View this article in RussianIntroduction
In the modern world, knowledge of the English language plays an important role in personal and professional development. However, the process of learning English can be challenging for both students and teachers. Personalization of learning is one of the key factors that can make lessons more effective and engaging.
Article objective
The objective of this article is to explore the possibilities of personalizing English language lessons using artificial intelligence and examine how this innovative technology can help teachers adapt the educational process to the needs of each student.
Article tasks
- Examine the possibilities of using artificial intelligence in personalizing English language lessons.
- Study examples of successful implementation of personalization in English language lessons using artificial intelligence.
- Provide practical recommendations and suggest approaches that allow for effective implementation of personalization principles in English language lessons using artificial intelligence.
Personalization of English language lessons using artificial intelligence
Personalization of English language lessons using artificial intelligence can serve as a foundation for creating a more effective and individualized educational environment, where each student can fully unleash their potential and achieve success in mastering the English language.
As a model for personalizing English language lessons using artificial intelligence, we will use the following methodology – a step-by-step instruction, which can be found in the works of Barry, R., & Hay, K. (2020), Bigg, E., & Barry, R. (2017), Bigg, E., & Hay, K. (2018) [1, 2, 3]:
1) Data collection and analysis. First, it is necessary to collect data about the students, including information about their progress, preferences, task responses, and characteristics. Then, analyze this data to identify connections and patterns that can be used for personalizing the educational process.
English language group, 10th grade, 15 students. 3 different levels (advanced – 3 students, intermediate – 7 students, low – 2 students).
• 1 student with autism spectrum disorder (fluent in English, lived in England).
• 1 hyperactive student, can work individually, has little proficiency in English.
• 1 student with reading and writing difficulties, good speaking and understanding skills.
2) Selection and application of machine learning algorithms. Based on the data analysis, suitable machine learning algorithms are chosen for personalizing the educational process.
Query to AI:
English language lesson on the topic “Family.” Come up with 3-4 different tasks (for all types of speech activities: listening, speaking, reading, writing) for 3 different levels (advanced – 3 students, intermediate – 7 students, low – 2 students), for a duration of 45 minutes, for 10th grade students. There are 15 students in the group. Also, take into account that there are:
• 1 student with autism spectrum disorder (fluent in English, lived in England).
• 1 hyperactive student, can work individually, has little proficiency in English.
• 1 student with reading and writing difficulties, good speaking and understanding skills.
3) Development of personalized materials. Personalized educational materials are developed based on the results of machine learning algorithms. These materials can be offered to students for further learning according to their needs and abilities.
AI response:
High level:
1. Reading assignment: Distribute a text to students about their relatives’ hobbies. Ask them to read the text and answer questions related to its content. Then, students will discuss a set of questions in pairs.
2. Writing assignment: Ask students to write an essay on the topic “How My Family Influences Me.” Encourage them to share their stories, mentioning the roles of different family members and the influence they have on them. Students can use their personal experiences and draw examples from literature or movies.
3. Group project work: Divide the class into groups and ask each group to create a family tree for a fictional character. Students should present information about parents, siblings, grandparents, etc. At the end of the activity, each group will present their tree to the class, describing each family member.
Medium level:
1. Speaking assignment: Divide students into pairs and give them question cards with questions about family and relatives. One student asks the questions, and the other answers. Then they switch roles. The goal of the task is to practice oral speaking skills on the topic of “family.”
2. Reading and comprehension assignment: Distribute a short text to students about the characteristics considered important for healthy family relationships. Ask them to read the text and answer questions related to its content. Then they can discuss their answers with a partner.
3. Individual listening task: Offer an audio recording of a short story about a family to a hyperactive student and ask them to answer questions about the content. Give them the opportunity to listen to the recording several times if it helps them better understand the content and formulate correct answers.
Low level:
1. Vocabulary assignment: Prepare cards with illustrations depicting different family members. Ask students to match each card with the corresponding word in English.
2. Speaking assignment: Instruct students to pair up. Give them the task of telling each other about their families using simple phrases and expressions in English. They can describe how many siblings they have, the names of their parents, etc.
3. Reading and writing assignment: Ask students to read a short text about themselves and their family and write a brief autobiography. Provide suggested phrases and expressions for them to include in their writing. Optionally, students can share their autobiographies with the class to practice oral speech.
Student with autism spectrum disorder:
For a student with autism spectrum disorder who speaks English fluently, any of the above tasks can be adapted according to their needs. Provide them the opportunity to work individually if it is more convenient for them. Be sure to consider their interests and preferences when creating tasks.
Student with reading and writing difficulties:
For a student with reading and writing difficulties, include more oral and oral-written communication exercises in the tasks. Allocate more time for discussion and speaking to help this student actively participate and express their thoughts orally. Also, use visual aids and pictures to facilitate understanding and engage this student.
