English as a Lingua Franca

編織語言的未來之網:AI人機互動學習

By Yeu-Ting Liu and Nigel P. Daly (published in the 自由報 (The Liberty Times) November 5, 2023) 劉宇挺/台師大英語學系特聘教授戴禮/台北外貿協會培訓中心商務溝通培訓師 雖然台灣位處於科技和國際貿易的樞紐位置,若無良好有效地溝通能力,此優勢將大打折扣。而此優勢端賴優秀貿易與語言人才之培育。但台灣仍因許多教育現場問題(如城鄉師資缺乏)導致培養學生利用語言進行有效溝通的進步有限。 蔡英文總統在最近的「二○三○教育AI年會」中指出,上述問題常肇因於學生缺乏真正有意義的英語「使用」機會。蔡總統疾呼透過AI(特別是像ChatGPT這樣的生成式AI工具)來解決此困境。 蔡總統呼籲教育界利用政府和私人部門的資源,將AI應用於語言教學與學習,讓學生在課室中與課室外,擁有「人機共創」的機會;讓學生不再獨自面對各式學習活動。透過教師活動的設計與指引,讓學生更清楚地知道「如何」利用生成式AI聊天機器人協作、進行研究、討論、辯論和分享。即使教師不在身邊,學生也能擁有無所不在的「助力」。 利用生成式AI學習語言可以讓這過程是有效且個人化︰即使學生的輸入與問題不夠成熟,藉由AI有層次、邏輯的回饋甚至是反問,學生能逐漸地釐清他們概念。這不但擴展了學生的溝通能力,更激發學生的邏輯思考與反思。對於缺乏資源偏鄉師生,注入無限可能。 教師也可以利用它的力量創造課程、提供更詳盡的解釋、補充更清晰的例子,甚至設計出更多元的測驗評量方式。這對許多思維已逐漸固化的教師,可以在他們的教學設計與測驗上注入更多的思維與可能。 儘管ChatGPT已經推出近一年,真正帶入課室活動的嘗試卻少之又少。檢視Facebook上ChatGPT教育者社團中的台灣教師數目比例就可看出端倪。此外,即使有各式各樣的教師成長社群,針對AI科技的主題與社群仍相當有限。即使在大學端,僅有少數(不到十所)大專院校針對教師與學生的使用指引(台大、台師大即是其中之一)。在大學以下的教育現場運用,仍無具體的推行。這突顯出我們需要有更多渠道來結構化教師培訓,以深化他們了解AI在教育中的可能與應用。 在「二○三○雙語國家」的崇高目標下,生成式AI提供了一條通往「更雙語」國家的道路。讓教師可以設計出真正能促進不同類型學生深度學習語言的環境,優化學生的學習體驗,更為偏鄉教育注入更多的可能。但當科技已提供一個「可以達到」可能時,仍有待教學現場的教師們有勇氣伸出他們的手,抓住這個可能。

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AI to level education playing field in taiwan

AI can level Taiwan’s language education playing field

By nigel P. Daly and Professor Yeu-Ting Liu (Published by Common Wealth, October 20, 2023; https://english.cw.com.tw/article/article.action?id=3545) Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are now accessible to everyone and can help rural areas in Taiwan finally achieve a parity of language learning resources with urban regions. The primary obstacle to higher performance in language education (and other

