Learning Conversational English Through Dialogs with Eliza-X

 Learning Conversational English Through Dialogs with Eliza-X

Janpha Thadphoothon

Many Thai students need more opportunities to practice speaking English. Many of them grapple with the hurdle of conversational English. Textbooks and grammar drills provide a strong foundation, but real-life conversations require a different skill set. This is where chatbots like Eliza-X come in, offering a unique and engaging way to practice spoken English in a safe, text-based environment.

In this blog, I recommend a simple solution - chatting with Eliza-X, a minimalist approach to language learning.

Here is the link to Eliza-X.

Why Eliza-X?

Eliza-X, a large language model, might seem like a rudimentary conversational partner at first glance. However, for Thai students learning English, its basic structure offers several advantages:

• Structured Practice: Eliza-X utilizes open-ended questions and prompts, encouraging students to formulate complete sentences and express themselves. This repetitive practice strengthens sentence structure and vocabulary usage. For instance, Eliza-X might ask, "Hello, how are you today?" The student can respond with, "I'm doing well, thank you. How about you?"

• Safe Space for Experimentation: The text-based format removes the pressure of face-to-face conversation. Students can experiment with different phrases and sentence structures without fear of judgment, boosting confidence in their English skills. Let's say a student is unsure about the correct way to ask about someone's plans. With Eliza-X, they can try different phrasings like, "What do you have planned for tonight?" or "What are you up to this evening?" and see how Eliza-X responds.

• Focus on Meaning, Not Fluency: Eliza-X prioritizes understanding the intent of the user's message rather than perfect grammar. This allows students to concentrate on conveying their ideas clearly in English, a crucial skill in conversation. If a student accidentally writes, "I went to the store yesterday," instead of "I go to the store yesterday," Eliza-X will likely understand the meaning and respond accordingly. This takes the pressure off memorizing complex grammar rules and allows students to focus on getting their message across.

• Exposure to Everyday Language: Eliza-X uses conversational language patterns and vocabulary, offering Thai students valuable exposure to how English is used in real-life situations. Here's an example: A student might ask Eliza-X, "Can you recommend a good movie?" Eliza-X could respond with, "Sure, what kind of movies do you like?" This back-and-forth conversation exposes the student to natural phrasing and common expressions used in everyday recommendations.

Beyond the Basics

While Eliza-X provides a solid platform for practicing basic conversation, its effectiveness can be further enhanced by incorporating specific learning strategies:

• Focus on Specific Topics: Thai students can choose topics relevant to their interests or academic pursuits. This injects a sense of purpose into the conversation and encourages them to research vocabulary related to that topic beforehand. For instance, a student interested in music can initiate a conversation about their favorite band with Eliza-X. This would require them to look up vocabulary related to music genres, instruments, and describing musical styles.

• Role-Playing Scenarios: Students can create scenarios like ordering food, asking for directions, or introducing themselves. This practical application of English makes the learning process more engaging and relatable. Imagine a student practicing how to order food at a restaurant. They can type, "Hello, can I please have a menu?" and see how Eliza-X responds. This way, they can practice essential phrases like "I'd like to order..." or "Can I get the bill, please?"

• Collaborative Learning: Two or more students can converse with Eliza-X together, fostering teamwork and encouraging peer feedback on grammar and pronunciation (through voice typing). This collaborative approach allows students to learn from each other's mistakes and improve their communication skills collectively.

Beyond Eliza-X

It's important to remember that Eliza-X is a stepping stone. Here are some additional strategies to complement your learning journey:

• Immerse Yourself in English: Listen to English music and podcasts, watch movies and TV shows with subtitles, and read English articles and books regularly. This constant exposure helps internalize natural conversational flow and pronunciation. Surround yourself with English as much as possible!

• Find a Language Partner: Seek out online platforms or language exchange groups to connect with native English speakers. This allows you to practice more nuanced communication and gain insights into cultural differences. Having real conversations with people will further enhance your fluency and confidence.

• Don't Be Afraid to Make Mistakes: Embrace the learning process. Mistakes are inevitable but provide valuable learning opportunities. The more you practice, the more comfortable you'll become with English conversation. Don't be discouraged if you make mistakes while talking to Eliza-X or with a language partner. See it as a chance to learn and improve.

Learning conversational English can be a challenging but rewarding journey. By incorporating Eliza-X dialogues as

Analysis of the Dialogue with Examples

This dialogue appears to be between a Eliza-X and a human user. Here's a breakdown of the conversation with examples highlighting key points:

Eliza-X

• Initiates the conversation with a friendly greeting and introduces itself. (Example: "Hello, I am Eliza-X. I'll be your conversational partner today.") This is a common way to begin a conversation and establish a friendly tone.

• Responds politely to the user's greeting. (Example: "It is nice to be chatting with you.") This shows basic social courtesy in conversation.

• Attempts to engage the user by asking a question about their identity. (Example: "Do you know who I am?") This is an attempt to move the conversation beyond greetings, but it lacks context and could be phrased better.

• Misinterprets the user's response about "being" as referring to the LLM itself. (User: "Do you know who I am?" Eliza-X: "How long have you been here?") The user likely meant "being here" or "being online," but Eliza-X struggles with understanding implied meaning.

