{"id":219308,"date":"2025-07-29T15:08:24","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T01:08:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=219308"},"modified":"2025-07-29T15:08:49","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T01:08:49","slug":"ai-language-learning-uh-manoa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/07\/29\/ai-language-learning-uh-manoa\/","title":{"rendered":"Global educators explore AI<\/abbr> in language learning at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Audience
8th Foreign Language Education and Technology Conference<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa welcomed language educators from around the world for the 8th Foreign Language Education and Technology (FLEAT<\/abbr>) Conference<\/a>, held June 25–28.<\/p>\n

More than 220 participants from 14 countries, ranging from K–12<\/abbr> teachers to university faculty, came together to explore how technology, especially generative AI<\/abbr>, is shaping language teaching and learning.<\/p>\n

Naiyi Xie Fincham, associate director of UH<\/abbr>‘s National Foreign Language Resource Center<\/a> (NFLRC<\/abbr>), spoke about the transformative potential of generative AI<\/abbr> in language instruction.<\/p>\n

\"Naiyi
Naiyi Xie Fincham<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“With purposeful task design and a clear curriculum integration plan, regular conversational practice with a generative AI<\/abbr>\u2013powered agent offers a low-stakes, low-stress space for independent language learning\u2014delivering personalized, level-appropriate feedback, fostering self-regulated learning skills, and providing teachers with concrete evidence of each learner\u2019s proficiency development to enable tailored instruction.”<\/p>\n

Engaging with AI<\/abbr><\/h2>\n

Many presentations focused on the use of AI<\/abbr> tools in curriculum design, assessment and student engagement. These are areas where both NFLRC<\/abbr> and Center for Language and Technology<\/a> (CLT<\/abbr>) at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa already support educators with free resources and professional development.<\/p>\n

“Our centers at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa are helping shape the future of language education by supporting educators in navigating the rapidly evolving AI<\/abbr> landscape,” said Julio C. Rodriguez, director of CLT<\/abbr>, NFLRC<\/abbr> and the Language Flagship Technology Innovation Center<\/a> at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa. “Whether it\u2019s designing new tools, creating professional learning opportunities, or fostering collaboration, we\u2019re committed to making AI<\/abbr> a resource that enhances teaching and learning and helps realize human potential.”<\/p>\n

Featured speaker Michele Anciaux Aoki, respected advocate for international education and world languages, called attention to the potential of AI<\/abbr> to open access to less commonly taught and heritage languages<\/a>. However, Aoki also cautioned that AI<\/abbr> should support but not replace human connection, underscoring the need to keep learning rooted in culture and community.<\/p>\n

Reimagining language labs<\/h2>\n
\"Richard
Richard Medina specializes in human computer interaction at CLT.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

FLEAT<\/abbr> 8 audiences also heard from Carol Goss, who leads a language and intercultural learning center at Valparaiso University. She encouraged educators to reimagine language labs as collaborative, intercultural spaces, not just places to practice grammar drills.<\/p>\n

Hosted by UH<\/abbr>\u2019s NFLRC<\/abbr> and CLT<\/abbr>, FLEAT<\/abbr> 8 was co-organized with the International Association for Language Learning Technology and the Japan Association for Language Education and Technology.<\/p>\n

The FLEAT<\/abbr> conference happens every five years, alternating between Japan and the U.S., and highlights the growing connection between technology and world language education.<\/p>\n

For more, visit the NFLRC<\/abbr> website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 8th FLEAT<\/abbr> conference brought K-12 teachers and university faculty together to explore how generative AI<\/abbr> is shaping language teaching and learning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[1602,214,1688,792,9],"class_list":["post-219308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-ai","tag-language","tag-language-flagship-technology-innovation-center","tag-national-foreign-language-resource-center","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t