has revolutionised our everyday lives and is also transforming education. Innovative technologies, media and methods are giving new impetus to foreign language learning and bringing people from different cultures together. Personalised exercises on a tablet, direct feedback from or fun, playful elements: digitisation is making foreign language learning flexible, easier and more inclusive, and is simplifying communication with people in other parts of the world.
Language learning in the past: textbooks, grammar books and language labs
Anyone wanting to in the twentieth century, on the other hand, would be largely reliant on textbooks, grammar books, vocabulary lists and index cards – and on a trained teacher to organise the learning process. Lessons, which would traditionally take place in a classroom or seminar room, would focus on reading and writing; conversations with native speakers tended only to be possible by travelling to another country or taking part in exchange programmes. “Language labs were also used to practise pronunciation and improve listening comprehension skills; later, dedicated television programmes, cassettes or CDs were also used for this purpose,” says Professor Thomas Köhler, holder of the chair in educational technology at . “However, such media were used in a one-dimensional manner because it was not possible to interact with them.”
First digital steps in foreign language didactics
From the outset, foreign language didactics was open to and experimented with new technologies: in the 1960s, American universities and research institutions were already developing the first rudimentary digital systems, such as PLATO and TICCIT, which provided vocabulary exercises or grammar tests; in the 1990s, Rosetta Stone was the first commercial platform for digital language learning to appear on the market.
“A big shift began to happen at around the turn of the millennium,” explains Professor Köhler. “Increasingly widespread access to the internet and to digital devices such as smartphones and tablets meant that online platforms offering interactive language courses for different language levels became available to everyone at any time.” Be it on a self-study basis or using a virtual teacher, there are numerous options nowadays that make learning varied and interesting. Some apps use fun and playful elements to motivate users by getting them to collect points, reach different levels or achieve daily goals. This keeps them on track and makes for successful learning. “Computer games that involve gamers playing together and conversing in a foreign language also support the language acquisition process, despite this not being the central focus,” Professor Köhler says.
Social media and online communities as learning aid
Thanks to social media and online communities, communicating with native speakers and people from other cultures is easily possible, with forums inviting people to learn together, share materials or correct texts. Videos posted online also encourage others to engage with foreign languages. “Many of our international students view and listen to media content in the original language,” explains Professor Köhler. “To do so, they use features such as automatic subtitling.” The most innovative advances are currently being achieved by artificial intelligence (AI): e-learning platforms provide among other things automated feedback to highlight weaknesses and optimise learning outcomes. “This makes personalised learning and individualised tuition much easier than in the past,” believes education expert Professor Köhler, adding that AI is also changing the way we perceive media. “We see books as objects and carriers of information, while AI is increasingly becoming a subject that accompanies us in our daily lives.”
Virtual and augmented reality in language learning
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) go one step further: applications such as Mondly AR, FluentWorlds or VirtualSpeech allow users to immerse themselves in other worlds or obtain digital information about their surroundings. Interactive dialogues with simulated characters in cafés and hotels, at markets or in the supermarket or restaurant expand their vocabulary and provide fascinating experiences in the process.
’s AR mode translates texts on traffic signs or menus in real time. “That said, such translation apps also counter the need for language acquisition,” remarks Professor Köhler, explaining that the apps make it possible for people to handle even complex situations in a foreign country themselves without any knowledge of the local language. “It is perfectly conceivable that will one day become superfluous as a result of the technological advances.”
Robots in foreign language lessons
Finland is a good example of how learning is worthwhile and language can be fun, however: there. At schools, Elias the humanoid robot helps adults and children learn vocabulary or practise grammar – with plenty of patience and in a playful manner.
Professor Köhler thinks such approaches would also make sense in German classrooms. “Given the , I would see this as relieving the burden on teachers,” the expert says. “Furthermore, video-based autonomous learning could be used to supplement everyday teaching at universities and schools.”