Chapter 4: The AI Tool Landscape
A common question from teachers is what tool to use. A single honest answer is difficult as it depends on the job and your own interests. How interested you are in playing around with AI and how focused you are on getting a job done. If you're just getting started, an advice might be to start with a general-purpose AI chatbot like ChatGPT or similar or what is available to you right now and try some of the prompts in this guide. However, there are many different categories of tools for different tasks, so we give a brief overview in the following. Feel free to read now or come back when you have tried a bit.
General-Purpose AI Assistants
This category covers the general AI chatbots that you typically ask questions or give instructions in text form, and which typically returns an answer in text. Some of the current big options include ChatGPT from OpenAI, Claude from Anthropic, Gemini from Google, and on the European side le Chat from Mistral.
The AI chatbots are good at generating, adapting, translating and summarizing text of various types, including exercises, reading materials and lesson plans. Many have become "multi-modal" meaning that they understand and can produce various media other than text. You may input audio and request an image as output and so on.
The chatbots may incorporate various tools for generating other specific types of content, and they also get embedded in productivity tools like Google Docs and Microsoft Word. This has the advantage that you do not need to copy and paste the result of a chatbot to these tools afterwards.
The prompts in this guide are designed to work with general-purpose AI chatbots. However, in productivity tools or in more specialized tools the same principles typically apply, since they are rooted in the same underlying large language models.
Most of the general AI chatbots offer free tiers that are sufficient for getting started and regular usage to a certain extent. Some may also have options for eligible teachers, like ChatGPT for teachers. If you haven't tried yet, we strongly encourage you to experiment with different chatbots. You can use the prompts in this guide as a starting point.
Media Generation
Today it is possible to generate various media like images and audio from text descriptions, and the quality is continuously improving. There are many free options, but they are often limited to a certain amount per day, and may not include all features. However, we encourage you to try the ones you find interesting and to be aware of use-cases where you may use them to improve materials or save time on searching for media and adapting.
Audio
There are many Text-to-Speech services available including ElevenLabs, Speechify, and NaturalReader. You can use these to convert scripts, vocabulary lists, or reading texts into natural-sounding audio. The tools are better and less mechanical sounding than older generations, but quality may vary with tools and language.
Google's NotebookLM can generate a podcast-style conversation based on documents you upload. You may be able to explain grammar or rehearse listening this way. If you feel more creative, you can also try to teach vocabulary, grammar patterns, or cultural content through generated music and lyrics. Some current options include Google Lyria, Suno and Udio.
Image
Most general-purpose AI chatbots mentioned earlier can now also generate images from text descriptions. You may use it to support vocabulary exercises or help give certain context. For younger learners it may help keep them interested and engaged.
Many graphics oriented tools also include AI options. Canva, which is popular with teachers, is an example that includes AI tools for image generation and manipulation. Google's NotebookLM includes an option to generate infographics from sources you upload, which you can use to explain concepts visually to your learners.
Video
There are services that allow general video generation from text or images, but they typically only generate small clips, e.g. 10s, at a time and requires a lot of work to extend and put together. Some options include Luma Dream Machine, Kling, Runway, and Google's Flow.
AI tools like HeyGen and Synthesia may be better at generating explanation or read aloud videos. You type what you want said, choose a presenter, and get a video. They typically have options to add text and graphics on top like PowerPoints, and also offer that you can record and make an avatar of yourself. These tools may, however, be costly for regular use.
NotebookLM offers generating video overviews of text sources you upload. You can consider using this to explain grammar, rehearse vocabulary or offer listening practice.
Multimedia and interaction
Many of the general-purpose AI chatbots now have features for generating interactive web pages that can be shared with a link. In some, it is called Canvas and lets you describe what you want and generate a shareable interactive page, which could be anything from a vocabulary matching game to an interactive grammar explanation.
Some general-purpose chatbots also support creating small apps, and there are services that specialize in creating small educational games and interactive activities with AI. Eduaide.AI is such an option focusing on game formats for education, while GDevelop is a more general game engine, but with plans for education.
Education-Specific AI
There are various tools and platforms for education, which do not focus solely on language teaching, but may still be relevant for language teachers.
