UDL and AI in teaching foreign languages to people 60+
By Isabel Montes García (coord.), Rocío Rodríguez Ruíz, Miriam Huertas Arcos, María José Gámez Cruz, Óscar Castro Muñoz, Carmen García Cárceles, teachers at EOI Carlota Remfry (Linares, Spain) – Erasmus+ Partner, „GET READY 60+” Project
Local roots, European impact: How GET READY 60+ has enriched our school
The GET READY 60+ project has been a turning point for our school, EOI Carlota Remfry (public lifelong language learning school) in Linares (Spain) [www.eoicarlotaremfry.net]. It has allowed our teachers and learners to co-create materials with real impact, resources that will be used across Europe to teach English to senior adults at beginner levels (A1–A2). During the school year 2025-2024, as part of our dissemination activities, we will work with local and district adult learning institutions and NGOs to help them implement these video lessons and we will use the materials with senior students in our school and other similar schools in our district (Jaén province, in Andalusia).
One of the most meaningful outcomes? Our students —many of them over 60 themselves— became the protagonists of a series of educational videos now used in Italy, Poland, and beyond. The experience gave learners confidence, purpose, and visibility. They were no longer just language learners—they were cultural ambassadors and content creators.
Our learners stepped in front of the camera with courage and pride. They saw their voices—and their accents—as valuable contributions to language education across borders.
Investing in the future: infrastructure, media, and innovation
Beyond its impact on methodology and learner motivation, the project has been instrumental in renewing and expanding our school’s digital infrastructure. With the financial support provided, we have invested in essential tools to enhance both accessibility and creativity in the classroom. These include microphones and hearing aids to support inclusive learning environments, as well as high-quality cameras, lighting equipment, and a green screen to enable professional-level video production. We have also upgraded our editing software and devices to facilitate learner-led media projects and creative exploration.
At the heart of this transformation is a new audiovisual space, soon to become a multilingual radio and video studio. Designed as a dynamic hub for language learning, this studio will empower students of all ages to take an active role in content creation. Learners will be able to record roleplays and podcasts in English, French, and German, produce interviews or video diaries focused on local history and intercultural dialogue, and collaborate on intergenerational media projects featuring subtitles, AI narration, or image-based prompts. The studio will also provide a space for developing mediation tasks and peer-teaching materials aligned with certification goals.
We are convinced that language learning should be visible, audible, and shared. This new studio will help us shift from traditional models of language education to more participatory, creative, and future-ready practices—turning learners into producers, and classrooms into storytelling communities.
Language learning doesn’t stop at grammar—it begins with connection. And connection starts when we give learners the tools to speak, record, create, and be heard.
A new chapter in lifelong learning: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
At EOI Carlota Remfry, a public lifelong language learning school in Andalusia (Spain), our classrooms host learners aged 14 to 84. With the GET READY 60+ project, we embraced two powerful allies for inclusive education:
These tools are often at the center of a lively debate: Will AI replace human teachers? In our experience, the answer is clear—no. AI can support, extend, and personalize language learning, but it cannot replace the empathy, encouragement, and spontaneity that human educators bring to the process. Especially for older adults learning English at A1–A2 level, often for the first time, what matters most is a human presence that listens, smiles, and adapts. AI doesn’t replace teachers—it helps us unlock potential that might otherwise remain hidden.
With the right tools, older learners don’t just keep up—they lead.
Senior learners often arrive in the classroom with high motivation, but also with unique needs. Some face age-related changes in memory, hearing, or vision. Others may feel insecure about their digital skills or believe that language learning is “too difficult” at their age. Recognizing these emotional and cognitive barriers is the first step toward creating inclusive and welcoming learning environments. The table below outlines some of the most common challenges we encounter in our classrooms.
| Challenge | What it looks like in the classroom |
|---|---|
| Memory or concentration difficulties | Learners forget key words quickly or struggle to follow multi-step instructions |
| Hearing or vision changes | Difficulty understanding audio recordings or reading small print in worksheets |
| Low confidence with digital tools | Anxiety when using tablets, platforms, or logging into digital tools |
| Fear of “not being good at languages” | Learners hesitate to speak, worry about mistakes, or feel “too old” to succeed |
This is where Universal Design for Learning (UDL) becomes a game-changer. Rather than adapting later, UDL invites us to design learning experiences that are inclusive from the start. By offering content in multiple formats, engaging learners through personally meaningful tasks, and allowing different ways of expressing knowledge, we can reach every learner, regardless of age, background, or confidence level.
