Eigo.AI: Pioneering the Future of Interactive and Customized English Language Learning

By Karen Villalba, Universidad del Norte

DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.69732/ULXQ9260

The field of language learning is undergoing a significant transformation with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). This shift has the potential to enhance the foreign language learning process by offering improved interactive access to both spoken and written foreign language models. The ability to use a foreign language involves a wide range of cognitive faculties and the complex interplay between the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. 

For educators, one of the main goals is to cover all language skills comprehensively by incorporating digital tools and AI in an integrated manner. This integration aims to explore how effective learning might be and sustains student motivation. Amidst this technological evolution, Eigo.AI stands out as an innovative platform that leverages artificial intelligence to boost the English language learning process. Eigo.AI offers interactive lessons, instant feedback on speaking and writing, and instant conversations with AI, aimed at honing all four language skills.

Overview

You can access Eigo.AI, visit their website at https://eigo.ai, and no sign up or registration is required to view some videos or quizzes. However, to check answers to quizzes or interact with AI, you will need to create a free account. Setting up involves creating a profile, selecting your level (Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced), and immediately accessing lessons.

Lessons and progress can be shared through downloadable reports or direct teacher access. Teachers wishing to use the service to track student progress should firstly contact the site administrators to have their account converted to a “teacher” account. After this, they will have access to the “tracking” page where they can view and download student progress and easily monitor engagement with the platform. Teacher accounts on Eigo.AI are free, but institutions wishing to use the service for a large number of classes or students will need to upgrade to an institutional account. Eigo.AI offers various subscription plans for individuals and educators, with discounts for bulk licenses. While the Free Plan provides limited access to a few lessons with ads, the Pro and Enterprise plans provide full access to all ad-free lessons. Free users have access to the latest 4 lessons, with new lessons published weekly, ensuring that free account holders always have access to fresh new content. To browse the back catalog of lessons, they will need to upgrade to a paid account.

The platform aims to improve English language education through interactive and customized activities. Eigo.AI meets the demand for more adaptive language learning, leveraging AI for instant feedback and interactive communication. It stands out for its comprehensive feedback on both speaking and writing, which most other platforms do not offer.

Lesson Structure

Each of Eigo.AI’s lessons start with an engaging video. For listening practice, users complete gap-filling exercises and receive immediate feedback to quickly improve their skills. The reading section allows learners to look up words for contextual definitions in various languages and tests comprehension through multiple-choice questions. AI is used to generate all quizzes and texts, which are then checked and verified by humans to ensure grammatical, phonetic, and factual accuracy; the speaking feedback feature provides instant pronunciation assessments using a color-coded system to highlight errors. It assumes standard American English by default, both spelling and pronunciation norms. Additionally, the conversational component lets users practice speaking with AI, receiving real-time corrections and feedback on grammar and vocabulary. Multilingual support (available in 60 languages) ensures that feedback and definitions are accessible to most learners, regardless of their native language.

Writing exercises prompt users to respond to topics with 25-100 word answers, which are evaluated on five criteria with improvement tips available in multiple languages. A review activity helps learners match words with definitions, receiving instant feedback. 

Eigo.AI also offers custom content for Enterprise customers that go along with their particular curriculum.

Unlocking Smart Features

One of the platform’s strengths is the clear designation of the user’s proficiency level (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) and the score achieved, which helps learners track their progress effectively. Additionally, the topic categorization using tags such as “Animals,” “Controversial,” “Philosophy,” “Politics,” and “Science” aids in organizing the reading material, making it easier for students to find topics of interest.

Eigo.AI‘s multimodal learning approach is another significant strength. It provides various modes of learning, including Watch, Read, Listen, Speak, Review, Write, and Discuss. This caters to different learning preferences and reinforces the material through multiple channels. 

The engaging visuals, such as the image depicting different animals and ecosystems, can captivate students’ attention and provide context for the reading material. Moreover, the inclusion of comprehension questions following the passage tests the student’s understanding and encourages critical thinking. The lessons and activities encompass a wide range of themes and topics, many of which necessitate critical engagement from the user through both speaking and writing. Some topics are more controversial, such as a lesson on the fairness of elections in Russia, while others are more cultural or social, like the various customs of coffee drinking around the world. Students are exposed to a diverse array of perspectives, many of which may be unfamiliar to them. They are required to articulate their thoughts and opinions on these topics both in writing and through interaction with an AI chatbot.

Practical Use in EFL

Regarding practical uses in the classroom, Eigo.AI  offers educators and institutions flexibility and adaptability in lesson planning. The comprehensive library saves time by providing ready-to-use materials that cater to different proficiency levels, ensuring that all students can engage with content appropriate for their skills. Additionally, the custom lesson generation service allows for the integration of specific curricular goals or thematic content, making it possible to align lessons with institutional priorities or specific learning objectives. This dual approach enhances the relevance and effectiveness of classroom instruction, accommodating diverse educational contexts and needs. 

Student Feedback on Eigo.AI

Lessons from Eigo.AI were used by students in an undergraduate program at Universidad del Norte in Colombia, South America. This course is a B2 level content-based course focusing on environmental sustainability and the participants were young adults that were motivated to use the language frequently, primarily benefiting from the AI-powered features that supported reading, writing, and vocabulary learning.

Learners found the tools particularly helpful for reviewing material in preparation for the final test, as they could engage in additional listening practice at their own pace. The adaptive learning capabilities allowed students to receive personalized feedback and exercises, reinforcing their understanding and retention of key concepts since modules contain a broad vocabulary.

Participants noted that while the avatar’s speech sometimes didn’t perfectly align with mouth movements, and the images were AI-generated, which caused some unease about their authenticity, there were also challenges in the listening section, which were particularly noticeable for those new to this type of technology. Thankfully, recent updates to the avatars have improved their pronunciation and lip synchronization, which should help alleviate some of these concerns, though debates about whether these types of texts are authentic are ongoing in our field. Additionally, as an educator, I hope that the platform will improve by incorporating more differentiation within the “Beginner”, “Intermediate”, and “Advanced” levels to better align with the diverse needs of students. Nonetheless, the ability to provide personalized feedback and real-time interactions makes Eigo.AI a powerful tool for language learners. 

Conclusion

For individuals seeking to enhance their English language skills through artificial intelligence, Eigo.AI presents a notable option for language education. This platform is also valuable for English language educators who aspire to advance the digital transition in their teaching methodologies, and allows them to easily track student attainment and engagement, providing insights into individual progress and areas needing improvement. Eigo.AI’s dynamic and interactive lessons can be easily integrated into their existing curriculum, enhance their instructional strategies and foster greater student interaction to achieve better learning outcomes.