The Future of Technology in Language Learning – Part 3
AI technology continues advancing with promising breakthroughs in language learning and teaching. So, what can you expect from the future of technology in language learning?
Parts 1 and 2 helped you look into the effects of employing technology in language learning. Now, discover the upcoming developments. Analyze the trends that will shape the tools language learners are already using today. Examine the impact of technology on teachers and how they must adapt to keep helping their students.
What changes will emerging technologies bring? And how will they address user concerns? Take a trip to the future in the third and final part of a series about AI technology in language learning.
The Growing Value of Technology-mediated Language Teaching and Learning
Technology-mediated learning is a term that encompasses various approaches to the learning process. Sometimes, teachers include digital technologies in their classrooms. Online learning platforms also develop technology-mediated resources to help students.
Besides, learners themselves often resort to the use of technology to support language learning. In all these variants, technology mediates students’ interactions during learning.
It isn’t a new way to learn, having its first applications in class during the 20th century. Yet, it keeps developing and becoming more comprehensive. This way, it brings new possibilities to teachers, students, and organizations alike.
What is Computer-Assisted Language Learning?
Computer-assisted language learning is a language teaching approach. It steps away from the traditional method of analyzing each aspect of the tongue and studying theory through textbooks. Instead, it focuses on using a foreign language.
It connects language learners to their target language through computer-based resources. Thus, it creates more interactive lessons and involves multiple language skills. Its methods help students reach their language goals faster and enjoy the learning process.
In recent years, electronic devices, like PCs (Personal Computers), have become more affordable. More schools and learners have access to these devices, which helped spread this language learning method.
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10 Trends That Will Mark The Future of AI Technology in Language Learning
Predicting the future of technology in language acquisition is no easy task. After all, who, just twenty years ago, would guess the things humans would be doing today through technology?
Still, current trends can help you understand what to expect from the upcoming technological tools. Users are already benefiting from some of these features. Yet, these tendencies will continue shaping updates on existing and new tools for second language learning.
Self-directed Learning
Most people like to decide where they want to be and how they will get there. Humans, by nature, prefer to be in control, and the journey to language proficiency is no exception. Of course, this fact does not mean there is no place for a teacher’s guidance. However, the role of such a teacher will keep distancing itself from traditional language instruction.
The use of technology encourages a self-directed learning process and fosters learner autonomy. It will continue helping students set SMART learning goals, find their learning style, and respect their own pace.
Interactiveness
Interactive lessons are motivating. When students engage in active learning, they improve faster. They also become more invested in their language learning experience. These features help enhance comprehension skills. Motivation-wise, they assist students in overcoming plateaus and other challenges.
As you see today, interactiveness will prevail as a differentiator of premium learning experiences. NLP (Natural Language Processing) and voice recognition software will continue evolving. These systems will soon allow chatbots to understand and interpret humans better than ever. They will also generate more accurate content, reproducing any given language.
Other branches of AI, like Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), will also boost interactiveness for online courses. As technology evolves, it will have exclusive features emphasizing exposure and fun. New devices and tools will take increasingly immersive and realistic experiences to the masses.
Support And Accessibility
Despite preferring the self-directed path, students who use online courses and apps need support. They must feel they can reach out to someone. They might ask for help to manage their subscriptions, navigate the sites, or understand more specific matters.
For organizations, customer support is crucial to customer retention and satisfaction. Already, AI chatbots allow apps to deliver immediate answers to user doubts and general queries. Soon, they will handle more detailed issues, enabling human support agents to support more learners in shorter periods.
Additionally, technological means and devices will become more accessible. With more options on the market, these tools will become cheaper for users. Plus, with more power and capabilities, they will also teach more languages.
Updated Content
Traditional teaching and learning methods involve textbooks that require updating every few years. Revisions in educational programs and changes in the way people talk also affect study material. In these cases, technology enables companies to adjust their content immediately.
Doing so allows them to teach a native language in its updated standard form. Yet, it will also encourage them to educate on its variants, including slang, idioms, and regional expressions. Students will be better prepared to handle various situations and contexts. Moreover, they will feel even more confident in their language skills.
Gamification
Games are everything you wouldn’t usually associate with language classes. They are engaging, motivating, and even addictive. With them, a student’s progress increases while they have fun. Plus, the tedious aspects of language are cast aside and learned instinctively.
Besides, depending on the game, users can access it anytime, anywhere, and from any device. These solutions are also cheaper than buying a regular language course.
The market segment for learning games should grow to reach multimillion USD by 2030. As AI technology implementation increases, these tools will bring more advantages to their users.
Soon, the real-time feedback delivered by learning games will become more detailed. They will have features to allow users to connect with other language learners. They will also become less expensive to develop for companies.
Personalization
As approached in the last post, technology allows for a higher level of personalized language instruction. It is one of its most significant advantages, making teaching even more learner-centered. Through machine learning, chatbots and systems learn from their users and adjust accordingly.
In the future, a language learning tool you choose will mold itself to you, transforming your language learning journey. It will adapt faster to your user profile and gain insights that enable it to deliver the content you need when you need it.
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Stronger Online Language Learning Communities
Foreign language learning students often hit plateaus, periods when their progress slows down or stops. In those times, they might feel alone and overwhelmed. Communities create a sense of belonging and companionship. They balance out negative feelings and hardships that might hinder the language learning journey.
Bots can replicate human language through speech recognition technology. Still, they don’t replace it. Besides, the main objective of language acquisition continues to be the same. Students want to improve their language skills to interact with native speakers of their target language.
Thus, organizations will strive to strengthen online language-learning communities. The future will bring a blended learning process merging technology and human interaction. WorldCALL 2023 emphasized this aspect by discussing an ethical and balanced use of technology.
