ChatGPT can help you learn a new language
Finding creative uses for AI in education, without letting a computer do all the work
In my quest to become fluent in Danish before starting my job, I’ve found that ChatGPT is a perfect tool for language-learning.
When I stumble across a word I don’t know while browsing r/Denmark, for example, I can simply copy-paste the word into a pre-generated ChatGPT prompt that goes a little something like this:
“Give me the definition of _____. If it’s a noun, give me its gender. If it’s a verb, provide me with the present tense, past tense, and past perfect tense. Give me two synonyms, and two antonyms. Give me two example sentences in which the word appears, along with their English translations. Additionally, explain the word’s etymology.”
When I type in a Danish word like venskab, ChatGPT prints something like this:
What’s neat about AI is its ability to combine several tasks. I no longer have to switch across multiple tabs: looking a word up in the dictionary, checking a thesaurus, finding example sentences with ReversoContext, and exploring its etymology with Etymonline. Nor do I have to agonize over finding the correct gender or verb tenses.
ChatGPT does all the annoying work for me. It helps me to stay focused on the important part — learning. When I have all the pieces of the puzzle laid right in front of me, memorizing the definition of a word becomes easy, even fun.
Educators around the world are worried about the proliferation of ChatGPT in schools, and rightfully so. As a part-time coach for high schoolers aiming to publish their research, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen telltale signs of AI in my students’ papers (such as "rich tapestry," "delve," a noticeable lack of citations, and bolded numbered lists).
The truth is that AI tools are already widely used by students of all ages, from writing masters’ theses to college essays to forging middle school book reports. It’s a fast, simple, and cheap way to get work done quickly.
Unfortunately, when a student immediately jumps to AI before trying to work something out on their own, it hinders their critical thinking skills and creativity. They’re not truly building knowledge, and when the time comes to test their knowledge without such tools, they often fail.
The future of education under AI might seem bleak.
But I believe it’s also important to recognize the ways AI tools can be used for good in education. Think study questions, explanations of difficult concepts, and advice for overcoming procrastination. In these ways, AI tools facilitate the learning process by providing tailored instruction that best suits the student’s needs, WITHOUT doing all the work for them.
I graduated from university last month. I’m no longer a student, but I am still a learner. Right now, my focus is on Danish. From my experience, I know that it isn’t easy to learn a language. It’s hard work — done mostly on my own — and it requires time and focus. But I’ve found that using ChatGPT can streamline the process. An AI cannot teach you a language (yet), but it can make it easier for you to teach yourself. Plus, you can just start typing prompts in your target language if you need a fake buddy to converse with.
I will continue looking for fun ways to incorporate AI into my learning. And I think you should, too.