Tottori's Aisei Kaichi School Introduces AI English Learning for All Grades

Introduction

In a pioneering step for education in Tottori Prefecture, Aisei Kaichi Middle and High School is set to introduce AI-powered English pronunciation assistance through the ELSA Schools program for all junior high grades starting April 2025. This initiative, launched by ELSA Japan, is designed to enhance students' English capabilities and prepare them for global challenges.

Background of the Initiative

Situated in one of Japan's least populated prefectures, Aisei Kaichi has positioned itself as a forward-thinking educational institution, focusing on exploration, mutual growth, and leaps in academic achievement. The school operates a six-year continuous education program concentrated on cultivating students' inquiry-based skills, crucial for addressing local and global challenges creatively.

The English department at Aisei Kaichi has set a goal: "Let's empathize with the world beyond the classroom." The curriculum is geared towards developing world-class English proficiency, where inquiry-based learning is integrated into regular classes. In English classes, the faculty emphasizes Developing Presentation Skills through numerous speech and presentation activities. For this purpose, phonics has been included in the first-grade curriculum to teach students about the relationship between phonetics and spelling.

The introduction of ELSA in the previous academic year fostered a heightened awareness of English pronunciation among students and encouraged a proactive attitude towards their learning. The positive results have led to the decision to implement the upgraded version of ELSA across all junior high school grades, further solidifying the commitment to advancing English education.

Insights from Educators

English teacher Naoya Ishida shared his insights about the continuity of ELSA's usage in the classroom. He highlighted the effectiveness of instant feedback provided by the AI and its ability to train multiple dimensions of English fluency, such as pronunciation, fluency, and intonation. Ishida expressed a desire to integrate ELSA into a step-by-step learning process that begins with pronunciation practice, followed by AI role-play, and ultimately culminating in real conversations with others.

The utilization of customized learning sets tailored to lesson content also stands out, facilitating personalized education experiences. Combining gamification and scoring systems adds motivation and reinforces the application of learned skills in students' academic performance.

Engaging Students with Real-World Context

Recent approaches have included using popular movies as the basis for 'drama-ification,' a storytelling method designed to connect learning with real-life situations. This strategy enhances students' interest in their studies while solidifying ties between their education and societal contexts.

Moving forward, Aisei Kaichi aims to foster an environment where students can acquire "living English" alongside ELSA, fully embracing its potential to transform language learning.

About ELSA

ELSA (English Language Speech Assistant) is an AI-powered personal coaching app that helps users speak English more accurately and confidently. Since receiving funding from Google's AI investment division in 2019, the app has gained over 60 million users across 192 countries. Its unique speech recognition technology enables learners to identify their speaking weaknesses—such as pronunciation, accent, intonation, fluency, vocabulary, and grammar—and make improvements in a short time.

ELSA has been adopted by various educational institutions worldwide, including Kyushu University and local governments in Japan such as Kyoto Prefecture's Kyotan-go City and Tokyo's Shibuya Ward. It is also utilized in several private schools, including Toshimaoka Girls' Academy, Mita International School, Seiko Academy, and Kindai University's affiliated schools.