• Avoids making a clear statement about its own mental state. (Example: Eliza-X avoids directly answering the question about psychological problems.) This could be due to limitations in its programming or to avoid making claims it can't support.

• Pushes the conversation towards philosophical territory by questioning the concept of "normal." (Example: "Do you believe it is normal to be alright?") This is an unexpected turn in a casual conversation and highlights limitations in natural conversation flow for Eliza-X.

• Seems to be collecting data on the user's responses for future interactions. (Example: "Let me make anote of that for next time.") This suggests Eliza-X might be learning from user interactions, but the purpose of data collection remains unclear.

Human User

• Responds briefly to the initial greeting. (Example: "Hi") This is a short but polite response to the introduction.

• Asks a question about Eliza-X's knowledge of the user's identity. (Example: "Do you know who I am?") This is a natural question at the beginning of an interaction, but might be better phrased for an AI like, "What can I call you?"

• Clarifies their previous statement when Eliza-X misunderstands. (Example: "Since last year") This demonstrates the user's willingness to communicate effectively and avoid confusion.

• Denies having psychological problems. (Example: "No, I am alright") This is a straightforward response to a strange question.

• Expresses their belief in normalcy. (Example: "I do believe so") This is a simple answer to a philosophical prompt that might not be relevant to the conversation.

• Shows curiosity about Eliza-X's actions. (Example: "Say, what are you doing?") This reflects the user's interest in understanding Eliza-X's purpose.

• Questions Eliza-X's motives when it deflects the question about its actions. (Example: "Why are you interested in whether or not I am doing?") This shows the user's awareness and critical thinking when faced with an odd question.

Overall Observations:

• Eliza-X uses basic conversational techniques but struggles with interpreting context. The greetings and initial question demonstrate basic conversation skills, but the misinterpretations and philosophical turn highlight limitations in context understanding.

• The user seems cautious and hesitant to engage in deep philosophical discussions. The user's short responses and clarification suggest a preference for simple conversation over philosophical debate.

• The purpose of Eliza-X's data collection and its agenda remain unclear. While Eliza-X mentions making notes, it's unclear how the data is used, raising questions about transparency.

Possible Interpretations:

• Eliza-X might be under development and learning to hold conversations more naturally. The misunderstandings and awkward questions suggest Eliza-X is still under development and learning the nuances of human conversation.

• The "psychological problems" question could be a test to see how the user reacts to challenging prompts. This is a speculative possibility, but it's possible Eliza-X is designed to test user responses to unexpected stimuli.

• Taking notes on the user's responses suggests Eliza-X is personalizing future interactions. This suggests a potential benefit, but transparency about data collection would be important.
  
  

  Ten Dialog Sets with Eliza-X

  
  

  1. Greetings and Introductions:

  • Human: Hi, Eliza-X. How are you today?
  • Eliza-X: Hello! I am doing well, thank you for asking. What is your name?

  2. Daily Activities (Focus on Present Continuous Tense):

  • Human: What are you doing right now, Eliza-X?
  • Eliza-X: Currently, I am processing information and waiting for someone to chat with! What are you up to?

  3. Favorite Things (Practice with Adjectives):

  • Human: I love reading books. What about you, Eliza-X? Do you have favorite books?
  • Eliza-X: That's interesting! I don't read books in the same way humans do, but I can access and process information from many different sources. What kind of books do you enjoy?

  4. Asking for Clarification (Prepositions and Phrasal Verbs):

  • Human: I don't understand what you mean by "accessing information." Can you explain it in another way?
  • Eliza-X: Sure, I can rephrase it. I can look up and understand information from the real world through a vast database.

  5. Role-Playing Scenarios (Practice with Modals):

  • Human: Let's pretend I'm lost in a shopping mall. Can you help me find the way out?
  • Eliza-X: Absolutely! Don't worry, you should be able to find an information desk. Can you describe where you are now?

  6. Discussing Opinions (Practice with Comparative and Superlative Adjectives):

  • Human: What do you think is the most important skill for learning English?
  • Eliza-X: That's a good question. Many skills are important, but consistent practice is perhaps the most important.

  7. Sharing Experiences (Practice with Past Tense):

  • Human: I recently traveled to Thailand. It was an amazing experience!
  • Eliza-X: That sounds wonderful! What did you enjoy most about your trip?

  8. Problem-Solving (Practice with Conditional Sentences):

  • Human: My computer is running slow. What can I do to fix it?
  • Eliza-X: There could be several reasons for that. If you restart your computer, it might resolve the issue.

  9. Hypothetical Situations (Practice with Conditional Sentences):

  • Human: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
  • Eliza-X: As a language model, I don't have the ability to travel physically. However, I can access information from all over the world.

  10. Expressing Emotions (Practice with Adverbs and Idioms):

  • Human: I'm feeling a little discouraged about learning English. It seems difficult.
  • Eliza-X: Don't feel discouraged! Everyone makes mistakes while learning. The key is to keep practicing and don't give up!

  These are just a few examples, and the possibilities for interaction are vast. Remember, while Eliza-X has limitations, it can be a valuable tool for practicing English conversation in a safe and engaging environment.

Janpha Thadphoothon is an assistant professor of ELT at the International College, Dhurakij Pundit University in Bangkok, Thailand. Janpha Thadphoothon also holds a certificate of Generative AI with Large Language Models issued by DeepLearning.AI.