Teachers’ Guide – AI & Spoken English 

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing language learning, particularly in spoken English. AI-powered platforms are instrumental in enhancing students' speaking skills by offering a supportive environment where they can practice without fear of judgment. These platforms use machine learning to provide personalized learning experiences while adapting to individual speech patterns and proficiency levels as well as offering immediate feedback to various aspects of language performance. Learners can self-assess and track their progress over time as they enjoy multiple authentic practice opportunities. Additionally, the accessibility of AI platforms allows students to learn at their convenience. For teachers, these platforms offer detailed analytics, enable data-driven decisions to optimize teaching strategies. In English education we wanted to take advantage of these gains to enhance speaking skills for every learner. An AI-driven platform was piloted by the Ministry of Education to assist students in preparing for the Computerized Oral Bagrut Exam (COBE). 

I am sure teachers and students alike will benefit from immediate and personalized feedback, aligned practice with exam requirements, and an interface with the Moodle system for progress tracking. This was a successful pilot that has full potential to reach many learners and revolutionize the way spoken English is taught and learned in the Israeli English classroom.

Dr. Tziona Leve, Director of Languages Department, Ministry of Education

Our AI pilot with English teachers was a real eye-opener. We were surprised by how enthusiastic the teachers were. They attended every meeting and eagerly integrated AI tools into their classrooms. Their collaborative spirit and valuable feedback were essential to the project's success. It was clear that this experience boosted the teachers' confidence and professional growth. They were excited to learn new things and saw the benefits of investing their time. This enthusiasm was contagious among their students.

Students loved exploring new AI tools and felt that they helped them practice speaking. We were amazed to see shy students becoming more confident and talkative when using AI. The lessons became more engaging and interesting with the addition of AI tools. Students mentioned that they enjoyed the lessons more when AI was incorporated.

Looking ahead, we want to explore more AI tools to find ways to help students speak even more easily, fluently, and for longer. We also aim to discover AI tools that can support all aspects of English language learning. Expanding the project to more classrooms is another goal.

This pilot has shown us the incredible potential of AI in education, and we're excited to see what the future holds.

Gail Singer & Sigalit Arditi, National Counselors

This teacher guide is designed for any English educator who sees themselves as an innovative practitioner interested in integrating advanced technologies into their teaching, especially AI. It will be particularly valuable for teachers preparing students for the spoken English component of the matriculation exams.

This guide provides a roadmap for teachers who are eager to leverage cutting-edge technological tools to enhance their instructional approaches, especially in the context of preparing students for the COBE (Oral Bagrut) examination.

The Ministry of Education established a platform for learning spoken English in preparation for the Bagrut exams:  The Computerized Oral Bagrut Exam (COBE). This platform allows your students to record themselves, upload the recording to the website, wait for your analysis and feedback, and receive the feedback. The platform is hosted on the Moodle system, which enables you to manage a database of your students' progress. Most teachers struggle to listen to such a large number of speaking exercises and provide quick feedback. 

The idea was to locate and develop a platform that would address the challenges of sufficient practice for the Bagrut exams and provide immediate feedback for the student, independently of you, their teacher. Also, this feedback will include in-depth analysis and promote learners' progress. 

After conducting market research on relevant AI-integrated applications that include components of spoken English learning, we selected several applications that met the criteria in terms of technical, pedagogical, and practical aspects:

1. The application allows learners to practice independently – during emergencies when there is no face-to-face learning and during regular times, after school hours.
2.  The application enables practice tailored to the COBE indicators in terms of content, topics, and the distinct skills required in the exam or allows the development of appropriate units.
3.  The application provides automatic, immediate, and personal feedback to the learner on the spoken text according to the Bagrut criteria.
4.   The application will be able to interface with the COBE's Moodle system to indicate the learners' progress to the teacher (alternatively, the entrepreneur expressed willingness to develop this component).
5.   Preference for an Israeli initiative.

Example of one of the dedicated platforms we explored: A screen shot from the Second Nature AI-based platform for practicing spoken English for the COBE test

Imagine a group of high school students, just like the ones you teach, ranging from 15 to 18 years old. They come from 34 different classrooms across 14 schools nationwide. Now, picture a team of 18 exceptional English language teachers hand-picked by the English Inspectorate for their expertise and leadership. These teachers embarked on a six-month pilot to explore the ways AI can transform how students learn spoken English.

The journey began with the teachers coming together six times at critical stages of the research process. They started by asking themselves, "What do our students really need to excel in English?" This question led them to conduct a thorough needs assessment, digging deep to identify the essential requirements for their study.

Armed with a clear understanding of their students' needs, the teachers crafted research questions that would guide their investigation. These questions served as a roadmap, keeping them focused and on track throughout the study. But before they could implement their plans, the teachers needed to be equipped with the right tools and knowledge. That's where the training sessions came in. The teachers underwent extensive training and learned to use and integrate various AI applications into their teaching practices. In addition, they characterized and developed learning units for their students. It was like attending a boot camp for AI in education!

