Using AI in heritage language education: Australian researcher visits Romanian School in Eindhoven

June 15, 2024

-Vlad Niculescu-Dincă, Director of the Romanian School in Eindhoven

Participation in international research

The Romanian School in Eindhoven has begun utilizing C-LARA (ChatGPT-based Learning And Reading Assistant) through a collaboration with the C-LARA project’s international research team. This initiative led to the Romanian language and culture program being featured in this international C-LARA progress report.

In June 2024, the Romanian School welcomed Christele Maizonniaux, Associate Professor of French Studies at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, to observe two of the Romanian School's weekend workshops.

Using AI to create lesson material

The Romanian School in Eindhoven offers workshops for students who need a boost in their skills to be able to better follow the regular course content of the weekly lessons. The workshop course aims to train communication skills in the students by having them understand and produce texts.

The C-LARA tool is used by the Romanian School in Eindhoven as an easy way to create the simple texts used during the lesson, to be read by children between the ages of six and twelve. In each workshop, a text with dialogue is used, and together the class reads the text, understands the text, and applies grammar rules in real life through role play. They use the new language to create stories based on their own life experiences. In the older group of children, longer texts are used and if they are not satisfied by the ending of the story created by the AI application, they can create their own alternative ending.

The educators at the Romanian School in Eindhoven, Claudia Mărginean and Lucreția Manolache, look forward to further exploration of the potential of AI in helping heritage language education.

The team HLE Network commends the Romanian School for their innovative practices and openness to collaboration. Well done!