We find ourselves at a pivotal moment where the role of generative AI and other technological tools is reshaping the way we teach and learn languages. The question that lies before us is not whether these innovations will shape the future, but rather how we, as educators, will harness their potential to create meaningful and effective language instruction.
The title of our conference, No Fate: The Future is Not Set, underscores our belief that the future is not predetermined. We hope that our conference will serve both as a platform for collaboration and a catalyst for change as it is via the collective effort of educators, researchers, and innovators that the trajectory of language teaching and learning will be determined. By fostering collaboration, sharing insights, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible, we can shape the future of language education.
Artificial intelligence is a ubiquitous tool that allows users to receive instantaneous, personalized feedback anytime and anywhere (Almelhes, 2023). Due to the limited nature of in-class instruction and individualized teacher feedback, independent language learning skills are essential and have a direct impact on students learning and overall English literacy. Therefore, the use of AI can better meet students' individualized needs, level, and purpose for studying making learning more efficient and effective (Ju and Qu, 2021).
This presentation will demonstrate methods of empowering language learners through independent IELTS and SCW preparation using ChatGPT and XIPU AI. For example, AI can first be used to generate practice questions. Users can specify topics as well as the number of questions to generate. It can also generate sample answers that can be modified for fluency and coherence factors like response length and cohesive devices, vocabulary factors such as CEFR level and collocations, grammatical aspects like sentence complexity, as well as style such as formal or informal. These sample answers can be used for oral speaking practice as a sample of idea organization or serve as a brainstorming tool to inspire other ideas on the topic. Students can also input their own answers to prompts and receive personalized feedback on language and grammar aspects or use AI to refine and clarify by comparing to a sample answer.
