Die disruptive Kraft in klassenräumen oder über die KI-unterstützten Tools beim Fremdsprachenlehren und -lernen

Abstract

The article discusses Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a disruptive power, i.e., a power that – as the dictionary SSKJ states – “because of its otherness, its visionary conception in relation to the status quo, acts boldly and unexpectedly”. At the beginning of the paper, the theoretical background of AI tools is presented, along with some examples of the potential and problems of their use in foreign language teaching. The use of AI-powered tools in foreign language teaching must be thoroughly considered, researched, and regulated at national and supranational levels – e.g., the ethical aspects of using AI in teaching, intellectual property, data protection, and the actual impact of AI-assisted learning. Beyond these challenges, it is worth highlighting, exploring, and, above all, exploiting the potential of AI-based tools and the potential and constructive use of these tools in and for foreign language teaching. In the second part of the paper, the selected AI-based tools suitable for foreign language teaching are briefly presented and analysed through a use case. The advantages and disadvantages of these tools and their use for language learning, chatbots (including ChatGPT), AI-based tools for writing and text proofreading (grammar and spelling), and machine translation tools are illustrated using examples. Despite the advantages, disadvantages, and problems that the use of AI-powered tools entails, the paper aims to highlight their benefits and potential with regard to optimizing users’ — i.e., teachers and learners – time, and, above all, we want to encourage their constructive use.