Students’ Use of an AI Translation Tool in Multilingual Classrooms

Artificial Intelligence (AI) translation tools hold strong potential for supporting multilingual classrooms. This mixed-methods study investigates lower secondary school students’ use of and experiences with a real-time AI translation tool embedded in an interactive presentation platform developed by Learnlab in Norway. The tool combines a fine-tuned version of ChatGPT aligned with the Norwegian curriculum and Learnlab AI Translator. We analyze survey data and system logs (N = 148) and four focus-group interviews (N = 19) from five lower secondary schools. The results indicate that the AI translation tool is beneficial for students overall, but particularly for multilingual students. Students used the tool not only to understand difficult words and sentences, but also to explore languages and engage with their peers’ texts across languages. They reported feeling more included in classroom activities suggesting that the tool enabled collaborative meaning-making across languages and perspectives. However, some monolingual students mainly perceived the benefits for others and did not recognize the tool’s potential for their own language learning. There were no statistically significant differences in perceived inclusion or usability across genders or grade levels. The results are discussed in relation to language support, multilingual learning, and inclusion and participation, with the aim of contributing to more equitable learning environments.