7. If natural language processing in the future allows real-time, perfect translation, should foreign language classes be cut from school budgets?
In an ever-evolving world where futuristic imaginations are becoming an actual reality thanks to science and engineering, would societies advance as well while using tools such as Artificial Intelligence (A.I)? Could A.I. dramatically alter the way humans interact at work, school, or with each other? If A.I. is smart enough to take over jobs worked by humans, could it potentially transform what we teach in schools across the globe? What if technology advanced so rapidly that tools would be made readily available to translate language or solve math problems for humans? Would there still be a need to use resources to educate students on subjects like foreign languages? Here's what experts have to say on the matter, but first a quick lesson on what exactly A.I. looks like when applied to translating languages.
NLP stand for Natural Language Processing, which is a subcategory of Artificial Intelligence and Linguistics [1]. It’s “job” is to process and understand the words or statements humans write in a variety of languages. It can take the form of computer software, machines made to translate, or computational models, such as Alexa. Scientist and engineers developed NLP with hopes to make humans lives easier, as NLG can translate a language in a matter of seconds [1]. NLP uses both Natural Language Understanding (NLU) and Natural Language Generation (NLG) to maximize the efforts involved to understand and generate text [2].
Language is defined as a set of symbols or rules, that when combined, are used to convey a message to another person [1]. There are thousands of languages throughout the world, some of which don’t even require spoken sounds, instead they used symbols or expressions, such as sign language. We apply language to voice, text, writing, broadcasting, pictures, etc; and it is very valuable to the global sphere we live in, where people from different societies can communicate with each other via in person or through technology.
NLP is currently being applied to computer generated machines or online. NLP is Alexa. NLP is Google Translate. NLP is even seen in Facebook, where with one click of a button, you can see the translated version of text that was originally written in a language that is not your primary language (often times a rough translation, but that will be discussed later.) But could NLP advanced so efficiently that foreign languages wouldn’t need to be taught in schools? What could this look like and how would it affect the development of the brain? Would it alter how humans interact with each other for better or for worse? Would this advancement create a great sense of ease and positive outcomes? Or could this result in a more detrimental future for humanity? These questions may be difficult to solve, but they are certainly worth asking.
The goal of NLP is to understand and translate a variety of languages as quickly and efficiently as possible. It must use key factors of linguistics, the science of language, in order to do its job well. This means that phonology, morphology, lexical, syntactic, semantics, discourse, and pragmatics are utilized to understand and produce [1]. NLP also uses specialities of an algorithm or system, allowing an integration of language understanding and generating [3]. NLG is apart if NLP, because it produces phrases, sentences, and paragraphs that represent meaning from a humanistic point of view. Some NLP systems are even capable of “deeper thinking” depending on their model, which generally is a goal of educators applied to their students.
“It was trusted that machine can be made to function like human brain by giving some fundamental knowledge and reasoning mechanism linguistics knowledge is directly encoded in rule or other forms of representation. This helps automatic process of natural languages.” [4]
“Mental fitness” is a term coined to advocate how learning challenges and progresses our skills for the better. That is one of the reasons why we teach secondary languages in the first place. Higher language skills promote growth in areas of the brain such as the hippocampus and the cerebral cortex. Both of these sections of the brain are associated with actions, memories, and thoughts [5]. A study done in 2012 by Swedish MRi shows how the cortical thickness; which is responsible for thinking, speaking, memory, and consciousness, is improved when a person is being taught a foreign language [6]. Studies also show an increase in memory and sharp thinking at an elderly age, when taught multiple languages [7]. Learning a language is even thought to be just as effective as learning complex motor skills, since it changes the brain in similar ways [6]. The National Education Association completed a review associated to learning a second language in childhood, which stated the following benefits;
“Children who study a foreign language receive a boost in overall cognitive development, do better on standardized tests, are more creative, and have better self-esteem and sense of achievement in school.Second language studies help students, regardless of race, gender, or academic level, do better in other areas of study across the board including improved reading skills, social studies, and math.Foreign language study acts as an equalizer in the classroom with minorities and children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds making the most gains.” [8]
Other benefits are higher general intelligence [9]; better focus, concentration and attention [10]; mental flexibility [11], better memorization [12]; higher creativity [13]; better listening skills [14]; and increase rational thinking [15]. With all of this scholarly information on the benefits of learning a second language, how on earth could schools stop educating students on subjects like foreign language? What would the pro’s and con’s of that look like in the future?
The pro’s of not learning a second language in school are focused less on cognitive learning and more on time. It is proposed that the time learned to use a second language may not be the most beneficial in the end goal. Professor Tom Gally of the University of Tokyo, teaches english to Japanese students and very much agrees that this helps them develop their cognitive abilities, rather than damaging them. Yet he does agree that many students who learn a language may not even use it and the time spent teaching second languages could be better spent on another subject [16]. He also believes that even though A.I. may “take over” jobs humans generally do, this decrease will always reap increases in other fields. It may even promote new fields, therefor new jobs, into the world, as long as A.I. continues to improve. But it is important to remember, that humans must improve and adapt, as well.
Two major con’s of stopping second language education in schools is very much focused on cognitive development, and believe it or not, economic resources. If every school spent money on A.I. programs so their students could have access to NLP, the education system may actually end up spending more money than they would to teach foreign languages [17]. Other cons of A.I. in the classroom include a loss of person connections, addiction to technology (which is arguable already happening with smartphones alone), and unemployment. A third con is that A.I. doesn’t always get everything correct. Just because it can technically translate words, doesn’t always mean its structuring sentances correctly [16] [18] .
To conclude, A.I. can be beneficial in the classroom, but in terms of overthrowing an entire subject of teaching, odds are it does not suffice to the challange. Key factors against the hault of teaching a second language in order to save school resources, is counteractive to cognitive growth, social growth, and an overall perception of the world. It could take away jobs, corrupt the minds of children by promoting an addiction to online sources, as well as hinders a students mental abilities. Although it may save time, it certainly would not save economic resources, as technology is extremly expenisve. At the end of the day, old school teaching may be what is best for students and humanity, in the long run. Yet that does not mean Google Translate can’t help struggling students out with their Spanish homework. It just means that it should not be a sunstitute for them not to use their own mental abilities to solve problems throughout their lives.
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