With their new skills and knowledge, the teachers were ready to run test sessions with various selected AI applications, getting their own hands-on experience and discovering how each application could benefit their students.

Finally, it was time to bring AI into the classroom. The teachers implemented the selected AI applications and units, carefully documenting every step. They collected data, jotted down observations, and captured valuable insights. They were gathering clues to solve the mystery of how AI can enhance English language learning.

After the implementation phase, the teachers put on their analyst hats. They pored over the data and experiences they had collected, looking for patterns and revelations. They synthesized their findings, formulating practical recommendations that could guide future research and help other teachers effectively integrate AI into their classrooms.

Through this design-based research, the teachers discovered the incredible potential of AI in English language learning. They found ways to personalize instruction, provide instant feedback, and create engaging learning experiences. They saw their students grow in confidence and proficiency, embracing the power of technology to master the English language.

One of the primary challenges your students may be facing in spoken English is a lack of confidence and fear of making mistakes. AI-powered platforms can help them overcome these barriers by providing a safe and supportive learning environment with interactive exercises and simulations that allow your students to practice their speaking skills without fear of judgment or embarrassment. Through personalized feedback and guidance, your learners can build their confidence and gradually overcome their hesitation to speak in English.

AI-powered platforms leverage machine learning algorithms to provide a personalized learning experience for your students. By analyzing your learners' speech patterns, proficiency levels, and areas for improvement, these platforms can adapt to individual needs and preferences. They can offer targeted feedback, exercises, and resources that cater to each of your student's specific requirements. This personalized approach ensures that your learners receive the most relevant and effective guidance, enabling them to progress at their own pace and focus on their specific weaknesses.

AI-powered platforms offer opportunities for your students to self-assess and monitor their progress in spoken English. These platforms can provide automated assessments of your learners' speaking skills, evaluating factors such as pronunciation, fluency, grammar, and vocabulary. By analyzing speech samples, AI algorithms can identify strengths and weaknesses, providing your students with immediate and detailed feedback and recommendations for improvement. This self-assessment feature allows your learners to track their progress over time, set personalized goals, and measure their achievement against established benchmarks. Moreover, AI-powered self-assessment tools can adapt to your students' proficiency levels, ensuring that the assessments remain challenging yet achievable. By empowering your learners to take ownership of their learning journey and providing them with data-driven insights into their performance, AI platforms foster a sense of autonomy and motivation. Self-assessment becomes an integral part of the learning process, enabling your students to identify areas where they excel and aspects that require further attention and practice.

One of the most significant challenges in learning spoken English is the lack of opportunities for authentic conversational practice. AI-powered platforms address this issue by offering interactive conversational exercises and simulations for your students. Your learners can engage in realistic dialogues with virtual characters powered by natural language processing (NLP) technology. These conversations cover a wide range of topics and scenarios, allowing your students to practice their speaking skills in context. The AI algorithms can understand and respond to your learners' input, providing a dynamic and immersive learning experience.

AI-powered platforms make learning spoken English more accessible and convenient than ever before for your students. Your learners can access these platforms from anywhere, at any time, using their smartphones, tablets, or computers. This flexibility allows your students to fit language learning into their busy schedules and learn at their own convenience.

Interactive platforms and apps offer features such as conversation practice, detailed lessons, games, and AI-powered voice assistance, providing instant feedback on pronunciation and enhancing spoken English skills for your students. These platforms also provide you with the option to develop special units tailored to your students' needs.

 These platforms collect and process vast amounts of data, uncovering valuable insights into your students' progress, identifying patterns and trends, and providing you with a holistic view of the learning landscape. As a teacher, you can access the learning analytics and user-friendly dashboard to monitor individual and class-wide performance, make data-driven decisions, and optimize your teaching strategies. Dashboards present the analyzed data in an intuitive and accessible manner, enabling you to quickly grasp the broader picture and drill down into specific areas of interest.

One clear upshot from the pilot: AI technology is used to help students speak English more fluently and accurately, but it is still in development. Your professional teaching skills are needed now more than ever to make informed decisions about how to implement it.  The pilot teachers used the following practice framework to plan what, how, and where to incorporate AI-based platforms into their lesson plans. We invite you to download this worksheet and use it to plan your next lesson. 

[integrate downloadable PDF  practice framework]

Here are some examples that teachers developed and tested in their classrooms. They are available for you to use and test in your classroom. Choose and adapt them to the needs of your students.

The specific challenge in this design pattern is that students have low self-confidence, poor lexical knowledge, and find tasks inauthentic. The proposed solution involves using Speakingpal, Second Nature, and ChatGPT to enrich vocabulary, create authentic tasks, and boost confidence. The signs of success include increased student interest, fluency, and independence in using AI tools. The stages for implementation include providing clear instructions, guided practice at school and at home, independent tasks, and measuring student success.

Outline of Stages

1. The teacher gives clear instructions and demonstrates how to use the different AI tools
2. Students practice the different AI tools in class, and the teacher offers help if needed.
3. The teacher assigns AI tasks for students to complete at home.
4. The teacher checks the successful completion of tasks.

