The Use of Persona in Foreign Language Learning Facilitated by Chatbots

Abstract

Abstract At present, it is natural for young people to use different digital tools to learn a foreign language. The aim of this article is to explore what kind of chatbot for learning a foreign language at A1-B1 level students would welcome and create a persona (i.e., a typical foreign language user) of a chatbot for learning a foreign language. The research employed a quantitative approach using a questionnaire survey to gather data from 109 respondents. The findings revealed that simplicity, quick practice opportunities, gamification features, accessibility, and cost-free usage were the most valued features of chatbots for language learning. The study also highlights the importance of immediate feedback, user-friendly interfaces, and short-term interactions for optimal chatbot usage. Furthermore, the results shed light on the preferred learning methods, such as spoken communication and writing, as well as user goals, including vocabulary expansion, comprehension improvement, and grammar enhancement. By developing personas, educational chatbot developers can tailor the designs and content of chatbots to better meet the needs of learners and thus enhance foreign language learning experiences for them.