evaluation metrics that increase the effectiveness of the learning process.
I met Elsa AI in a bar in downtown Bogota, where the dynamics of language exchange occur. They label tables with languages so you can have a French table, an English table, a German table and so on. They make sure there is at least one native speaker per table so that the conversation in that language can take place. At an English table, a lady showed me this app and said that a teacher from a recognised language institute recommended it to strengthen her learning. It offers the possibility of following conversations with real-life scenarios and creating scenarios of our own describing the context of the situation you want to talk about. It also gives instant feedback on pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. Right now, it is only available for English learning.
Duolingo Max is a new subscription model for the king of education applications that offers two new AI-powered features. These new features are: Explain My Answer and Roleplay.
Explain My Answer allows learners to learn more about their response in a lesson, whether their answer was correct or incorrect. By tapping a button after certain exercise types, learners can enter a chat with Duo to get a simple explanation of why their answer was right or wrong and ask for examples or further clarification.
Roleplay allows learners to practice real-world conversation skills with world characters in the app.
The only courses that can utilise these new features are Spanish and French for English speakers on iOS. Right now, Duolingo Max is available in the U.S., Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Ethical Considerations
Privacy and data security:
AI language learning platforms collect and process large amounts of data from students, including language proficiency levels, learning preferences and performance metrics. It is essential to protect this data against unauthorised access and misuse. Transparency about data collection practices, user consent and robust security measures are necessary to protect students’ privacy.
Bias and Cultural Sensitivity
AI systems may inherit biases from the data in which they are trained, leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes, particularly for marginalised or underrepresented groups. Prejudices in language teaching can manifest in various ways, such as favouring particular dialects or cultural norms over others, reinforcing stereotypes or perpetuating linguistic discrimination, which refers to the prejudicial treatment of an individual for their way of speaking. Addressing bias requires diverse and representative training data, continuous monitoring, and mitigation strategies to ensure fair and equitable treatment for all students.
Quality of instruction:
While AI language teachers can provide personalised learning experiences and instant feedback, they may lack the pedagogical experience, cultural sensitivity, and empathy of human teachers. There is a risk that AI-based instruction prioritises efficiency and standardised metrics over the human features of language, such as critical thinking, creativity and emotional expression. A balance between the benefits of AI technology and the value of human interaction and experience in language education is essential.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the integration of artificial intelligence as a language teacher represents a transformative change in education, offering unprecedented opportunities for personalised, accessible and effective language learning experiences.
As with any technological advancement, ethical considerations should guide the responsible implementation of AI in language education. Concerns such as privacy, bias and the quality of the instruction require measures to ensure the preservation of human-centered values in the implementation of this technology in the educational field.
Looking ahead, the future of AI as a language teacher is very promising and full of potential. Continuous advances in AI and other cutting-edge technologies, such as augmented reality, may create a new educational environment with immersive, interactive and adaptive learning experiences.
References
Enlighten (no date) Language Teaching Methods: An Overview. Available at: https://sites.google.com/view/enlighteneng/blog/tefl-theory-and-methodology/language-teaching-methods-an-overview#h.p_OhI852jgjYCA (Accessed: 23 April 2024).
Loora (no date) Loora. Available at: https://www.loora.ai/ (Accessed: 23 April 2024).
Duolingo (no date) Introducing Duolingo Max: a new way to accelerate your learning. Available at: https://blog.duolingo.com/duolingo-max/ (Accessed: 23 April 2024).
ELSA Speak (no date) AI. Available at: https://elsaspeak.com/en/ai/ (Accessed: 23 April 2024).
Deivid Toloza – Data Engineer
