Grasp: an AI-powered language-learning app

Language-learning has always been a big part of my life: my first language is Brazilian Portuguese; I learned English playing videogames as a teen; I took Spanish in school for over a decade; and, nowadays, I use Duolingo to learn Greek as a hobby.

For me, being proficient in a language means having the ability and confidence to use it CREATIVELY.

For my capstone project, I decided to create the kind of language-learning app I would like to use for myself — one that highlights the creative aspect of language.

I envisioned an app that learners could use to find interesting content in their target language that they are actually interested in reading.

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Learners can search for courses by language and topic.

Topics can range from culturally-relevant to general subjects like music, geography, food, etc.

Each course is comprised of multiple lessons and open-ended questions.

Learners are prompted to write about the topic they chose in the target language, with near instant feedback via AI.

There are many benefits of reading and writing for language learning.

The app encourages learners to convert passive vocabulary into active and practice grammar and edit their thoughts. It also prompts learners to expand their vocabulary and be creative, while reducing performance anxiety and boosting their confidence.

Tech stack

Frontend: React, JavaScript, HTML, CSS Backend: Flask, SQLite 3rd-party API: OpenAI (GPT 3.5)