Generative AI in Language Teaching: The need for AI Literacies
Guest post by Frederick J Poole, Assistant Professor in the MSU Master of Arts in Foreign Language Teaching (MAFLT) and OLT Initiative’s newest instructor.
In 2022, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT making it the first large language model (LLM) that was widely accessible to the general public. ChatGPT demonstrated capabilities previously thought impossible for computers, including generating lengthy, coherent, novel texts and seemingly comprehending complex human prompts. Over the past two years, this technology has continued to advance rapidly. Today, interactions with generative AI (GenAI) continue to amaze users. Audio conversations can interact and respond in real-time with fluid and natural human-like conversations. Newer AI tools can be used to generate music, provide up-to-date news, perform detailed data analyses and visualizations, write software code, among many other increasingly complex tasks.
With the hype surrounding these new GenAI tools and the exponential rate at which new tools are developed and advanced, it is no surprise that many industries and fields are scrambling to catch up. I’ve experienced this firsthand. In the past two years I’ve gone from giving two or three presentations/workshops a year on technology related topics to nearly 20 workshops a year on GenAI. When applied to the classroom, GenAI can be used to create novel texts for any topic of interest, graded readers, and/or lesson plans and activities. Additionally, when prompted correctly it can provide formative feedback and act as a conversational partner, among many other tasks. To put it simply, GenAI can be a catalyst for innovation in language teaching and learning.
As language educators continue to explore GenAI tools and their uses, developing AI literacy becomes essential. Given the increasingly powerful capabilities of GenAI and the rate at which it improves, focusing on one tool or even what that one tool can do will not be fruitful. Instead, language teachers must develop AI literacies which allow them to a) understand how GenAI models work at basic level, b) create prompts that maximize the quality of output, c) apply understanding of GenAI models to critically evaluate GenAI tools, d) creatively explore use-cases of GenAI that are embedded in pedagogically sound teaching approaches, and e) understand the ethical concerns around AI, See Figure 1.
These literacies are all interconnected and thus developing skills/knowledge in one domain often leads to learning in another. For instance, by developing a basic understanding of how AI generates content, how it is trained, and subsequently how it is integrated into other tools, language educators will develop a framework to evaluate AI-based tools to determine which tools will best support their needs. Similarly, part of using AI to enhance learning rather than to replace it, ultimately means learning how to prompt AI models with specific details and principles around sound pedagogical practices.
In the upcoming OLT course called Language Teaching with Generative AI: Harnessing AI to Elevate Instruction, sponsored by the National LCTL Resource Center (and thus free this summer), we will explore each of these AI literacies and discuss practical applications of AI that can be directly applied to your classroom. Initially, we will establish basic knowledge of generative AI—its data training processes and fine-tuning techniques. Next we will take a deep dive into prompting techniques to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of using GenAI. Lastly, we will explore several use cases that align directly with TBLT and communicative language teaching principles. The goal of this course is ultimately to illustrate how teachers can leverage GenAI tools to enhance what they do in the classroom rather than replace their instructional time.
When applied to pedagogically sound approaches like TBLT and communicative language, GenAI has the possibility to allow teachers to completely revamp their entire curriculum in hours rather than days. It can be used to create differentiated instruction and even transform what is possible in and out of the classroom. Yet at the same time there is a fear that such tools can be used to cheat and thus bypass the learning process or even discourage learners from learning a language all together. By developing our AI literacies, we not only recognize how AI can and should be used but we also learn about the pitfalls and subsequently how they can be avoided.
I am excited to continue exploring these tools with participants of the OLT course, and while it would be impossible to explore all the complexities and possibilities of GenAI in a three-week course, I do aim to provide you with a strong introduction that will hopefully encourage you to continue using, exploring, and critically reflecting on how when and how GenAI can/should be used in your language classroom.
