Artificial intelligence enters language lessons, but is not enough

Language teaching in Swiss schools is changing with the arrival of artificial intelligence. Teachers, however, see it as a supplement rather than a replacement: technical progress does not excuse pupils from learning vocabulary.

AI is now used in lessons wherever possible, Beat Schwendimann of the German-speaking Swiss teachers' association LCH told Keystone-ATS. Many teachers already take it into account when preparing classes, adds Lucius Hartmann of the Swiss association of secondary school teachers. Assessment is shifting too: according to Jörg Berger of the German-speaking Swiss school leaders' association Visenti, the process by which a piece of work is built counts increasingly, not only the final result.

What the machine does not do

Schwendimann is convinced that AI cannot replace the fundamental processes of learning. Anyone who wants genuinely to master a language has to build their vocabulary actively. Pupils' motivation to work thoroughly on grammatical forms and vocabulary, however, has fallen.

For Berger the answer is not to ban the technology but to combine it with solid language knowledge. Hartmann believes that, with teachers under growing pressure, it becomes all the more important to teach pupils to use translation tools and other digital resources with judgement.

Berger acknowledges that the opportunities for cheating have multiplied. He notes, though, that this shows the limited value of exercises that translation alone can solve. The emphasis therefore moves to what cannot be delegated to technology: making an argument, speaking spontaneously, justifying a choice of words, solving problems together.

There is a gain as well. According to Hartmann, a great deal of class time used to go into reaching a superficial understanding of a text. Today the same text is grasped faster and more deeply, which improves foreign language skills without excessive effort. When reading, immediate access to the explanation of a term or to the correct pronunciation helps, while chatbots offer almost unlimited chances to converse, with role play and feedback that complement the lesson. Both pupils and teachers can benefit, for instance in building personalised material tailored to a class's interests.

What remains are inspiration and empathy, which for Schwendimann are decisive in effective teaching and require interaction between people. Even virtual language tandems, such as the Talkpal app, cannot replace them.