Beyond Duolingo: Exploring Cutting-Edge AI Tools for Language Education

Even though the tools could be incredibly adaptive in the technology, teachers still need to understand how they work and how they could use such tools to benefit the classroom.

Learning a new language can be challenging, but with cutting-edge technology such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), it has become more accessible and exciting. AI has recently become a trend in language education and has the potential to revolutionize the way we learn languages.

This article explores the challenges of learning a new language and the solutions provided by AI, including Duolingo, Praktika.ai, and Class Point AI. We also share successful stories of using AI in education and discuss the limitations and future of AI in language learning. We hope this article will encourage you to explore the exciting possibilities of AI in language education!

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Challenges and Solutions in Learning a New Language with Artificial Intelligence

When learning a new language, people often face several challenges. The most common examples include fear of speaking, getting intimidated at the pre-intermediate level, lack of time, and the inner voice. Most teachers are aware of these challenges and address them in various ways. They often help students overcome the fear of speaking by explaining their mistakes as a natural flow of the learning process and encourage students to excel, noted Spence. 

Another solution to these challenges is using cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence. McKinsey highlighted that AI-powered language translators and assistants, including Apple’s AAPL 0.00%↑ Siri and Amazon’s AMZN 0.00%↑ Alexa, are already being used by some people as a way to learn a new language. On top of that, BBC reported that many people have discovered the benefits of AI-based chat for language learning. A vivid example is “a Costa Rican who works in the construction industry found that his AI-powered keyboard has been useful in polishing up his technical vocabulary in English.” Another remarkable instance of using AI comes from South Africa: “A South African café owner improves his Spanish grammar with the aid of AI by using ChatGPT to quickly generate and adapt study aids like charts of verb tenses.” The list of examples can go on forever. 

However, it is essential to note that AI is still new to society and faces some technical limitations. There is a need for massive training data and difficulties in generalizing across use cases, concluded the McKinsey study on AI, automation, and the future of work. Nevertheless, researchers are working hard on addressing the issues, and AI will likely play an integral role in language learning in the coming years. 

As concluded by BBC, numerous apps have now drawn on open-source code to customize AI for language learners. So, what are the most forward-thinking tools teachers can use for teaching languages? 

AI Tools Revolutionizing Language Learning: Duolingo, Praktika.ai, and Class Point AI