Specifics of using text and graphical chatbots with artificial intelligence in English language teaching

Abstract

Introduction. The current development of mobile applications, including the introduction of chatbots using artificial intelligence, further expands the possibilities of the teaching process, its personalization, and the development of an individual educational trajectory. Using the chatbots ChatGPT and Midjourney will make it possible to practice English language skills at one’s own speed, simulating communication with a native speaker, as well as practice the formulation of clear commands for an algorithmized executor. The aim of this paper is to describe the specifics of using chatbots in the process of studying English by undergraduate students. Materials and methods. The experimental study involved 186 students of the Faculty of Linguistics of A.S. Griboyedov Moscow University (Russian Federation). The experimental group attended elective classes, during which the students debated in English with the ChatGPT neural network and generated images using queries in English in the Midjourney network. Methods of mathematical statistics: Pearson's chi-squared test. Results. The practice of using neural networks in teaching a foreign language has demonstrated that a neural network can act as a simulator of a native speaker, as well as a kind of “command executor” obeying simple instructions. The results confirming these statements and the effectiveness of the experimental work are embodied in the positive dynamics of generating creative statements and texts in a foreign language (χ2 = 9.174; p < 0.05). Conclusion. The data obtained in this experiment make it possible to recommend the use of chatbots with artificial intelligence tools and expand the range of exercises with their application. Using chatbots in this capacity is little elaborated in Russian educational practice, and the scientific novelty of the obtained results lies in suggesting a specific methodology of the option for introducing interaction with automatically learning chatbots in the educational process.