LATILL: An adaptive platform for improving the teaching of reading in german

Abstract

Reading is an integral component of learning German as a foreign language, providing not only linguistic competence but also cultural awareness and the development of cognitive skills, particularly critical thinking. In the modern information society, there is a need to improve approaches to reading instruction, focusing on its personal significance for students and meeting their cognitive and informational needs. The selection of reading texts is a key factor in shaping motivation and learning effectiveness: texts should be authentic, relevant, and appropriate to students' language proficiency levels in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Objective: This study aims to review an innovative approach to teaching reading in German as a foreign language through the LATILL project. The main novelty of the project lies in the creation of an interactive platform that utilizes artificial intelligence tools to select and adapt texts for students' individual needs, personalize learning content, and enhance student motivation. Methods: The study employs an empirical analysis of learning effectiveness based on the experimental implementation of the LATILL platform in secondary schools in Ukraine and Spain. Qualitative analysis methods (surveys, platform testing, and feedback analysis) were used to assess the impact of adaptive learning on the development of reading skills. The project methodology is based on an activity-oriented approach, which encourages active student participation in the reading process through interactive tasks tailored to their linguistic and cognitive abilities. Results: The article presents the objectives, main implementation stages, and expected outcomes of the LATILL project, describing its consortium, platform architecture, and didactic resources designed to support German language teachers. The effectiveness of the LATILL platform in developing students' reading skills is assessed. It is established that the personalization of learning content contributes to increased student engagement and motivation. Interactive tools, such as automatic text summarization and translation, allow for material adaptation according to language proficiency levels. Conclusions: The LATILL project is a promising tool for improving the teaching of reading in German as a foreign language, meeting the needs of the modern educational environment. It provides teachers with access to authentic texts adapted to CEFR levels and didactic materials that support the development of reading skills.