Innovation in Language Learning

Recent discussions on factors influencing teachers' effectiveness have spurred research into teachers' interpersonal relationships and classroom performance [1] and [2]. While studies have explored teachers' effectiveness and the use of corpora in language learning [4], no research has examined the connection between teachers' effectiveness and the use of NLP tools in the classroom. This study investigates the impact of NLP tools on teachers' professional development and their role in teaching Italian, using peer and self-assessment [3] by trainee teachers. Students from the Italian Language and Literature department at the University of Athens were asked to use NLP tools to teach a linguistic phenomenon, text, or vocabulary unit and to prepare the same lesson using a different strategy without NLP tools. After delivering both lessons, the trainees were evaluated by peers and self-assessed using predetermined criteria for teachers' effectiveness. The results show a strong acceptance of NLP tools and a tendency among trainees to adopt them in language teaching. However, some challenges were identified, mainly concerning access to digital teaching resources in certain educational contexts.