The Future of Language Learning Is Personal: How AIR Is Leading the Shift from Summative to Formative Data

Over the last decade, English language programs have relied heavily on summative tests—high-stakes exams that give a snapshot of a student’s language ability once or twice a year. But any teacher knows: language isn’t learned in snapshots. It’s learned in steps.

At AIR Language, we’re building a future where those small, daily steps are not just noticed—but celebrated, supported, and made visible.

This fall, we’re taking a major leap toward that future.

Through Ari, our AI-powered reading tutor, students will begin to engage in meaningful conversations that don’t just measure learning, but actively promote it. Ari listens. Ari reads with students. Ari asks questions. And Ari encourages students by recognizing the micro-moves they’re making in English every day.

Behind the scenes, our system collects that formative data—evidence of vocabulary growth, decoding skill, sentence complexity, comprehension depth—and builds a dynamic profile for each learner. This profile allows teachers to see exactly where their students are growing and where they need support. It also allows Ari to give students direct, personalized feedback and next-step suggestions.

In this way, AIR Language isn’t just tracking progress. It’s helping create it.

We believe that in the next year or two, language programs will shift toward more dynamic, individualized learning. Instead of forcing students to prove what they’ve learned in isolated testing moments, they’ll demonstrate growth in conversation, in context, and in real time.

That’s what AIR is building. And we’re just getting started.

Want to see how formative language data and AI can transform your entire language program?