Artificial Intelligence for Language Learning

The use of technologies for language learning has been recommended by the European Commission and the Council of Europe, as also highlighted in the Council Recommendation for a comprehensive approach to the teaching and learning of languages (2019). In remote and blended or hybrid educational scenarios, such as the ones related to the pandemic, learning technologies are crucial and they will likely remain essential in the future of education. Within this framework, ICALL (Intelligent Computer Assisted Language Learning) has been exploiting the potential of Artificial Intelligence for developing and improving language competences. In the academic year 2020-21, a research project was carried out with a sample of Italian university students, to experiment a program for language learning, based on Artificial Intelligence, named “SmartClass” by Robotel in the English syllabus. The research aimed at investigating the potential of Artificial Intelligence for learning English as a Foreign Language, adopting a multi-method approach, and using mainly qualitative tools. Through this program, it was possible to create tailored interactive activities, to assign them to the students and to grade them quickly. The program helped students practise all language skills, and increase their speaking practice-time by using audio recording, video recording and AI technology-based pronunciation exercises. AI has turned out to be the added value of the program, according to the students’ feedback collected during the focus groups. A specific virtual classroom was created on the university platform, so that the students could interact and exchange ideas and doubts in the forum and in the live sessions with the professor and the tutor. The forum offered the opportunity to discuss relevant linguistic and sociolinguistic issues, an alternative way to teach and learn a foreign language. The SWOT analysis posted by the students in the forum provided interesting input related to strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the program. The students particularly appreciated the modular tailor-made pathway, the immediate feedback, the possibility to record one’s own voice and to improve pronunciation and oral skills. They all recognized the added value of Artificial Intelligence for language learning.