Chat4EFL

Inspiration

Chat4EFL enhances English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction in secondary schools through AI-powered personalised learning. By developing an adaptive chatbot platform, the project aims to support diverse student needs, including those with dyslexia, bilingual learners, and gifted students. Chat4EFL also focuses on building teachers’ digital skills and confidence in integrating AI-based tools into foreign language learning.  

The project involves research activities to develop and refine the Chat4EFL platform and teacher training programme, followed by real-life pilot testing in schools across Europe. Through evaluation and policy recommendations, Chat4EFL seeks to validate the platform’s impact and promote AI integration into European school curricula, ensuring inclusive and innovative language learning.

Innovation

The Chat4EFL platform is one main assets of the project. It will provide interactive exercises (quizzes, vocabulary drills, role-playing) tailored for dyslexic, bilingual, and gifted students. Learners can practice English at their own pace with adaptive chatbot-driven support. This chatbot development is one of the core activities of the Software Engineering Group of LIST. It is composed of 15 scientists, engineers, post-docs and PhD candidates with complementary scientific and technological expertise, covering the following topics and skills: software engineering, low-code/no-code approaches, chatbot development and generative AI. The group is also involved in the BESSER (Building Better Smart Software Faster) project, which has as the goal of building a low-code open-source platform. In Chat4EFL, we use the BESSER Bot Framework (BBF) to make the design and implementation of the chatbot easier and accessible for everyone.

Impact

The project results include: the Chat4EFL platform, the Chat4EFL Teacher Training Programme (webinars, onsite training, and online course), and the Pilot Implementation of the Chat4EFL platform in schools. The pilots will lead to Implementation Assessment Reports (country-specific and final), a Policy Recommendations Report, and the Chat4EFL Inclusion Toolkit.
Scientific publications, international conference presentations, and local multiplier events will be held to disseminate project results.