We develop research‑backed tools to take your language skills to the next level

The DALAI‑FIN Research Project aims to revolutionize and democratize second‑language teaching and learning for adult immigrants. The target audience is learners who already have basic Finnish or Swedish skills, and require greater proficiency to:

  • gain employment,
  • support fluent communication at work, or
  • participate fully in the social, cultural, and political life in Finland.

DALAI-FIN develops a state‑of‑the‑art, AI‑assisted language‑learning ecosystem, in collaboration with Finnish and Swedish learners and teachers.

Work Packages

WP1: AI Assistant and Ecosystem

Overall technical development and integration of the AI ecosystem.

Members

  • Roman Yangarber ↗ Consortium leader
    Professor, Language technology
    Department of Digital Humanities, University of Helsinki
  • Silja Huttunen ↗ Collaborator
    Postdoctoral researcher, Language technology
    Department of Digital Humanities, University of Helsinki

WP2: Pedagogical Basis of AI‑Assisted Learning

Design and evaluate AI‑based, pedagogically motivated exercises and automated feedback.

Members

  • Ari Huhta ↗ Principal investigator, WP2
    Professor, Language assessment
    Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Jyväskylä
  • Dmitri Leontjev ↗ Co-PI
    Senior researcher, Language assessment
    Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Jyväskylä

WP3: Speech Technology – Comprehension & Production Skills

Develop and assess speech‑technology to evaluate speaking proficiency, and support listening and speaking exercises.

Members

  • Lauri Juvela ↗ Principal investigator, WP3
    Assistant professor, Speech synthesis
    Department of Information and Communications Engineering, Aalto University
  • Mikko Kurimo ↗ Co-PI
    Professor, Speech recognition
    Department of Information and Communications Engineering, Aalto University

WP4: Large Language Models (LLMs) in Teaching L2 & Learner Analytics

Develop personalised language‑learning content, using large language models (LLMs), and evaluate AI‑assisted intervention.

Members

  • Filip Ginter ↗ Principal investigator, WP4
    Professor, Data analytics
    Department of Computing, University of Turku
  • Jenna Kanerva ↗ Collaborator
    University lecturer, Data analytics
    Department of Computing, University of Turku
  • Tapio Nojonen ↗ Collaborator
    Doctoral researcher, Data analytics
    Department of Computing, University of Turku

WP5: Cognitive Basis for L2 Learning in Adulthood

Investigate the cognitive mechanisms of adult language learning through experimental studies. The findings contribute to the development of personalised AI‑based applications, including training for prosodic and phonological skills in Finnish.

Members

  • Riikka Möttönen ↗ Principal investigator, WP5
    Professor, Cognitive Science
    Department of Digital Humanities, University of Helsinki
  • Soila Kuuluvainen ↗ Consortium interaction lead
    Postdoctoral researcher, Cognitive Science
    Department of Digital Humanities, University of Helsinki
  • Saara Kaskivuo ↗ Collaborator
    Doctoral Researcher, Cognitive Science
    Department of Digital Humanities, University of Helsinki