LanYu : leverage generative artificial intelligence in assisting foreign language learning

Abstract

Nowadays, mastering one or more foreign languages has become the norm. Especially with the expanding economic and cultural influence of China, there is a growing interest in learning Chinese. However, due to the limitations of traditional foreign language teaching methods and the shortage of appropriate and up-to-date learning materials, learners fail to gain ideal learning outcomes and gradually decrease learning enthusiasm. At the same time, this situation also places a burden on educators. The advent of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has opened up new avenues for foreign language learning, yet there is a lack of clear design principles to guide its application in this field. This study adopts a design science research (DSR) methodology to derive three practical design principles for applying GAI in assisting foreign language learning, leading to the development of the LanYu system. This system leverages GAI to allow users only to enter Chinese characters or phrases instead of prompts, and obtain two contextualized dialogues reflecting real-life scenarios, along with corresponding vivid visual illustrations. Feedback from user studies demonstrates that this system efficiently assists learners in learning Chinese by not only providing professional and easy-to-understand learning materials but also offering an enjoyable learning experience. This research provides design guidance for incorporating GAI into foreign language learning and lays the foundation for establishing an innovative paradigm in foreign language education in the future.