This practice focuses on improving students' engagement and performance in speaking tasks using an AI platform called Second Nature. The specific challenge is that students lack patience, motivation, and engagement in speaking tasks. The proposed solution involves assigning Second Nature units to students based on their level and requiring them to submit a recorded summary or specific task based on their AI unit to their teachers. The signs of success include increased student motivation, focus, and self-confidence, as well as improved COBE exam preparation. The stages for implementation include providing clear instructions, guided practice, and independent tasks.

Outline of Stages

1. Students are in the computer lab. The teacher displays the relevant platform with the needed instructions.
2. The teacher assigns students a task to submit after they watch the Second Nature unit.
3. Students work at the computer lab individually.
4. Students complete the AI task, get feedback, and submit their task to their teacher. 

This practice focuses on improving students' engagement and performance in speaking tasks using an AI platform called Bard (called today Gemini). The specific challenge is that weak students (3-4 pointers) are embarrassed to speak and lack motivation. The proposed solution involves using prompts so that students practice speaking with Gemini on their phones. This will be done first at school and then at home. The signs of success include increased student speaking practice and confidence. The stages for implementation include introducing Gemini to students, providing practice opportunities, and collecting student feedback.

Outline of Stages

1. Show students Gemini on the screen in class.
2. Send students the link to Gemini and show them how to copy and paste the prompt.
3. Students practice in class and ask the Gemini for feedback.
4. The teacher shows students how to take a screenshot to submit.
5. Repeat practice so that students can improve their scores!

A: Our pilot teachers asked the same question!  After all, gaining confidence in spoken English can take years of practice and goes far beyond "teaching to the test."  Our pilot results suggest that wise integration of a pedagogy-oriented, age-appropriate AI-driven platform as part of high school English lessons can help students to feel more confident speaking and listening.

A: As a teacher using an AI-based language learning platform, you can monitor student progress through a robust set of learning analytics tools. The platform should provide you with a student performance dashboard highlighting key metrics like time on the platform, activity completion, speech recognition accuracy, and fluency improvement over time. Additionally, you can access detailed individual student reports showing their specific strengths, weaknesses, and personalized recommendations. Many platforms also offer comparative analytics, allowing you to benchmark student performance against their peers. By leveraging this data in flexible reporting formats, you can gain deep insight into your students' development and make targeted instructional decisions to support their spoken English proficiency.

A: YES, That's a common challenge. Look for platforms specifically designed with robust speech recognition capabilities to handle diverse accents. AI tools are improving all the time in providing feedback on varied pronunciations. Explain to your students that before they try the tool and ask them to share their experience with you and their friends. 

Some examples for AI platforms for enhancing spoken english:

• Second Nature,
• Speak 2go
• SpeakingPal
• Duolingo

A: It's a valid issue that requires thoughtful consideration. Here are a few key things you'll want to address with your students before using such a platform:

Privacy Protections: Ensure your students and their families are fully aware of the platform's data collection and usage policies. Make it clear how their personal information and voice recordings will be secured, anonymized, and protected from unauthorized access or misuse. Gain parental consent where necessary. Additionally, guide your students to refrain from sharing any sensitive personal details or information during their interactions with the platform.

Transparency and Control: Empower your students to understand the purpose of the voice recording and how their speech data will be utilized to support their learning. Give them transparency into the process and allow them to opt-out if they feel uncomfortable. Encourage your students to come to you with any questions or concerns they may have regarding the platform's usage.

Ethical Usage Guidelines: Establish clear guidelines with your students about appropriate and inappropriate use of the platform. Make it known that you will be monitoring for any concerning language or behavior that may require intervention.

The key is balancing the educational benefits with robust safeguards for student privacy and wellbeing.

A: First and foremost, your role as the teacher remains critical – in fact, it's more important than ever. The integration of AI-powered language learning platforms presents new opportunities to enhance your instructional practices. You can leverage the AI's capabilities to provide personalized learning experiences, gain real-time insights into student progress, optimize classroom time, and continuously adapt your teaching strategies based on the platform's data.

Rather than replacing the teacher, AI is designed to amplify your expertise and enable you to be an even more effective facilitator of language learning. Your role evolves to orchestrating the seamless integration of technology and pedagogy for the benefit of your students.

1. Step 1: Explore Platform Options. Begin by visiting the Ministry of Education's website and reviewing the approved platforms available through the COBE program. Consult with your school administration to select the most suitable platform that aligns with your teaching goals and the needs of your students.
2. Step 2: Experience the Platform Firsthand. Once you've selected a platform, take the time to experience it yourself as a learner. This will allow you to fully understand the platform's strengths, challenges, and overall user experience before introducing it to your students.
3. Step 3: Initiate a pilot implementation with a class or group of students. Start by having an open conversation with them about the platform's capabilities, benefits, and any privacy or ethical issues. Explain the guidelines and safeguards in place.

After the students have had a chance to experience the platform several times, facilitate another discussion to gather their feedback on the challenges and successes they encountered, the quality of the system's feedback, and any new goals they would like to set for improving their spoken English skills using the platform or other methods.