Innovation in Language Learning

Managing Infinity – Language Teaching in the Post-Digital Age

Keywords: infinity; teaching strategies; AI; teaching materials

As language teachers we are deeply aware of the direct effects of technological developments on society, and on our teaching context. The present paper aims to show how a post-digital awareness (meaning the understanding of the social effects of digital technology) should be used to help teachers to navigate the complex choices we face, every time we enter a classroom or search for new resources or techniques to improve our teaching strategies. The language teachers’ task today is to be able to navigate a world of rapid technological development, but also of quite drastic social change and transformations in communicative behaviour. The most immediate challenge for teachers is identified as ‘the infinite choice problem’: the plethora of materials, websites, apps and the sheer availability of text is stressful for teachers and confusing for learners alike. Feelings of disempowerment or increasing disengagement risk diminishing the perceived importance of language learning. Accompanying this is an ever-increasing pressure for us to ‘do a good job’. This issue is exacerbated by significant changes in language itself: interactions are more complex than envisaged by traditional linguistics (the usual spoken-written dichotomy is inadequate to explain language use nowadays, and grammar rules founded upon the ‘centre’ are questioned); the uses of language may be changing; transactional language skills are becoming less important than the ability to present oneself – to express (or create) identity. The paper moves to an attempt to offer suggestions as to the solutions to these dilemmas. Firstly, AI is considered, and through reference to research data and current thinking, it is proposed that we as educators have to accept artificial intelligence and see how we can use it to the advantage of our classes. The data collected suggest we will have to alter our traditional means of assessment, but do not indicate that ‘all is lost’. The huge amount of learning material available leads us to understand the importance of authenticity in every teaching context (i.e. the selection of text (in its broadest sense) for learning must be based on local meanings. Teacher training should take the complexity of our situation into account, and help future teachers to navigate choice and benefit from the richness of textual opportunity on offer. Lastly, it is suggested that language education is the ideal forum for discussion of human values in the age of fake news and Tik-Tok superficiality: it develops our skills of analysis, and evaluation of meaning and so encourages discernment.  

References:

[1] Council of Europe 2020. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching and assessment – Companion Volume, Council of Europe Publishing

[2] The Open University 2016. Creating Open Educational Resources. The Open University Press

[3] Wilks, Yorick. Artificial Intelligence: Modern magic or dangerous future? 2019. Icon Books

[4] Le ‘nuove’ sfide di Babele. Insegnare le lingue nelle società ‘liquide’ 2023. Utet, De Agostini editore