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難分語氣用詞 ChatGPT恐造成無心冒犯 

Published by Commercial Times, June 26; https://www.ctee.com.tw/news/20230627700775-431307 近期人工智慧生成機器人ChatGPT爆紅,許多人以此來協助撰寫稿件,但須注意的是,在演講、新聞、外交信函中,ChatGPT恐怕會產生掩蓋作者的語調、風格、用字遣詞等問題。  心理學中有「鄧寧-克魯格效應」(Dunning-Kruger effect),亦即過度高估自身能力。在使用生成式AI進行英語溝通時,尤其對台灣英語能力中高級、低中級的專業人士,這是日益嚴重的風險。  需注意的是,儘管生成式AI對語言能力較弱的使用者來說,確實帶來了改善,但也可能誤導使用者對語言的能力感,恐會掩蓋掉作者本身語調、風格和詞彙選擇。  對於風險較高的英語溝通,例如演講、新聞發布、外交信函等,語調、風格和詞彙選擇對維護專業品牌形象至關重要。然而由於生成式AI的局限性,讓使用者無法了解這些問題,而相關議題處理的失敗,恐將導致聲譽受損,甚至冒犯到目標受眾。  生成式AI無疑能夠提高使用者的生產力和技能,但是對於英語能力中等和低中級使用者而言,情況將較為不穩定,這些人在國際組織的銷售、市場營銷、公關部門中,成為AI輔助「鄧寧-克魯格效應」的受害者。他們對於AI的依賴,可能導致不適當、不專業的溝通,同時又處於感覺自己語言流暢與準確的錯覺之下。  因此,大家必須對語言能力和溝通能力,進行重要區分。生成式AI能幫助使用者達到高度準確性,卻無法保證同樣的溝通品質,即使提供生成式AI完美的文本,但上下文、語氣、正式程度、特定性等關鍵領域不適合,也可能會造成錯誤。   尤其是經過生成式AI修訂的文本,用於高風險溝通時,問題就會升級。  筆者作為一家台灣大型非語言組織的語言編輯,親眼目睹裡生成式AI對寫作質量所帶來的各種影響。  使用生成式AI製作的正式信函,可能會因為用句過長或內容不明確,而讓讀者困惑。或者是產生的演講和信函,語意顯得過於自大,甚至傲慢。相關情況,筆者在3個星期內就注意到了,顯示出生成式AI造成的語言正確性與有效溝通之間,有明顯的斷層,而這些微妙的失誤可能被寫作者所忽視,但接收者肯定會注意到。  為了防止生成式AI帶來的虛假安全感,應該留意兩項重點:第一、認識並防範「鄧寧-克魯格效應」,使用者必須了解生成式AI的局限性。第二、確保專業人員參與和審核AI產出的內容,尤其是高風險溝通。否則長期建立的信譽,會在僅僅一次的無心冒犯中,就被摧毀。 

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AI tool ChatGPT global communication

AI chatbots will level the global communicative playing field 

ChatGPT can be used to write emails, wirte summaries for research, and even write reports. It can help EFL or ESL or ELF speakers kill three birds with one stone: 1. It will naturally rewite a text and remove any incorrect English; 2. It will replace awkward phrases with natural sounding ones; and 3. It can create the appropriate tone, like formal, casual, caring, serious, apologetic, and even funny. ChatGPT can give the power of perfect English to non-English speakers, and this can democratize high-stakes international communications in the business and research fields.

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ai chatbots can help stimulate curiosity

AI chatbots can stimulate curiosity and revolutionize learning – and hopefully teaching too

AI Chatbots can revolutionize learning by empowering learners to stimulate and satisfy their own curiosity at their fingertips. Teacher need to recognize this and not just accept AI chatbots in the learning process, but outsource certain teaching tasks to ai and encourage and even train students to effectively use AI chatbots.

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language learning success in group learning

Why your EFL learning has failed … and what you can do about it – Part 2

This article explains why many language and communication courses and programs do not improve communicative competence. You will also learn about how your brain learns and then be able to use this knowledge to help you learn better and find a more effective Language Communication Training (LCT) program. The article evaluates different training methods like mentoring, coaching, workshops, online courses, group language classes, and a new type of group class called Agile RPG.

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Frustrated professional who struggles with English learning and improving her professional communication ability

Why your EFL learning has failed … Part1

As a non-native English speaking professional, your professional English ability is limiting your potential for promotion and career development in international business. You have struggled to improve but have failed. This 2-part article series will help you understand what you have been doing wrong and why. It will also compare mentoring, coaching, group classes and agile learning in order to recommend the features of an effective learning or training program you want to help you improve you Communication ability.

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American-born Olympic gold medalist “literally” receives English lesson from a Chinese social media user

Social media storm after American-born gold medalist representing China makes an language and judgement mistake about the word literally and about getting a vpn …

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