Most effective techniques to use ChatGPT for language learning

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tommus
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Most effective techniques to use ChatGPT for language learning

Postby tommus » Mon Jun 05, 2023 2:22 pm

There is no doubt ChatGPT and other AI resources can be very useful for learning and improving a target language. Lots of Forum members are probably using these resources in useful and effective ways. I think it would be great to hear about some of these uses. I'll offer one that I find very useful for conversations.

Conversations of a subject of interest. You choose the subject so you won't get bored. You can carry on the conversation as long as you wish and to whatever depth you wish. I find it is more productive to have a conversation in ChatGPT between two individuals as opposed to between you and ChatGPT. Here is an example of the input to ChatGPT. You can translate this to your target language and provide it to ChatGPT to see the results yourself. I use the DeepL translator to help with that. You will probably be amazed how well the conversation proceeds.

Input to ChatGPT:
Make some conversation between two people about telescopes. Jan explains to Lars how he would use a telescope. Lars asks lots of questions.

OK. Let's continue the conversation. Lars asks how he can use a camera on a telescope so he can see the images on his laptop.

OK. Let's continue the conversation. Lars asks how he can use his laptop to control the telescope so he can observe various stars and heavenly bodies with his camera and computer.

OK. Let's continue the conversation. Lars asks how he can control a telescope with his laptop to observe a moving satellite such as the International Space Station and record a video on his computer.

OK. Let's continue the conversation. Lars says that he is interested in observing asteroids and measuring their rotation period. Jan explains how to do that.

Etc. Etc. Etc. ChatGPT connects all these parts and sometimes even says "As I said before, ..." You can go to whatever depth you wish or go off on any tangent that interests you. I am amazed at how adept ChatGPT is in providing the discussion you are seeking. I am using it in Dutch and I find it produces incredibly good Dutch.

Now the next step I use is to put the entire conversation into an AI-powered text-to-speech application to generate the audio version of this conversation. Both sides of the ChatGPT conversation are the same voice but since ChatGPT puts the names (Jan and Lars in this case) in front of each person's speech, that is not a problem. I use NaturalReader AI-Plus voices online. That costs U$ 110. per year but is worth every cent of it. You get so much TTS time (and it generates the MP3 download files) that you will never use it all. And the AI-Plus voices are very high quality.

https://www.naturalreaders.com/

So that is one example of using ChatGPT and other AI resources for language learning. What are some more ways you have found to use these new tools effectively?
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Re: Most effective techniques to use ChatGPT for language learning

Postby koitaki » Tue Jun 06, 2023 12:58 am

Thanks Tommus, some very good suggestions there, and currenty evaluating Natural Reader.

I just tried out your approach in ChatGPT and was agreeably surprised by the quality of two different answers I got.
Skiing being my thing, I initially asked:

Generate a conversation in French between two French friends, Jean and David, preparing their equipment and getting ready for a three-day backcountry ski tour in the French alps. Jean is the more knowledgeable of the two, and is mostly explaining to David, who is a beginner in backcountry skiing.

Here's a snippet of that conversation:

Code: Select all

Jean: Salut David ! Es-tu prêt pour notre grande randonnée à ski de trois jours dans les Alpes françaises ?

David: Salut Jean ! Oui, je suis vraiment excité, mais aussi un peu nerveux. Je suis toujours débutant en ski de randonnée. Comment devrions-nous préparer notre équipement ?

Jean: Ne t'inquiète pas, mon ami ! Je suis là pour t'expliquer. Tout d'abord, as-tu tes skis de randonnée ?

David: Oui, j'ai acheté une paire récemment. J'ai choisi des skis plus larges et plus légers pour la neige en poudreuse, comme tu me l'as conseillé.

(conversation continues.... )


It was quite a long and good conversation, but it seemed a bit stilted for a chat between friends. So I then asked:

Rewrite that conversation, but this time using a more informal tone, such as using "on" for the first person plural, instead of "nous", which I understand to be much less frequently used in informal speech.

Here's a snippet of that conversation:

Code: Select all

Jean: Salut David ! T'es prêt pour notre grosse rando à ski de trois jours dans les Alpes françaises ?

David: Salut Jean ! Ouais, je suis super excité, mais aussi un peu nerveux. Je suis encore débutant en ski de rando. Comment on devrait préparer notre matos ?

Jean: Tranquille, mon pote ! Je vais t'expliquer. Déjà, t'as tes skis de rando ?

David: Ouais, j'en ai acheté une paire récemment. J'ai pris des skis plus larges et plus légers pour la peuf, comme t'as dit.

(conversation continues.... )


I'm really impressed by that result! Lots to study, regarding the different registers, and it's given me plenty of future ideas.

Many thanks again!
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