Rewriting Foreign Language Education through AI with Nicole Mills, Arnaud Dressen, and Hannah Kim

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into educational contexts, its potential to support—not replace—student learning is generating both excitement and important questions. In the field of language education, this moment offers a compelling opportunity to rethink how writing is taught, especially for beginning learners. In Episode 230 of Silver Lining for Learning, we are joined by Nicole Mills, Arnaud Dressen, and Hannah Kim to discuss their innovative work on the design and evaluation of an AI-powered writing companion for foreign language learners.

Their research centers on a multimodal, process-oriented writing platform that encourages students to engage in “reading to write” activities through dynamic interactions with a chatbot thought partner. Grounded in both the psychology of language learning and user experience design, their study explores how features like teaching presence, anthropomorphism, and writing self-efficacy influence how students perceive and engage with the tool.

What they discovered was striking: students who reported greater enjoyment using the platform were also more likely to value the writing process and feel more confident in their foreign language writing abilities. At the same time, a strong perception of the AI’s teaching presence surprisingly correlated with reduced enjoyment of learning French. While students appreciated the human-like qualities of the chatbot, anthropomorphism alone did not predict better outcomes—suggesting that enjoyment and thoughtful design may matter more than simply making AI seem lifelike.

In this episode, we explore the implications of these findings for future AI design in education, including the importance of customization, credibility, and learner agency. Join us for a discussion about how AI tools, when rooted in sound pedagogical research and theoretical foundations, can reshape the language learning experience for the next generation.

Readings and Resources

Link to published article in the Foreign Language Annals:

• Mills, N., Hok, H., Dressen, A., & Veillas, Q. (2025). Design and Evaluation of an Interactive AI Companion for Foreign Language Writing. Foreign Language Annals, 58(1), 1-30. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author/SVAUFFDRNA68HATQD6BP?target=10.1111/flan.12790
• Substack feature from Open AI for Education: Teaching with ChatGPT: Immersive Language Learning with AILink: https://edunewsletter.openai.com/p/immersive-language-learning-with

Episode Guests

Nicole Mills

Nicole Mills is the Joint Director of Language Programs in the Department of Romance Languages & Literatures and lecturer in the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University. She teaches courses in French, language pedagogy, and technology enhanced language learning and serves as the advisor for Harvard’s Bok Certificate in Teaching Languages and Cultures. Her research interests are associated with the psychology of language learning and their intersection with virtual and simulated environments in language learning, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence and virtual reality applications. Her book Perspectives on Teaching Language and Content (co-authored with Stacey Katz Bourns and Cheryl Krueger) was published in 2020 with Yale University Press and she has various publications in the Modern Language Journal, the Foreign Language Annals, Language Learning, the CALICO journal, the International Journal of Applied Linguistics and in various edited volumes. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Studies and French from Emory University.

Hannah Hok Kim

Hannah Hok Kim is currently a postdoctoral researcher split between the MIT Libraries with the Center for Research on Equitable and Open Scholarship, MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences with saxelab, and Harvard University’s Department of Psychology with the Thomas Lab. She previously received her Ph.D. at the University of Chicago working with Alex Shaw. Hannah studies social and moral cognitive development. She is particularly interested in children’s early emerging intuitive theories about the use of rules and procedures in coordinating group-decisions.

Arnaud Dressen

Arnaud is the CEO and founder of Wonda, a cutting-edge web platform focused on immersive learning.

Driven by a passion for using technology to enhance human creativity and foster collaboration, Arnaud has spent more than two decades at the forefront of media and education. His previous achievements include the creation of one of the first community-driven investigative journalism platforms, supported by the United Nations and the Ford Foundation, and pioneering innovative interactive documentaries featured at SXSW and the Cannes Film Festival.

Arnaud's recent endeavors with Wonda have been focused on providing educators with innovative tools to facilitate the teaching and learning of vital 21st-century skills by leveraging the power of spatial computing and generative AI. His work, in collaboration with leading universities and creative studios, has earned Wonda recognition as one of the top 8 XR education startups by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.