The Language Innovators

The Language Innovators

By Linh Phung and Nikolas WolfeTechnologyEducationLanguage Learning
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The Language Innovators episodes

  • Jensen Huang - Nvidia - AI Development with Greg Kessler

    This episode featuring Dr. Greg Kessler as a guest co-host is a reaction to and reflection on the latest news of the day in the US when Nvidia CEO resigned due to extra-marital affairs. This is likely affecting AI development, the economy, and many aspects of our lives.

    Part 2 of the episode will focus on our recent engagements in the edtech space. Stay tuned.

    Reference: ImageNet Classification with Deep Convolutional Neural Networks: https://proceedings.neurips.cc/paper_files/paper/2012/file/c399862d3b9d6b76c8436e924a68c45b-Paper.pdf

    Join Dr. Kessler's CALL conference on April 23 at Ohio University: https://sites.google.com/site/oucallconf/?pli=1&authuser=0

    Dr. Kessler's book recommendation: The Next Reality

    Eduling website: https://eduling.ai

    Eduling app: https://app.eduling.ai 

    41 min
  • Demystifying AI with Rachel Chung and Nikolas Wolfe: From Neural Networks to Everyday Applications

    In this episode of the Language Innovators podcast, hosts Dr. Linh Phung and Nikolas Wolfe are joined by Carnegie Mellon University professor Dr. Tingting (Rachel) Chung. Together, they demystify artificial intelligence, tracing its historical roots and local ties to Pittsburgh's pioneering work.

    The speakers down complex concepts like machine learning, neural networks, deep learning, and large language models into accessible math and simple Excel operations. They explore real-world applications in education, museum management, and healthcare while critically examining AI risks, human responsibility, and societal impacts.

    Dr. Tingting Rachel Chung is a Professor of AI Education at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) at the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy. She holds an MS in information science and two PhDs, one in psychology and one in information science. She is an award-winning educator and author of AI the Magic Box and AI for Business.

    Dr. Linh Phung is the CEO and co-founder of Eduling, a task-based, AI-integrated platform focusing on developing language learners’ communicative competence.

    Nik Wolfe is the CTO of Eduling with a master's degree from Carnegie Mellon University's Language Technologies Institute (LTI).

    Dr. Rachel Chung's recent books: AI: The Magic Box: https://a.co/d/0bQD8v0a

    AI for Business: https://a.co/d/0exxLQQH

    Eduling website: https://eduling.ai

    Eduling app: https://app.eduling.ai 

    1 hr 19 min
  • Digital Task Design with Tim Ashe

    This episode of the Language Innovators Podcast, hosted by Dr. Linh Phung and Nikolas Wolfe from Eduling, features Dr. Tim Ashe, an assistant professor of Spanish at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.

    The hosts and Dr. Ashe discuss the changing landscape of language education, second language acquisition, and the integration of artificial intelligence and task-based learning to develop learners’ professional skills and cultural competence for specific purposes in the real world. The conversation spans multiple dimensions of pedagogy, technology-mediated tasks, gamification, and the communication needs of language learners in the digital age.

    Dr. Tim Ashe is Assistant Professor of Spanish at the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a PhD in Spanish Linguistics and extensive experience in both corporate America and academia. Apart from his teaching and research achievements, he is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.

    Dr. Ashe's textbook coming in Fall 2027 from Cognella: Spanish for Business Textbook - Más alla de las fronteras: negocios globales (ISBN: 2370021883622)

    Dr. Tim Ashe's website: https://sites.google.com/view/timothyasheeducator?pli=1&authuser=0

    Eduling Website: https://eduling.ai

    Summary and highlights of the episode: https://www.eduling.ai/post/task-design-on-digital-platforms-with-dr-tim-ashe 

    1 hr 12 min
  • Task-Based Language Teaching: Rod Ellis on SLA & AI

    In this first episode of The Language Innovators Podcast (originally published on January 26, 2026), Linh Phung and Nikolas Wolfe interview Professor Rod Ellis, one of the most influential scholars in Second Language Acquisition (SLA), to explore Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) and the growing role of AI in language education. Together, they discuss the fundamentals of TBLT, implicit/ explicit learning, and the potential and dangers of AI in language education and beyond. This interview is hosted by Eduling: The Hub for Task-Based Teaching and Learning, an AI-powered platform designed to make meaningful, task-based language teaching accessible to every language teacher and learner. Eduling brings the most empirically validated approach to language learning, Task-Based Language Teaching, to life through intelligent agents, expertly designed tasks, and authentic communication experiences.

