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While queuing yesterday, I started chatting with a young man who's half-French, half-English and keen to be fluent in French again. Like most of the students who start lessons with me, he said:
'I've been using an app. I want to be fluent in French one day'
to which I replied:
'You will become fluent when you speak to an actual human being, not by typing sentences on your phone'.
That AI is helping society in many ways is undoubtable. That it doesn't – and cannot – replace human intelligence is the point that seems to be missed, especially when it comes to language learning.
Why? Because it's easier, quicker, and feels safer to use an app, especially if said app rates your ''progress'' with scores and messages. The illusion is there, communication on the other hand isn't.
Here's language learning in a nutshell:
The aim = communicating with another human being: family / colleagues / partners / friends.
The risks = not knowing / making mistakes.
The process = putting in practice the theory of the language by speaking to a person (teacher / language partner).
What that process entails = speaking and taking the risk of potentially not knowing or making a mistake, because you're trying something new.
Conclusion = without the process and the potential mistakes, there's no learning.
Find me a pursuit that does not include the potential risk of making a mistake.
Find me a person who, upon hearing another saying the wrong word, will not help them by correcting said mistake and therefore teach them something in the process.
As far as risks go, this one seems pretty safe indeed.
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