More Language Learning Apps And Platforms
There are many online learning platforms available today, but the market is still growing. Verified Market Research published a growth forecast at a CAGR of 13.75%, reaching $41.60 billion by 2030. Furthermore, a study showed that the Global EdTech segment should reach $404 billion by 2024.
Thus, the options for language learners will continue to multiply. Programs and apps will become more competitive. As such, they will offer more comprehensive experiences in more languages.
Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL)
Mobile-assisted language learning is one of the most popular developments in the industry. Language learners can use their devices to enhance their language skills with as little as 15 minutes a day.
For most people, mobile cell phones are beneficial on a personal and societal level. Despite concerns regarding their impact on young children, about 60% of the world’s population owns a smartphone. Additionally, the number of smartphone users should increase by about 1.5 billion in the next five years.
In America, 80% of students report that technology helped them increase their grades. Thus, it is only natural that such devices gain more capabilities and become even more significant. Through them, language-learning apps will also reach broader audiences.
Addressing User Concerns
One final trend of AI technology in language learning relates to user concerns. Glitches, technical flaws or errors, dependency, and security are among the most mentioned. Look into those mentioned in part 1 of this series.
Cultural Understanding
One of the best ways to support language learning is by providing a deeper cultural understanding. AI tools and online platforms often focus on teaching the standardized variant of a language. By doing so, they cover listening, comprehension, speaking, and writing skills. However, regional variants do not often find their use in writing as they do in dialogue.
Thus, culture is one of the aspects you can expect language learning apps to incorporate shortly. They will enrich the languages they teach by adding idioms and colloquial expressions. Technology will also allow them to teach and provide feedback on non-verbal communication.
Besides, as mentioned before, VR and AR will deepen immersion and transport users to different environments. These features will also increase cultural understanding and appreciation.
The Technological Vs. Human Connection
Instead of replacing human connection, organizations will link humans together through AI. You have considered how they will strengthen online language-learning communities. This way, they will mediate human interactions for learning purposes.
Other features you can already find include tools that find native speakers or fellow learners near you. Chat groups and forums will also continue thriving.
Data Privacy and Security
Data collection, privacy, and security are the most significant concerns with AI technologies. The risks also increase with the amount and type of information bots must collect to adjust to you. Thus, you will continue hearing about data encryption and monitoring.
As chatbots develop, organizations will produce new systems to ensure the safety of sensitive data. Governments and international entities should also continue pressing toward safer user navigation. Transparency about how data is collected, stored, and used and who accesses it should increase.
Will Language Learning Become Obsolete?
Many wonder if AI technology will make language learning obsolete. After all, chatbots keep getting more resourceful, and machine translation is developing at full speed. As ironically as it sounds, ChatGPT believes it won’t. Here is its answer to the question above:
“It’s unlikely that language learning will become obsolete in the foreseeable future. While advancements in translation technology might make communication easier, mastering a language offers more than just words—it’s about understanding culture, nuance, and context.
Language learning fosters empathy, opens doors to diverse perspectives, and enables deeper connections with others. Moreover, languages constantly evolve, adapting to new contexts and technologies.
Even with AI assistance, the ability to speak, understand, and appreciate different languages will remain invaluable, preserving heritage and promoting global understanding. So, rather than becoming obsolete, language learning will likely continue to evolve alongside technology.”
The Impact of Educational Technology Tools For Teachers
It is needless to affirm that the role of the traditional classroom teacher is changing. With artificial intelligence, foreign language teaching and learning will never be the same. How can language educators adapt to these changes?
Teachers’ Role in Technology-based Learning
It is unlikely that technology in language learning will lead to the end of the teacher’s role. However, tutors need to adapt, and there is no lack of opportunities to do so. Embracing these technologies allows language educators to be at the forefront of advancements.
Teachers can employ technology to perform repetitive tasks faster. They can save time on lesson planning, homework assignments, and correction. Additionally, they present advantages to their students, such as real-time feedback and customization. In fact, 89% of American K-12 teachers already use educational technologies in their classrooms.
Teachers as Mentors
Despite wanting to learn at their own pace, students will always need and seek advice and guidance. Learning a target language is more than an intellectual challenge. Learners often form an emotional bond with the people and culture.
Besides, having someone they trust when they are outside their comfort zones is invaluable. Language teaching encompasses all those aspects, turning the traditional teacher into a trusted mentor.
How Teachers Can Use Emerging Technologies
Tutors can use web-based platforms to create flashcards and quizzes. They can also create activities involving audio recordings of native speakers. These exercises help students develop their listening skills and critical thinking. With less effort from both teacher and student, they increase overall language proficiency.
Nowadays, artificial intelligence tools are excellent resources for language practice outside the classroom. Teachers can use them to help learners improve their conversational skills and gain confidence.
English Language Teaching
English language teachers have incredible opportunities to use technology in classes. They can incorporate everything, from video content to interactive quizzes.
For now, EFL teachers have the most resources at their disposal. In the future, languages like Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, and Portuguese will have as much available content.
Technology in Language Learning: Changing How You Learn Your Target Language
There is no denying that technology has and will continue revolutionizing language learning. Its impact is already visible, its benefits undeniable, and its possibilities are limitless. Yet, user concerns like data security and dependency on technological tools still stop many from taking the next step.
Emerging technologies continue following current trends, from accessibility to personalized feedback. Most language learners already make the best use of technology to improve their language skills. Because of that, language educators must adapt to these technology tools.
In the future, language instruction will be even more interactive and user-centered. There will be an increase in virtual exchange programs. Likewise, language-learning communities will become stronger and more significant than ever.
Wrapping up the series on the impact of AI technology in language learning, we want to hear from you. What do you think will change in how students worldwide learn foreign languages? What do you think would improve the language learning process even further? Share your thoughts with us below!