    Eduling website: https://eduling.ai

    Eduling app: https://app.eduling.ai 

    👤 About Professor Rod Ellis Professor Rod Ellis is a world-renowned linguist and a leading expert in Second Language Acquisition. He is best known for bridging SLA theory and classroom practice, particularly through his influential work on Task-Based Language Teaching, implicit and explicit learning, and individual differences in language learning. Rod Ellis is distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Auckland (New Zealand) and Curtin University (Australia), Senior Professor at Anaheim University (USA), Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and one of the most highly cited scholars in applied linguistics with a citation count of 152,668 on Google Scholar at the time of interview. 💡

    Topics & Questions Discussed

    What is Task-Based Language Teaching, and how has it been applied worldwide?

    How different is TBLT and other approaches such as content-based and project-based approaches

    What is a task?

    Do Natural Order, Monitor Theory, Universal Grammar have anything to do with TBLT?

    How do we design a task-based training program for languages without a written script?

    Is TBLT alone sufficient for language acquisition?

    What role can AI play in language learning and task performance?

    What aspects of human communication are still missing in chatbots and AI systems?

    Is it possible to acquire a language using only AI or computer-generated interaction?

    How can we work with AI now that it’s here to stay?

    1 hr 33 min
  • EdulingAI for Languages: Engineering and Pedagogical Design + Demo
    In this live session, Linh Phung and Nikolas Wolfe introduce the latest developments for Eduling, including the expansion of their mobile application into a web-based platform (app.eduling.ai) and the addition of multi-language support spanning 144 target language varieties. The discussion focuses on the intersection of task-based language teaching (TBLT) and speech technology.
     
    Nik explains the engineering behind low-latency bidirectional streaming, automatic speech recognition (ASR), and text-to-speech (TTS) integration. They demonstrate live interactive tasks in languages such as Spanish, Vietnamese, Twi, Frafra, and Ga, critically examining the current capabilities and limitations of large language models when handling low-resource, less commonly taught languages (LCTLs).
     
    Topics covered
    Introduction and Web App Launch
    Expanding to Multi-Language Support
    Technical Architecture of Spoken Language Interaction
    Vietnamese Task Demo
    Spanish Task Demo and TBLT Pedagogy
    Integrating Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs)
    Live Demonstrations in Twi and Ga
    Testing Low-Resource Challenges in Frafra
    Future Collaboration and Conclusion
     
    Eduling website: https://eduling.ai
    Web app: https://app.eduling.ai
    1 hr 32 min
  • Language Learning in the World of Fluent Machines: Interview with Soroush Sabbaghan
    In this episode of the Language Innovators podcast featuring Dr. Soroush Sabbaghan from the University of Calgary, the speakers discuss integrating Generative AI with Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) principles to enhance second language acquisition. The speakers agree that while AI can provide efficient information and targeted practice, it often lacks the paralinguistic features and communicative pressure found in human interaction.
     
    The conversation also highlights leveraging AI's unique capabilities such as “infinite patience” and feedback to foster metacognitive awareness and learner agency. Dr. Soroush Sabbaghan is an Associate Professor at the University of Calgary’s Werklund School of Education and the inaugural GenAI Educational Leader in Residence at the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. He researches, teaches and speaks on generative AI in education.
     
    Soroush also has a new book out on ‘Navigating Generative AI in Higher Education,’ available on his website at https://soroushsabbaghan.com/book/
     
    More information about Eduling
    Eduling website: https://eduling.ai
    55 min
  • Designing Innovative Learning Experiences in the Digital Wilds with Greg Kessler
    In the Language Innovators podcast episode titled "Designing Innovative Learning Experiences in the Digital Wilds," hosts Dr. Linh Phung and Nikolas Wolfe interview Dr. Greg Kessler, a professor of innovative learning design and technology at Ohio University. The conversation explores the concept of the "digital wilds," autonomous online spaces like social media and gaming where authentic communication occurs. Dr. Kessler warns against "taming" these vibrant environments in traditional classrooms, which strips away learner motivation. The speakers also critically evaluate the exploitation of user data, the historical failures of EdTech rollouts, and the vital role of teacher preparation in fostering lifelong learner autonomy.
     
    Greg's profile: https://www.ohio.edu/experts/expert/greg-kessler
     
    Highlights:
    Introduction and background: Greg's experience training teachers in 59 countries
    Unpacking the digital wilds and innovative learning designs
    Colonization, rewilding, and domestication of the internet
    Search engines, gatekeeping, and data and labor extraction
    The EdTech backlash and "UI smokescreens"
    Immersive worlds: VR, AR, and AI
    Teacher preparation and learner autonomy
    The CALICO 2026 conference: https://calico.org/calico-2026/
     
    Book recommendations
    Our Next Reality: How the AI-Powered Metaverse Will Reshape the World by Alvin Graylin and Louis Rosenberg, which explores the convergence of VR and AI.
    Who Owns the Future? by Jaron Lainer, which criticizes closed tech monopolies.
    Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick, which explores working and learning with AI as a partner.
     
