Have you recently switched to using AI for any of your learning tasks? Or maybe you're using AI in other ways that simplify your life? In this article, we look at the pros and cons of both AI and human-led instruction in (online) English lessons. We also look at how human teachers can use AI to augment their teaching, and create more focused and effective learning environments for their students, and finally, we discuss what we believe to be the future of online language learning.
The rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has changed many fields, including education. AI has been referred to as a disruptive technology that will fundamentally change the way we live and work, and has been met with mixed responses. Some people are excited about the potential opportunities it offers, while others fear being replaced by the technology.
As English language teachers working primarily online, we are not immune to these same hopes and fears. On the one hand, we see the potential AI offers for saving us time while also improving the quality of our instruction and our learners' experience in the classroom. On the other hand, we have been ‘prompted’ (excuse the pun) to ask the difficult question facing many professionals today: “Are the robots going to replace us?”.
Obviously, we are biassed. However, we believe that an important feature that sets human-led teaching apart from AI language learning is the relational incentive that human teachers have to consider the best interests of their students. Your success is our success! In this article we try to offer you an informed, and honest discussion of the positives and negatives of both AI and human-led lessons so that you can make the best decision based on your needs.
AI-based platforms and apps are becoming very popular tools for learning English with AI. They offer unique benefits that are changing opportunities within the English learning arena. As we dive into our thoughts on the topic, we share what we have learned from our own research, practical experience, the feedback we have received from our students, and our own trial tests with AI. What we hope to show is that while AI has become indispensable in a remarkably short period, human teachers remain no less important.
While there are significant differences in the way AI technologies are incorporated and employed across different apps and online platforms, for the purpose of our discussion, we use AI as a general term to refer to all online learning tools that make use of AI to deliver language instruction.
AI platforms can customise learning to the specific needs of an individual. They process large data sets to analyse a learner's progress and adapt lessons accordingly, offering instant personalised feedback and targeted exercises to address specific weaknesses. This level of personalisation is especially helpful in large educational settings where individual attention from human teachers is limited.
One of the biggest advantages of AI tutors is that they are available 24/7. Learners can access study materials, practice exercises, and quizzes anytime, which is very useful for those in different time zones or with irregular schedules. This constant availability ensures that learners can study at their own pace and convenience.
Some learners, especially those at a beginner level, might feel intimidated by the idea of communicating with a real person at first. For beginners, language learning apps (like Duo Lingo or Babbel) can be a great way to start their language learning journey. They can help to build vocabulary and practise basic language structures without feeling self-conscious.
AI can provide endless practice opportunities without getting tired. Interactive exercises, quizzes, and conversational simulations help reinforce learning through repetition and instant feedback. This continuous practice is essential for mastering the nuances of a new language.
Additionally, AI platforms are often more affordable compared to traditional classes with human teachers. This cost-effectiveness makes online English lessons accessible to more people, including those who might not be able to afford personal tutoring.
Despite these advantages, AI learning has some major drawbacks. A significant issue is the lack of real human interaction. This may seem obvious and easy to point out but let’s look at why this is essential to consider for language acquisition. Learning a language is more than just grammar, vocabulary and an automated chat message asking you how your day was; it involves understanding cultural nuances and emotional and even physical contexts, areas where AI struggles to provide effective learning experiences. The human touch in teaching brings warmth, empathy, and a personal connection that AI cannot replicate.
AI language programs are not perfect. They are trained with large data sets from the internet that originate from human online communication, and they can’t always discern between reliable and unreliable information. They also have a tendency to fabricate certain information which researchers have termed, “hallucinations”. Just like the humans they learn from, they make mistakes, and are not always 100% accurate. While testing out different language learning apps and platforms, we came across several errors that would be difficult to detect for non-native speakers. This is why AI learning tools are best used in conjunction with a human teacher who can check and confirm the accuracy of AI content.
Furthermore, AI cannot understand and respond to the emotional needs of learners. Human teachers offer encouragement, empathy, motivation and accountability which are crucial for keeping students engaged and confident. These human qualities are vital in helping students overcome challenges and stay motivated. One of our students who tried chat bots like Loora and Elsa, explained that despite their affordability, and the appearance of authentic human communication; the chatbot conversations lacked the warmth and authenticity characteristic of human teacher-led lessons i.e. the feeling of being known and seen by another person. At the end of the day, we build rapport with other humans, not bots.
AI also struggles with complex contextual and idiomatic expressions. While it does well in structured language tasks, human teachers, with their deep understanding of language and culture, are better at explaining these subtleties and providing deeper insights into language context and usage. This becomes more important the higher your English level and proficiency. AI platforms and apps can be incredibly helpful when learning the basics of English, but as you progress from a B1/B2 to a C1 level in English, your use of the language becomes more nuanced, context specific and idiomatic in nature and for this kind of fluency, a human teacher will outperform AI every time.
How often do people sign up for online self-paced courses or learning apps, or even a gym membership only to forget about them or lose interest after the first 2-3 weeks? When it comes to accountability and motivation, human teachers tend to outperform AI. Good teachers are invested in their learners' progress, and can help keep them accountable.
Human teachers build personal relationships with their students, offering consideration, encouragement and understanding. They are also more sensitive to the specific insecurities of their students, and can maximise their strong points which can be a lot more motivating than only focusing on areas of weakness. This personal connection creates a supportive learning environment, significantly enhancing motivation and retention. The rapport between teachers and students is crucial for creating a positive and productive learning experience.
