The Department of French and Italian and Center for Languages, Literatures, and Cultures is pleased to host a lecture in Second Language Studies on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 3:30pm via Zoom (registration required). Professor of Applied Linguistics, Dr. ZhaoHong Han will give a talk entitled, “Foreign Language Instruction at a Crossroads: Human Instruction Alone or AI Integration?”. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
The 21st century, especially in recent years, has increasingly been hailed as an era of AI-driven transformation. With AI advancing at breakneck speed and permeating nearly all facets of human life and livelihoods, it is no longer something to evade but rather a force we must engage with and harness. Foreign language instruction now stands at an exciting crossroads: reliance on human instruction alone or integration with AI? Generative AI, or large language models (LLMs), is already demonstrating its potential to personalize learning, deliver instant and individualized feedback, and boost learner motivation. When thoughtfully integrated with human expertise, it can engineer extraordinary learning affordances. In this presentation, I will argue that the human-AI synergy is not just desirable but imperative. I will illustrate this, using Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT), often branded a ‘researched pedagogy,’ as a case in point. I will also outline ways to empirically validate the human-AI alliance. And finally, I will challenge us to adopt systems thinking in both classroom practice and research in order to create truly dynamic and effective language learning experiences.
Dr. ZhaoHong Han is Professor of Applied Linguistics and Director of the Center for International Foreign Language Teacher Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a specialist in second language acquisition while also an applied linguist concerned with real-world issues such as the interface between research and practice and the integration of AI in foreign language instruction. She has been an active contributor to the applied linguistics and second language acquisition literature. Her forthcoming publications include two co-authored pieces titled “Quasi-experimental research in digital language learning” and “The research-practice gap: Insights from meta-analyses on corrective feedback.”
Accessibility: Live captioning will be available for this Zoom event. If you require additional accessibility accommodations, please contact Wynne Wong (wong.240@osu.edu) at least one week in advance.
Sponsors: Center for Language, Literatures, and Cultures, DEALL, FRIT, GLL, Slavic and East European, SPPO, Near East and South Asian