4) Evaluation of effectiveness and model improvement. After implementing the model, it is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness. To do this, the materials should be assessed in terms of student achievement.
High level:
3. Group project: Divide the class into groups and ask each group to create a family tree for a fictional character. Students should provide information about their character’s parents, siblings, grandparents, etc. At the end of the project, each group will present their family tree to the class, describing each family member.
The project went well. The students were active and worked well in teams. The results were excellent. Due to this, the reading assignment and the writing assignment had to be canceled.
1. Reading assignment: Distribute a text to students about their relatives’ hobbies. Ask them to read the text and answer questions related to its content. Then, students will discuss a set of questions in pairs.
2. Writing assignment: Ask students to write an essay on the topic “How my family influences me.” Encourage them to share their stories, mentioning the roles of different family members and the influence they have on them. They can use their personal experiences as well as examples from literature or movies.
Intermediate level:
1. Speaking assignment: Divide students into pairs and give them question cards about family and relatives. One student asks the questions, and the other answers. Then, they switch roles. The goal of the assignment is to practice oral skills on the topic of “family.”
There are many calm and inactive students in this group. Therefore, a reading and comprehension assignment would be more suitable for them. The speaking assignment will not be used.
2. Reading and comprehension assignment: Distribute a short text to students about important characteristics for healthy family relationships. Ask them to read the text and answer questions related to its content. Then, they can discuss their answers with a partner.
3. Individual listening assignment: Provide a hyperactive student with an audio recording of a short story about a family. Ask them to listen to the recording and answer questions related to its content. Allow them to listen to the recording multiple times if it helps them better understand the content and formulate correct answers. This assignment is suitable for the hyperactive student.
They even joined the teamwork of the strong students.
Low level:
The vocabulary assignment and the reading and writing assignment went well. They practiced their writing skills and learned new words.
1. Vocabulary assignment: Prepare cards with illustrations depicting different family members. Ask students to match each card with the corresponding word in English.
2. Speaking assignment: Instruct students to pair up. Give them the task of telling each other about their families using simple phrases and expressions in English. They can describe the number of siblings they have, the names of their parents, etc.
3. Reading and writing assignment: Ask students to read a short text about themselves and their families and write a short autobiography. Provide them with suggested phrases and expressions to include in their writing. Optionally, students can share their autobiographies with the class to practice oral speech.
Student with autism spectrum disorder:
For a student with spectrum disorder who speaks English fluently, any of the above-mentioned tasks can be adapted according to their needs. Provide them with the option to work individually if that is more comfortable for them. Make sure to consider their interests and preferences when creating tasks.
The student completed the reading and writing assignment from the advanced group.
1. Reading assignment: Distribute a text to the students about their relatives’ hobbies. Ask them to read the text and answer questions related to its content. Then, have the students discuss a set of questions in pairs.
2. Writing assignment: Ask the students to write an essay on the topic “How My Family Influences Me”. Encourage them to share their stories, mentioning the roles of different family members and the influence they have on them. Students can use their personal experiences as well as examples from literature or movies.
Student with writing and reading difficulties:
For a student with difficulties in writing and reading skills, include more oral and oral-written communication exercises in the tasks. Allow more time for discussion and speaking to help this student actively participate and express their thoughts orally. Also, use visual aids and pictures to facilitate understanding and engage this student.
The student joined the group work with the advanced group as there was no requirement for writing and reading.
Conclusions
This article discussed the relevant topic of personalization of education using artificial intelligence in an English language lesson.
As a result of the research, it was found that the use of artificial intelligence can significantly improve the learning process and achieve higher results. Personalization of education is becoming a reality thanks to the analysis of student data and the creation of individual tasks, and potentially individual educational programs.
Artificial intelligence provides the opportunity to develop personalized recommendations for each student, which contributes to increased motivation and learning effectiveness. This technology can be a tool for developing more individual and effective learning, allowing each student to reach their potential.
Through collaboration between teachers and artificial intelligence, we can create a modern educational system that ensures a successful future for every student.
References
- Barry, R., & Hay, K. (2020). Making sense of data: Researching language development at the intersection of data-driven learning and personalised learning. In D. Nunan & J. Richards (Eds.), Language learning beyond the classroom: Exploring research pathways, p. 96-112.
- Bigg, E., & Barry, R. (2017). Personalising language learning: Current theory and practice. English Profile Journal, 8(1), p. 1-26.
- Bigg, E., & Hay, K. (2018). Data-driven learning and linguistic diversity: Specifying tasks to provide support for autonomous learning. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, 8(3), p. 1-17.