Unleashing AI Chatbots for Language Teaching & Learning

This presentation explores the potential of AI chatbots to transform world language education by enhancing learners' cultural, linguistic, and sociolinguistic competencies. The project aims to integrate scaffolded AI exercises into the first- and second-year language sequence, leveraging chatbots to engage students in authentic, context-rich interactions. The project focuses on developing an open educational resource (OER) comprising AI-driven prompts for teachers and learners, categorized by ACTFL proficiency level and targeted skill. These prompts are designed to reflect various linguistic structures, cultural themes, and social contexts, encouraging learners to critically analyze and interact with AI in meaningful ways. The study also investigates the biases inherent in chatbot responses, stress testing these prompts across different AI models to identify areas where these tools both succeed and fall short. By providing concrete, tested materials, this research seeks to demystify the use of AI in language education and empower educators to integrate these technologies effectively and confidently into their teaching practices.
Presenters
Amanda Dalola is Director of the Language Center and Associate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Minnesota. Her current research projects include the production, perception, and digital media renderings of sociophonetic variables and speech styles in French and Korean, the use of social media applications in the language learning classroom, and the use of translanguaging and open educational resources as open educational practices.
Sabrina Fluegel is a PhD candidate in Hispanic linguistics specializing in the critical analysis of language representation in media. In addition to her academic work, Sabrina applies her expertise in media language to the production of social media content that fosters meaningful digital engagement and anti-racist, multicultural storytelling.