The AI Advantage: Designing with Purpose for Multilingual Learners
Do it right. Do it responsibly. Do it for long-term impact.
Written by Amelia Larson
Guidelines for Responsible and Purposeful Integration
Students and educators are increasingly using generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Dall-E, and Google Gemini. When guided by research and used correctly, AI has the potential to enhance and elevate K–12 teaching and learning. However, without guardrails, it can disrupt classroom learning, threaten academic integrity, and increase data privacy concerns.
As AI is reshaping the educational landscape—and for multilingual learners (MLLs), it holds transformative promise. But it also presents real design challenges and ethical questions that educators must navigate with intention. As federal policy and executive mandates increasingly push for AI integration in schools, we must ask: What is changing, and why does it matter for multilingual learners?
From Innovation to Implementation
The White House’s Executive Order on Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth (April 2025) calls on educational leaders to adopt responsible, equitable AI systems that serve all learners. This move is not just about staying ahead in global tech—it’s about ensuring educational systems don’t fall behind in meeting the needs of all students, including the millions of multilingual learners in U.S. schools.
In parallel, thought leaders like Tristan Harris have warned that AI is not just a tool—it’s a test. A test of our values, our priorities, and our systems. How we design and implement AI in education will reveal whether we are truly committed to transparency and empowerment.
AI in K–12 Education: What Schools Must Get Right
Hanover Research’s 2025 report outlines critical best practices to ensure AI supports, not supplants, instructional goals. Their findings emphasize alignment with learning outcomes, educator involvement, and continuous evaluation of bias, transparency, and student data protection. According to Hanover, 2024 responsible AI integration in schools requires:
- Defined Pedagogical Goals: Use AI to support, not dictate, instructional strategies.
- Human-Centered Design: Keep educators at the center of AI decisions and evaluation.
- Transparent and Explainable Systems: Students and teachers must understand how AI arrives at its outputs.
- Safeguarding Against Unintended Impacts: Proactively test for unintended consequences, especially for underserved populations.
- Robust Data Privacy Protocols: Comply with FERPA and other regulations; communicate clearly about data usage.
- Professional Development and Training: Equip educators with the skills to use AI effectively, ethically, and confidently.
“AI should be an enhancer, not a replacement.” — Hanover Research, 2025
AI Matters for Multilingual Learners
At its best, AI can accelerate English Language Proficiency growth through personalized, real-time support and feedback that was previously impossible at scale. But the “how” of implementation is critical.
Our approach at Summit K12, launching in August 2025, embodies this commitment:
INTELLIGENT. INTUITIVE. IMPACTFUL.
Launching in August 2025, our enhanced Connect to Literacy™ AI-powered solution marks the next evolution of a platform that has been leveraging AI for the past four years to support multilingual learners. Now strengthened by six years of curated K–12 data across 120+ languages, this next-generation solution combines proven innovation with thoughtful design to meet learners where they are—and help them advance further.
Traditional Assessments vs. AI-Enhanced Assessments:
Our AI transforms assessment by making it:
- More responsive to learner needs
- Aligned to proficiency levels and content standards
- Actionable in real time for both students and teachers
The Data Behind the Intelligence:
What makes our AI different?
- Tens of millions of spoken and written responses
- Aligned to 8 national ELD/ELP standards
- Calibrated with 25 official K-12 ELP rubrics
- Covers 112 linguistic dimensions of speech and writing
- Includes over 750 item types for authentic assessment
- Developed with students from 120+ language backgrounds
Benefits for Students:
- Instant scoring of written and spoken responses
- Grade-, age-, and language proficiency-specific feedback
- Personalized learning plans (PLPs) and model exemplars
- Secure “AI shield” to maintain academic integrity
Benefits for Teachers:
- Virtual coaching and targeted instructional strategies
- Real-time class-level and individual insights
- Transparent rationale for student scores
- Reduced administrative load, more time for teaching
This isn’t generalized AI. It’s purpose-built for multilingual learners to accelerate their productive communication skills across all grade bands. Done right, AI doesn’t replace teachers—it empowers them. It doesn’t eliminate assessment—it improves it.
For Educators: Guidelines for AI Use in Classrooms
Here are seven key principles for implementing AI in multilingual learner classrooms:
- Start with Purpose: Use AI to solve specific, high-leverage instructional challenges—not just to chase innovation.
- Ensure Transparency: Students and teachers should always understand how feedback and scores are generated.
- Keep Humans in the Loop: AI informs instruction—but teachers remain the decision-makers.
- Validate Scores: Calibrate across diverse student groups to ensure equitable treatment and relevant support.
- Protect Data and Privacy: Clearly communicate data policies and apply rigorous safeguards.
- Prioritize Empowerment: Use AI to expand access, not limit agency. Personalization should enhance the learner voice.
- Provide Educator Support: Offer ongoing PD to build trust, skill, and confidence in using AI tools effectively.
A Final Thought: Our Ultimate Test and Invitation
As Tristan Harris described in his Ted Talk , AI is not just a technological leap—it’s a societal mirror. It asks: What kind of world are we designing for our children?
If we get it right, AI will not replace teachers—it will elevate them. It will not widen gaps—it will close them. And for multilingual learners, it will not be a marginal tool—it will be a mainstream force for inclusion and excellence.