Have you ever wondered if you could learn a new language with the help of ChatGPT?
As ChatGPT is a natural language processing model, I wondered if it would be possible to converse with ChatGPT in a new language and perhaps prompt it to recognize mistakes.
Some studies have already shown promising results for the utilization of ChatGPT as a second language learning tool (Kim et al., 2023).
My goal for next year is to learn Spanish. I thus decided to test ChatGPT to see if it could be a feasible learning tool, for example for grammar checking or simply written conversation.
The first step to transform ChatGPT into a language-learning tool is to input the following prompt:
ChatGPT will then ask which language you would like to learn and will prompt you to choose a topic you would like to learn about. The fact that ChatGPT is available in more than 50 languages surely helps in switching from your native language to the second one you would like to learn (or in my case from second to third language).
For example, I tried simulating a situation where I would need to order at a restaurant.
In this example, ChatGPT also acts as a narrator for the situation, as it describes what would happen in the situation (See the prompt: “After you sit at your table. Once sat, I would give you the menu. What would you like to order from the menu”).
ChatGPT was also helpful in the instance where I didn’t know what a specific sentence meant:
The suggestions on how to continue the conversation allow you to carry on with the exercise.
One evident issue I personally found with this learning method is that ChatGPT won’t correct your mistakes unless specifically prompted to.
As proven by this experiment, ChatGPT can be a helpful tool in learning a new language, as it allows for smooth conversation and easy translation (compared to, for example, looking up the translation on Google).
Due to the fact that I am not a complete beginner in Spanish, I believe it would also be worth exploring whether this tool is suitable for absolute beginners.
Of course, one of the obvious limits of ChatGPT is that it would not be possible to practice speaking conversation and pronunciation.
Kim, S., Shim, J., & Shim, J. (2023). A Study on the Utilization of OpenAI ChatGPT as a Second Language Learning Tool. Journal of Multimedia Information System, 10(1), 79-88.
