The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will introduce artificial intelligence (AI) to improve English proficiency among students at BMA schools.
This follows alarming results last year showing that only 3% of students met the A1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The initiative is a collaboration between the BMA, Edsy — an education technology startup — and SVOA Plc. It will introduce Edsy AI Coach, an AI-powered learning assistant designed to support English teachers and students, with over 14,000 Grade 6 students at 136 schools under the BMA’s supervision expected to benefit.
Deputy Bangkok governor Sanon Wangsrangboon said the BMA wants students to have access to high-quality English education. “In a class of 30 or 40 students, usually fewer than 10 have a chance to speak English, often the same students every time, since there is only one teacher,” he said. “We must find a way to allow all students to speak.”
Mr Sanon said students at BMA schools are especially weak at speaking and writing, and while they are expected to reach A1 proficiency in the four core English skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), only 3% of them met that level last year.
Edsy AI Coach utilises personalised learning to help students practise English individually. Students will get to practise creating English sentences and receive real-time feedback from AI, which will help correct grammar, sentence structure, and pronunciation.
A pilot programme in six BMA schools last year showed marked progress after just two months, with fluency improving by 10%, accuracy by 14%, and pronunciation by 12%.