Google’s Bard on Language Acquisition and Large Language Models

Prompt

Based on your understanding of the ideas and theories of Stephen Krashen write a short presentation that Krashen might give on the possibilities offered by large language models.

Bard’s Response

Good morning. My name is Stephen Krashen, and I am a professor emeritus of linguistics at the University of Southern California. I am here today to talk to you about the possibilities offered by large language models.

Large language models are a type of artificial intelligence that are trained on massive datasets of text. This training allows them to learn the statistical relationships between words and phrases, and to generate text that is similar to the text they were trained on.

Large language models have a number of potential benefits for language learning. First, they can be used to provide learners with comprehensible input. Comprehensible input is input that is just a little bit beyond the learner’s current level of proficiency. It is input that the learner can understand with a little bit of effort.

Large language models can provide comprehensible input in a number of ways. They can be used to generate personalized stories, articles, and other texts that are tailored to the learner’s individual needs. They can also be used to translate texts from one language to another, which can help learners to access a wider range of materials.

Second, large language models can be used to provide feedback on learners’ output. Output is the production of language by the learner. It is the process of speaking, writing, and reading.

Feedback on output can help learners to improve their accuracy, fluency, and grammar. Large language models can provide feedback on output in a number of ways. They can be used to identify errors in grammar and usage. They can also be used to provide suggestions for how to improve the accuracy, fluency, and style of the learner’s output.

Third, large language models can be used to create new learning experiences. For example, they can be used to create virtual worlds where learners can interact with native speakers and practice their language skills. They can also be used to create games and other interactive activities that make learning fun and engaging.

In conclusion, large language models have a number of potential benefits for language learning. They can be used to provide comprehensible input, feedback on output, and new learning experiences. I believe that large language models have the potential to revolutionize language learning.


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About [email protected]

I retired as a professor at Brigham Young University (BYU) in 2016 where I was Associate Professor of French and Instructional Pyschology & Technology. I arrived there in 1992 after my retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel from a 20-year career in the US Air Force. Most of that time was spent on the faculty at the US Air Force Academy (USAFA), during what I call my first career. For over forty years I have been creating interactive video applications for supporting language. The lab at the Language Learning Center at USAFA engaged in ground-breaking efforts conducted within a mentored learning setting. The lab’s work involved the development of technologies and instructional design strategies for the use of video in the language acquisition process as well as with architectures that support online learning and facilitate learning about learning. I have a BA in Political Science from BYU, an MBA from the University of Missouri, and a PhD in Foreign Language Education and Computer Science from The Ohio State University. At the Air Force Academy I was a key member of the team that designed what was then the largest interactive videodisc-based learning center on a college campus. When I retired from BYU I directed the ARCLITE Lab, which was involved in the creation of online learning materials for language learning as well as video and interactive technologies for learning.
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