Speaker
Description
AI chatbots are increasingly used in language learning, yet research reveals key limitations that must be addressed to enhance their pedagogical value. Many chatbots lack pragmatic and contextual understanding, limiting learners’ development of pragmatic competence (Lee et al., 2024). Their language output sometimes has awkward phrasing or unnatural responses (Li et al., 2022; Voss & Waring, 2024). Additionally, limited personalization and adaptive interaction can lead to shallow conversations and decreased learner engagement (Bibauw et al., 2020). Most also provide minimal corrective feedback and rarely support form-focused instruction, key factors in second language acquisition (Bibauw et al., 2020; Shin et al., 2024).
To address these gaps, this project introduces a chatbot designed to support communicative competence through task-based interaction. The system guides learners through meaningful tasks while offering occasional corrective feedback and drawing attention to form. The chatbot’s design follows principles from Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), including Ellis’s (2005) task criteria, González-Lloret and Ortega’s (2014) guidance on technology-mediated TBLT, and Robinson and Gilabert’s (2007) task sequencing based on the Cognition Hypothesis. In addition, programming the chatbot to offer appropriate feedback and engage in negotiation of meaning requires careful tuning of large language model (LLM) outputs to simulate teacher-like interaction.
This presentation will highlight: (1) key considerations for designing chatbot-mediated tasks, (2) examples of AI-integrated tasks with learner data analysis, and (3) practical suggestions for teachers interested in creating or adapting chatbot-based activities. We also explore implications for future development in language learning technology.
Biography
Dr. Linh Phung is a language educator, researcher, and creator with 20 years of experience in language education. She is the Founder of the Eduling Speak app, which offers specialized English courses based on communicative tasks and games. As an author, she has published four language learning books and three children's books. As a researcher, she has her research published in high impact journals. Her professional experience also involves working as the Director of the English Language Program at Chatham University for 12 years, serving as an English Language Specialist with the U.S. Department of State, working at Shorelight as a senior research analyst, and being Chief Learning Officer of Pangea Chat.
