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Person 1: It's nice to meet you! What brings you to this conference?

Person 2: Well, my main interest is learning more about how AI is going to revolutionize language teaching.

Person 1: That's a fascinating topic! As a linguist, I'm also interested in the potential impact of AI on language education. Can you tell me more about your specific research interests in this area?

Person 2: Sure, I'm an ESL teacher in an international school. My students are non-native speakers but they are learning subjects like history and science in the same classes as the English native speakers. This is very challenging, and I'm wondering if Large Language Models such as ChatGPT can make the ESL students' mainstream subject tasks easier and at the same time accelerate their learning of English.

Person 1: Absolutely! Large Language Models such as ChatGPT have the potential to revolutionize language teaching in many ways, especially for ESL learners. They can provide a more personalized and interactive learning experience, which can help students improve their language skills faster and more efficiently.

One way that ChatGPT could be used in language teaching is to generate natural language responses to students' questions or prompts. This can help students practice their language skills in a more natural and engaging way, as if they were having a conversation with a native speaker. ChatGPT could also provide instant feedback on grammar and vocabulary use, which is especially important for ESL learners.

Another potential application of ChatGPT is in generating subject-specific language materials for ESL learners. For example, if your students are studying history or science, ChatGPT could generate explanations and summaries of key concepts in language that is appropriate for their English language proficiency level. This could help make the content more accessible and engaging for them, which could in turn accelerate their learning.

Overall, the potential applications of ChatGPT in language teaching are exciting, and I think there is a lot of potential for using these technologies to enhance the learning experience for ESL learners.

Person 2: That sounds very encouraging. I'm really looking forward to the keynote speech on the topic. Anyway, enough about me. What brings you here?

Person 1: Well, as a linguist, I'm always interested in learning about the latest developments in the field of language education and technology. In particular, I'm interested in how we can use technology to enhance language learning and teaching, and how we can design better language models that are more accurate, versatile, and accessible.

I'm also excited to network with other researchers, educators, and industry professionals who are working on similar topics, and to learn from their experiences and perspectives. I believe that conferences like this provide a valuable opportunity to share ideas, collaborate on research, and push the boundaries of what we can achieve in language education and technology.

Person 2: Are you what one could call an "ivory tower" linguist, or do you also have teaching responsibilities?

Person 1: Ah, I see what you mean. As a linguist, my work involves a mix of both research and teaching. While I do spend a lot of time conducting research and analyzing data, I also have responsibilities as a professor at a local university where I teach courses on language acquisition, sociolinguistics, and language and technology. I find that teaching and conducting research go hand in hand, as they both help inform my understanding of language and how it works. Additionally, teaching provides a valuable opportunity to apply my research findings to real-world contexts and to engage with students who are interested in language and linguistics. So I guess you could say that I'm not an "ivory tower" linguist, but rather someone who is actively involved in both research and teaching.

Person 2: Very interesting. What are you currently working on in your research?

Person 1: Currently, my research is focused on understanding how people use language in online communication and social media, and how we can use this understanding to improve language models and natural language processing algorithms. Specifically, I'm interested in studying the ways in which people adapt their language use to different online contexts and platforms, and how these adaptations affect the overall meaning and interpretation of their messages.

I'm also interested in exploring how we can improve the accuracy and inclusivity of language models, especially for underrepresented languages and dialects. This involves developing more robust and diverse training data sets, as well as exploring alternative approaches to language modeling that go beyond the traditional n-gram or neural network models.

Overall, my research is motivated by a desire to improve our understanding of language and how it works, as well as to develop more effective and inclusive language technologies that can help people communicate more effectively and meaningfully in a variety of contexts.

Person 2: How would you respond to claims that the age of Tik-Tok and other social media has dumbed down the English language?

Person 1: This is a complex and contentious issue, and there are certainly arguments to be made on both sides. On one hand, social media platforms like TikTok have certainly led to the proliferation of new forms of language use and communication, such as emojis, memes, and slang. Some people argue that these forms of communication are less sophisticated or "dumbed down" compared to traditional forms of written or spoken communication.

However, it's important to note that language is always evolving and changing, and the emergence of new linguistic forms is not necessarily a sign of linguistic decline. In fact, many linguists argue that the diversity and creativity of language use on social media reflects the richness and adaptability of human language as a whole.

Furthermore, it's worth considering the ways in which social media platforms and online communication more generally have actually increased access to language and literacy for many people around the world. For example, social media can provide a space for language learners to practice their skills and engage with native speakers, and it can also provide a platform for marginalized groups to express themselves and be heard.

Overall, I think it's important to approach this issue with a nuanced and open-minded perspective, and to recognize the value and potential of new forms of language use and communication, as well as the challenges and limitations they may present.

Person 2: You said earlier that you have a teaching responsibility. I imagine you have a lot of non-native English speakers in your seminars and lectures. Do you make any accommodations for them? For example, in the way you lecture or in the tasks you give them or the way you grade those tasks?

Person 1: Yes, as a linguist and a language teacher, I'm very sensitive to the needs and abilities of non-native English speakers in my classes. I try to make accommodations for these students in a number of ways, depending on the specific needs of each individual.

One thing I do is to make sure that my lectures and course materials are as clear and accessible as possible, both in terms of language use and content organization. This might involve simplifying my language use, avoiding complex sentence structures or technical jargon, and providing additional explanations or examples where necessary.

In terms of assignments and grading, I try to provide a range of options that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in ways that are appropriate and feasible for their language level. For example, I might offer different types of assignments that emphasize different skills, such as writing, speaking, or critical analysis, and I might adjust the length or complexity of these assignments based on individual student needs.

Overall, my goal is to create a learning environment that is inclusive and supportive for all students, regardless of their language background, and to provide the tools and resources they need to succeed in their language and content learning.

Person 2: That's great! I just wish all the subject teachers at my school could adopt the same approach. But don't tell anyone I said that! It was nice talking to you. Perhaps we could plan to have lunch together. There's a whole lot more questions I have about your field of study.

Person 1: It was great talking to you too! I'd be happy to have lunch together and continue our conversation about language and linguistics. Just let me know when and where works for you, and we can make arrangements.

Person 2: How about we meet in the lobby at 12.30?

Person 1: Sounds good to me! I'll meet you in the lobby at 12:30. Looking forward to it!

Person 2: Me too. See you later.