The following table presents the UDL principles we apply in the GET READY 60+ project, along with practical classroom examples.
| UDL principle | Strategy applied | Example in class |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple means of representation | Use of visual, audio, and bilingual materials to support understanding | Subtitled videos, bilingual glossaries, printed key phrases with icons |
| Multiple means of engagement | Motivation through relevance, emotional connection, and pacing | Asking about personal travel stories, using images of familiar situations |
| Multiple means of expression | Learners show knowledge in different ways | Roleplays, drawing, using gestures, recording simple dialogues with voice tools |
Our learners don’t take tests. They role-play, mediate, and connect.
AI in action: inclusion, not complexity
In the GET READY 60+ project, we don’t use AI for the sake of innovation—we use it alongside familiar, low-tech tools to serve learners with diverse needs and preferences. What matters is not whether a tool is digital or traditional, but whether it supports understanding, engagement, and expression.
Our approach blends simple printed resources, hands-on activities, and AI tools that encourage senior learners to feel creative, autonomous, and connected. Below is a selection of both regular and AI-enhanced tools we use regularly in class.
If a tool doesn’t support inclusion, empowerment, or interaction, it’s not worth using.
AI helps us amplify human connection, not replace it. From pronunciation support to creative dialogue building, the right tools allow senior learners to create, not just consume. This encourages confidence, digital curiosity, and self-expression. Below is a snapshot of the AI tools we use most, and how they serve our pedagogical goals.
| Example tool / Platform | Purpose | Example in class |
|---|---|---|
| Printed flashcards and bilingual glossaries | Visual reinforcement and vocabulary retention | Learners match food images with bilingual labels after the „At the Café” video |
| Role-play kits with realia (menus, tickets) | Build functional speaking skills through active use | Students simulate a hotel check-in using printed props and sentence starters |
| Text-to-Speech tools (NaturalReader, Voice Dream) | Support pronunciation and auditory access | Learners listen and repeat key travel expressions using natural voice options |
| Voice recording apps (Vocaroo, Google Voice Typing) | Encourage self-expression and speaking fluency | Students record and reflect on a short description of their last trip |
| ChatGPT (guided use) | Co-create and correct dialogues; explore polite expressions | Learners input and refine a restaurant dialogue, then role-play in pairs |
| Image generators (Canva AI, DALL·E) | Stimulate storytelling and descriptive vocabulary | Learners describe an AI-generated travel image, then create a dialogue about it |
| Wordwall / Quizizz (AI templates or custom) | Gamify review and consolidate language learning | Learners play a memory game with transport-related expressions |
Helping non-professional teachers succeed
In many adult education settings, the facilitators aren’t always formally trained teachers. They might be volunteers, community leaders, or bilingual friends who want to lend a hand. This is where AI can step in to offer practical and easy-to-use support.
For instance, AI can help them generate complete lesson plans in just minutes, starting from any topic, so they don’t have to begin from scratch. It also allows them to simplify texts using tools like Diffit.me, adapting materials to different literacy levels and making content more accessible.
AI makes it easy to create a variety of learning materials, too (flashcards, glossaries, or visual prompts), especially with tools like Canva AI that help illustrate and reinforce vocabulary or key ideas. On top of that, they can quickly adjust the tone, vocabulary, or cultural references using ChatGPT, making the content feel more relevant and tailored to their specific learners.
And perhaps most importantly, AI helps them reuse and adapt materials week after week with minimal effort, freeing up time to focus on guiding and supporting their learners during sessions.
AI gives non-professional educators the power to build inclusive materials without advanced tech or pedagogical skills.
This means facilitators can focus on human connection, encouragement, and presence—the things learners truly need.
The power of intergenerational learning
At our school, we believe deeply in the value of intergenerational exchange. That’s why we bring senior learners together with younger participants in conversation circles, collaborative tasks, and storytelling sessions. These encounters are enriched by the thoughtful use of AI, which offers neutral prompts — such as images, short texts, or voice recordings — to spark meaningful dialogue and shared reflection.
The tools themselves become a common ground, inviting both generations to explore and learn together. Seniors contribute their life experience, wisdom, and often captivating stories, while younger learners bring their confidence with technology and digital tools. This mutual support not only enhances language learning but also fosters empathy, patience, and genuine respect across generations.
Where we’re going next
The GET READY 60+ project has reaffirmed a powerful truth: Learning is ageless. Inclusion is intentional. AI is a tool, but connection is the goal.
Our ongoing commitments:
- Ethical use of AI in adult education
- Applying UDL as a mindset, not a method
- Celebrating intergenerational learning
- Promoting learner confidence over correctness
We don’t teach grammar for exams.
We teach language for life.
Join the Conversation!
Have you used AI in adult education?Do you work with older learners or volunteer teachers?
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible
