The implementation of mobile learning has been popular in educational contexts due to the rapid development of technology and easy access to applications of high quality.
Due to the rise of AI technology, adaptive learning for individual learners is now a possibility and chatbot programs that can ‘chat’ with a human user in natural language in mobile applications are one facet of this. Chatbot-based language learning programs potentially represent a supplementary language learning tool for learners who want to
utilize the target language in authentic contexts. However, in order to make full use of such tools, users must be capable of incorporating autonomous learning outside the classroom and an important task for language teachers is how to promote such autonomous learning. With this goal in mind, four popular mobile chatbot platforms
for English learning; Duolingo, Mondly, Andy English Bot, and Memrise are reviewed. An analysis of the teaching method of each chatbot program and the presumed levels of target learners is presented and the programs’ strengths and weaknesses are compared. The limits and capacity of these programs as language utors are discussed in connection with autonomous language learning. This analysis suggests the further research on how these chatbot platforms can address needs of Korean learners. |