    More about Eduling: https://eduling.ai
    1 hr 16 min
  • Multilingual Education in Global Contexts: The Functional Approach and LACI with Luciana de Oliveira
    Host: Dr. Linh Phung, CEO and Co-Founder of Eduling
    Guest: Dr. Luciana de Oliveira, Tenured Professor of Teaching and Learning at Virginia Commonwealth University
     
    Short Description
    In this comprehensive episode of the Language Innovators podcast, host Dr. Linh Phung interviews renowned TESOL expert, author, and researcher Dr. Luciana de Oliveira to explore the evolving landscape of multilingual education both within the United States and across global contexts. The conversation explores the systemic functional linguistics (SFL)-informed functional approach to language development, unpacking how educators can move past outdated instructional practices, such as traditional vocabulary pre-teaching and the five-paragraph essay format, to embrace language as an asset-driven, meaning-making resource.
     
    Dr. de Oliveira breaks down her LACI (Language-Based Approach to Content Instruction) framework and its Six Cs of support, offering materials producers, technology developers, and classroom teachers actionable insights into interactional scaffolding, curriculum amplification over simplification, and the emerging role of Generative AI in creating mentor texts.
     
    Highlights
    1. The Historical and Contemporary Evolution of Multilingual Education
    2. Demystifying the Functional Approach and Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL)
    3. Deconstructing Outdated Practices: Vocabulary Pre-Teaching and the Five-Paragraph Essay
    4. The LACI Framework: The Six Cs of Content Scaffolding
    5. Interactional Scaffolding vs. Static Scaffolding
    6. Amplification over Simplification: Debating Comprehensible Input
    7. Implications for Educational Technology and Generative AI
     
    More about Dr. Luciana Oliveira: https://soe.vcu.edu/about-us/directory/full-directory/luciana-c-de-oliveira-phd.html
     
    More about Eduling: https://eduling.ai
    Eduling app: https://app.eduling.ai
    1 hr 21 min
  • Generative AI in Language Education with Deborah Healey
    Featuring Dr. Deborah Healey, 2019-2020 President of TESOL International Association, this episode offers a deep discussion of the benefits and costs of Generative AI in language education and society. Hosted by Dr. Linh Phung (CEO of Eduling) and Nik Wolfe (CTO of Eduling), the conversation covers the immediate practical benefits for teachers; the systemic challenges regarding the changed nature of teaching and learning, privacy, and environmental costs; and the philosophical shifts required to maintain the "human element" in the classroom.
     
    The episode serves as a nuanced discussion of the AI era in education. It encourages teachers to be "transparent" (sharing when they use AI if they expect students to do the same) and to remain curious but critical. As Dr. Healey notes, the goal is to "keep it human" while navigating a landscape where the tools are powerful, the costs are high, and the potential for both innovation and harm is unprecedented.
     
    Highlights
    1. The "Sanity Saver": AI as an Efficiency Tool
    2. Pedagogical Reconstruction and the Death of the "Internet Research" Assignment
    3. The Ethical Minefield: Environment and Privacy
    4. The "Glazing" Effect and Bot Empathy
    5. Technical Realities: Next Token Prediction and Hallucinations
    6. The Future of Language Teaching
     
    More information about Eduling: https://eduling.ai 
    Eduling app: https://app.eduling.ai 
     
    See a summary and highlights here: https://www.eduling.ai/post/ai-in-education-and-society-sanity-saver-high-costs-and-seismic-change
    1 hr 5 min
  • New EdulingAI Features: IELTS Score Prediction and Video Integration
    Dr. Linh Phung and Nikolas Wolfe talked about the technical work behind the recently launched EdulingAI feature.
     
    📊 IELTS & CEFR Score Estimates: Get instant, AI-driven predictions for both Speaking and Writing.
    ✍️ Detailed Grammar Corrections: Go beyond simple fixes with in-depth feedback to help you refine your accuracy and understand the "why" behind every correction.
    🎥 Video-Chat Integration: Watch videos while chatting with EdulingAI to build your language and discuss content in real-time.
     
    Try this feature in a task here: https://eduling.chottu.link/dream-house
    Eduling website: https://eduling.ai
    Eduling app: https://app.eduling.ai
    18 min

About The Language Innovators

From the publisher's feed

The Language Innovators podcast discusses topics at the intersection of second language acquisition, Task-based Language Teaching, and technology.