Your Psycho-physiological state matters when you are learning a new language. If you feel stressed, anxious, distracted or bored you are not going to learn anything. If you are in a good mood, feel relaxed, curious and motivated you will find learning much easier. This is why finding the right teacher is so important. You want someone who makes you feel excited about learning and practising English on a regular basis.
A human teacher can motivate learners in ways that an AI cannot. While AI can personalise learning and feedback to a degree, it cannot ‘understand you’ in the way that a human can. In fact, it has been shown that our biases around language often cause us to mistake AI’s ability to mimic and produce human language for true intelligence and understanding, in the same way that we tend to falsely judge humans as being less intelligent when they struggle to communicate their ideas clearly in a language that is not their own.
Human teachers provide invaluable insights into cultural contexts and idiomatic language use, which are critical for achieving fluency. They also share personal experiences and cultural anecdotes that enrich the learning process, offering learners a deeper understanding of the language in real-world contexts.
Additionally, they can adapt their teaching styles in real-time, responding to the dynamic needs of their students. They use various teaching methods, including discussions, debates, and real-time feedback, making learning more engaging and effective. This adaptability and creativity in teaching are essential for addressing the diverse needs of learners.
Body language also forms a large part of all human communication. In this regard, a human teacher is far more helpful than an AI. For example, it is often helpful for learners to copy the facial expressions of their instructors when practising the correct pronunciation of words. Most AI tools are still mainly audio and/or text based.
In our own teaching methodology, we use signal repetition in the form of certain physical gestures and vocal inflections to cue subconscious responses from our students. In this way, we can guide our students indirectly to self-correct and/or be more aware of what they are saying or how they are speaking. For example, if a student consistently makes the same mistakes when using pronouns, we as teachers can use our voice and/or body language to highlight the error, which then often prompts the student to be more aware of their mistakes, and self-correct. We have found this to be a more effective and empowering form of correction compared to always pointing out a student’s mistakes directly.
However, human teachers also have their limitations. Unlike AI, they are not available 24/7. Scheduling classes can be challenging, especially across different time zones, and learners may have to wait for feedback and support. This limitation can hinder continuous and flexible learning.
The quality of teaching can also vary significantly among different teachers. Factors such as experience, teaching style, and personal biases can influence the learning outcome, leading to inconsistencies in the educational experience. Additionally, hiring a human teacher, especially for one-on-one sessions, can be expensive. This cost factor may limit access for some learners, making high-quality language education less accessible to a broader audience.
Human teachers cannot analyse large sets of data in real time to immediately generate responses that target specific areas of weakness like AI can. They are inevitably less systematic in their approach to error correction and language teaching which might cause them to miss opportunities for focused instruction.
Despite these limitations, human teachers remain irreplaceable in language education due to several undeniable factors. They provide emotional support and encouragement, which are critical for maintaining student engagement. They can understand and respond to students' emotional states and personal challenges, offering empathy and motivation that AI cannot match. Human teachers can adapt their teaching methods in the moment, using creativity to explain complex concepts which keeps students interested in what they are learning. They can incorporate discussions, role-plays, and real-time feedback in ways that AI, with its current limitations, cannot fully replicate. Importantly, human teachers can make use of AI tools to inform their planning and teaching so that they are able to identify areas of focus faster, and more accurately thereby offering their students ever more effective language instruction.
The future of online English classes is likely to involve a symbiotic relationship between AI and human instructors rather than the redundancy of the latter. We will likely see the rise of blended learning models where AI handles routine tasks, assessments, and personalised drills, while human teachers focus on interactive sessions, deeper discussions, and complex problem-solving activities. This combination maximises the strengths of both AI and human instruction.
An integration of AI and human instruction can provide language learners with a more holistic and comprehensive learning experience. AI provides immediate feedback and additional practice opportunities (especially outside of lesson times), while human teachers offer the guidance and nuanced understanding needed for mastering the subtleties of language.
AI can assist teachers by providing tools for lesson planning, grading, and even generating content. This reduces the administrative burden on teachers, allowing them to spend more time on actual teaching and student interaction. AI can also offer personalised professional development for teachers, analysing their teaching styles and student feedback to suggest areas for improvement.
In conclusion, while AI has introduced significant advancements in online English learning by making it more accessible and personalised, it cannot render human teachers redundant. The irreplaceable human elements of emotional support, cultural insights, and adaptive teaching methods are crucial for effective language acquisition. By embracing a collaborative approach where AI and human teachers complement each other, we can create a richer and more effective educational experience. This synergy ensures that human teachers remain indispensable, not replaced but rather augmented by the capabilities of AI. The future of education looks promising, with AI and human teachers working together to elevate the learning experience and achieve higher levels of English fluency than ever before.
At Foreign Friend, we believe in combining the best of both worlds by integrating AI tools with the expertise of our dedicated human teachers. Our approach ensures that students receive personalized, high-quality English lessons online that cater to their unique needs.
Whether you're a beginner or looking to advance your skills, our blend of technology and human interaction provides an effective and engaging learning experience. Join us to explore how learning English with AI can complement traditional teaching methods, making your journey to fluency both innovative and comprehensive.
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