New tools
New AI-oriented services have appeared that offer tools for generating lesson plans, and creating and adapting learning materials from other content or instructions. They require less prompting than general chatbots because they are pre-structured around common teaching tasks.
Some current options include Diffit, Nolej, and MagicSchool.ai. These tools can process content like articles, video or just your instructions and output learning materials. They include various tools to generate and adapt content, but do not typically handle delivery to learners or progress tracking.
Exercise creators
Tools like Quizlet, Wordwall, and Kahoot are familiar to many teachers. They're not language-specific, but language teachers use them extensively for vocabulary practice, grammar games, and interactive activities. And now they are getting AI features added.
For instance, Quizlet now offers AI-generated flashcards and study sets from uploaded notes. Kahoot can generate quizzes from a topic, URL, or uploaded PDF. And Wordwall has added AI content generation alongside its interactive activity templates.
Learning Management Systems
Traditional platforms like Canvas, Moodle, and Google Classroom have added AI features for content generation, summarization, translation and so on. They handle delivery and tracking well since that's what they were built for. The AI features are typically general-purpose add-ons, and these platforms tend to be desktop-first and designed for institutional use.
If you have access to and use an LMS in your daily work, the added AI features have the benefit that you do not have to leave and use another tool and copy-paste back and forth. We encourage you to try out the AI features. Figure out what works for you, and what doesn't. You still have the option to use other tools, if the embedded AI features in the LMS do not work for you.
Language Teaching Tools
There are services and platforms built specifically for language teachers. They typically understand CEFR levels, exercise types, and the language teaching context without you having to explain it in every prompt or using multiple tools.
Content generation
There are services that generate CEFR-aligned exercises with minimal prompting because the tools are pre-structured around language teaching tasks. Some current options include Twee, LanguageMate and Edumo.
Twee has a lot of different material generating tools and even some ready-made lesson materials for ESL. LanguageMate offers a broader feature set including AI speaking practice and placement testing, but is primarily aimed at institutions with custom pricing.
Writing feedback
There are tools that help assess and give feedback on learner writing. They can be useful for handling the volume of writing correction, especially if you have many learners. Some current options include Grammarly and Olex.AI.
While Grammarly works across many languages, Olex.AI is designed specifically for ESL writing assessment and can translate corrections into the learner's native language, which connects to the L1 approach we covered in the previous chapter.
Speaking practice
A newer category of tools let you create structured speaking exercises that learners complete using AI. You design the task and AI conducts the practice. Some current options include Speakable and Mizou.
Speakable offers auto-grading in many languages. Mizou lets you create custom AI chatbots with specific learning objectives, including voice interaction where the chatbot speaks and learners can respond by speaking. This category is still emerging.
Delivery and tracking
While some tools only focus on the generation or adaption of learning materials and practice, others handle delivery to your learners and tracking of results, and try to handle more of your workflow. Few platforms specifically cater to language teachers, but we know of at least one, Edumo - the platform we're building :)
Edumo focuses on a create-distribute-track workflow with AI content generation, a mobile-first learner experience, and progress tracking. It's currently in beta with free access. We're biased, obviously, but we built it because this workflow gap kept coming up in conversations with tutors.
Tools for learners
There are many tools and apps available to learners. We don't believe these replace teachers, although they may be advertised as such. We just think they are a good supplement. Having multiple ways to engage with the language, whether practicing vocabulary on the bus or having a conversation with an AI at midnight, means more time spent with the language overall.
Some of the general AI chatbots have learning features for self-study. These may guide learners through a language concept step-by-step with explanations, questions and feedback. As a teacher, you can also use it as inspiration and copy explanations and materials if you find it useful.
A new category of language learning apps focus on AI conversation. They are able to have spoken conversations and give feedback and corrections. Some options include Gliglish, Talkpal, and Loora, and the previous generation of language learning apps are also adding AI capabilities. A few new apps also include feedback on pronunciation, often for specific L1-target language combinations. Some current options are BoldVoice and ELSA Speak.
While these tools do have real shortcomings, they may help your learners build habits, practice vocabulary, and maybe even practice listening and speaking - and just spend time with the language. It is worth considering that no learners progress far without multiple sources to engage with the language.