ChatGPT is useful for learning languages, but students’ critical vision must be fostered when using it, according to a pioneering study by UPF

Given the growing number of people who turn to ChatGPT when studying a foreign language, pioneering research by UPF reveals the potential and the shortcomings of learning a second language in this way. According to the study, which analyses the use of ChatGPT by Chinese students learning Spanish, the platform helps them solve specific queries, especially vocabulary, writing, and reading comprehension. Conversely, its use is not part of a coherent and structured learning process and lacks a critical vision of the answers provided by the tool. Thus, foreign language teachers are urged to advise students so that they can make more reflective and critical use of ChatGPT.

This is revealed in the first qualitative study in the world to examine how Chinese students use ChatGPT to learn Spanish, developed by the Research Group on Language Learning and Teaching (GR@EL) of the UPF Department of Translation and Language Sciences. The study has been conducted by Shanshan Huang, a researcher with the GR@EL, under the supervision of research group coordinator, Daniel Cassany. Both have recently published an article on the subject in Journal of China Computer-Assisted Language Learning.

To carry out their research, the use of ChatGPT by 10 Chinese students who are learning Spanish was qualitatively examined for a week. Specifically, a total of 370 prompts (indications that each user inputs into ChatGPT to obtain the desired information) have been analysed in depth, along with the corresponding answers from the platform. The study has been complemented by questionnaires administered on the students and comments from the students’ own learning diaries.

The advantages of ChatGPT: a single window from which to solve all linguistic queries, which adapts to the needs of each student

Regarding the potential of ChatGPT for learning languages, the study reveals that it allows students get answers to different queries about the foreign language they are learning, in this case Spanish, from just the one technological platform. For example, they can interact with ChatGPT to ask about vocabulary and spelling, instead of first connecting to a digital dictionary and then to a spell checker. Furthermore, the platform adapts to the profile and needs of each specific student, based on the type of interactions proposed by each user.

On 9 out of 10 occasions, students do not pose follow-up questions after receiving their first answer from ChatGPT

However, the study warns that most students use ChatGPT uncritically as usually they do not pose follow-up questions after obtaining an initial response to their specific queries about the Spanish language. Of the 370 interactions analysed, 331 (89.45%) involved a single question-answer. The remainder of the interactions analysed correspond to 31 successive question-answer circuits in which the student asked the tool for greater clarity and preciseness having received the initial response information.

Most of the queries deal with vocabulary, reading comprehension and writing, and queries concerning oral communication and grammar are residual

On the other hand, the study shows which themes of the specific queries the students raise in the chat. Nearly 90% refer to vocabulary (36.22%), reading comprehension (26.76%) and writing in Spanish (26.49%). However, only one in 10 concerns grammatical queries, especially when it comes to complex concepts, and oral expression.

The researchers warn that this distribution of the themes of consultations might be explained by cultural and technological factors. On the one hand, the model for learning Spanish in China places less emphasis on oral communication than on writing and reading comprehension skills. On the other hand, version 3.5 of ChatGPT, which is used by the students who participated in the study, is more capable of generating and interpreting written texts than of interacting with users during a conversation. However, there would be a need in subsequent studies to analyse whether the next version of ChatGPT (GPT-4) is taken greater advantage of by foreign language students to improve their oral communication skills.

Encouraging a new model of the student-AI-teacher relationship

In view of the results of the present study, the researchers stress that, beyond promoting students’ digital education, it is even more important to strengthen their critical thinking and self-learning skills. Foreign language teachers can play a fundamental role in guiding students on how to organize their learning step by step with the support of AI tools such as ChatGPT with a critical vision. The UPF study recommends that teachers should help students develop more effective prompts and encourage greater dialogue with ChatGPT to better exploit its capabilities. In short, the study backs building a new relationship model for teachers, AI tools and students that can strengthen and improve their learning process.

Reference article:

Huang, Shanshan and Cassany, Daniel. “Spanish language learning in the AI era: AI as a scaffolding tool” Journal of China Computer-Assisted Language Learning, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1515/jccall-2024-0026