Language and Culture at a Click: Microlearning and AI-enhanced Lessons in Japanese and Chinese

Overview

How can we teach language and culture in ways that are engaging, time-efficient, and digitally responsive? This interactive workshop introduces participants to the power of microlearning and AI tools through three mini-lessons, using Japanese and Chinese as examples to demonstrate how cultural and language can be delivered at a click.

The first lesson, ‘Learn Japanese in 10 Minutes’ showcases how short and focused activities can effectively introduce basic Japanese sounds, vocabulary, and grammar. This module highlights how microlearning can support language acquisition by breaking down complex content into manageable and goal-oriented chunks that promote retention and learner confidence.

The second lesson, ‘Chatbots and Japanese Culture’ uses AI-powered chatbots to simulate culturally rich scenarios, such as greeting rituals, expressions of thanks, and gift-giving etiquette. These interactive conversations help learners engage with the pragmatics of Japanese culture, encouraging the development of intercultural sensitivity and communicative appropriateness.

The third lesson, ‘Chinese Workplace Email Writing', focuses on professional email communication across various regions. Through microlearning units and chatbot interaction, participants explore structural conventions, tone, and lexical choices typical of each region. By analysing and adapting email samples, learners gain insight into how written language encodes regional cultural nuances in professional settings. Together, these examples illustrate how digital tools—specifically microlearning modules and chatbots—can be harnessed to learn not only language but also the cultural competence essential for real-world communication. Whether for classroom use or self-paced learning, these models demonstrate how language and culture can be taught with precision, flexibility, and impact — one click at a time.