Schools in Japan are exploring ways to take advantage of robots equipped with artificial intelligence in the teaching of English as the country plans to make the language a formal subject to be taught at elementary schools from the spring of 2020. Inside an elementary school classroom in the city…
Schools in Japan are exploring ways to take advantage of robots equipped with artificial intelligence in the teaching of English as the country plans to make the language a formal subject to be taught at elementary schools from the spring of 2020.
Inside an elementary school classroom in the city of Toda, Saitama Prefecture, a sixth-grade boy was speaking to a small white robot with cat-like ears and long arms standing on two feet on top of his desk.
« How was…, » the boy attending Toda Daini Elementary School started out speaking in English, dropping off in the middle of the line not knowing what word should follow.
« Try again, » the robot responded in English.
« I got it! » the boy said in Japanese and gave the correct English answer: « How was it? »
« Very good, » the robot replied, making him exclaim, « Yes! »
The city, not far from Tokyo, is known for its efforts to facilitate English teaching, launching language classes in 2004 ahead of the national schedule.
