Challenging the System Part 4: Are we ripe for AI to take over in language teaching?

 Here's a scary thought. Is MFL teaching in exactly the sort of place where AI could take over and do the job instead of us?

Firstly there's the nature of language learning. One view has it that language learning consists of meeting words and vocabulary in different contexts in a meticulously constructed and tracked series of encounters with words being met and recalled at intervals. AI can generate sentences to practise this and could track success and failure in recalling words.

Then there's the systemic failures of languages in the English system:

A Primary sector under resourced to meet the vision of pupils in this age group learning languages through listening and joining in with routines, games, songs, stories and cross curricular opportunities. A secondary sector being pushed towards grammar and vocabulary. Unfair grading and the subsequent narrative that there must be something wrong with language teaching. A sixth form offering that does not meet the demands of learners, with more young people using Duolingo than taking the niche academic A Level. Universties where the tragic demise of philology degrees risks dragging down with it the provision of non specialist language learning centres for students of all disciplines.

I don't think we would set out to replace Primary teaching of languages with AI. But it may happen by the back door. Teachers who may feel ill-equipped to teach a language, may readily turn to AI for planning, resources, and even as an interactive teaching tool. They may welcome a source of content which is readily accessible and solves problems of resources and confidence in the language. They may feel that given the circumstances, AI enables them to do better. In teacher tapp surveys, when teachers are asked what aspect of the curriculum they would rather leave to someone else, Languages often tops the vote. If a safe AI interface came along, that pupils could engage with directly, it might feel like a step forward.

Likewise at secondary, where there are staffing issues, AI could present a solution. And elsewhere it could be pushed as a tool for pupils to be more independent in their learning and for learning to be more personalised. Two buzz words that are easy for policy makers to eagerly pick up on.

Post-16 where schools and colleges have no mainstream language learning pathways, AI can solve the problem of the need for individualised language learning at different levels and in a range of different languages for different learners. Some may have a GCSE in a language, some may not. Some may want to continue with the same language, some may want to start a new one. It's unlikely that sixth forms could provide individualised teaching of a range of languages. But Duolingo already does. And AI could...

Is this desirable? The deficiencies of our system could be mitigated by use of AI. Were it to one day be reliable and safe.

There are two dangers here. One is that in the face of a defective system, this does nothing to do what needs doing. What needs to be done is to deal with the systemic failure. Underfunding at Primary, unfair grading at GCSE, lack of mainstream language learning post-16. AI might help with some of these disasters. But it would be much better to tackle the real problems in the system.

Secondly, it may offer the hope of improving on what can be done in a broken system. But it doesn't come close to what could be done in a working system.

Language learning has to be more than gameified recall of vocabulary and grammar. Or interacting with a machine. Points, levels, streaks... these are all aspects of addiction to screens that we see bringing a deterioration of young people's lives. They are no replacement for what should be the positives of language learning. At Primary, AI would take us away from the magic of pupils using language in songs, games, stories, creativity, routines, daily life. It would take us away from ownership of language and identity as a language learner. It would take us away from communication.

As language teachers, we can respond to AI with all the things we do best. International and intercultural communication, self expression and imagination. The things stopping us are built into the system. And AI would do nothing to remove those obstacles. We need to challenge the system and change the narrative before someone proposes AI as the wrong answer to the wrong problem.