A method of interactive language instruction includes obtaining a sequence of basic units to present to a student. The method also includes obtaining a plurality of alternate representations for each of a plurality of the basic units. The method further includes presenting at least a portion of the sequence of basic units to the student. The method also includes obtaining input from the student during the presenting of the basic units. For at least one of the sequence of basic units to be presented to the student and the input from the student, segmentation is performed to break up a continuous stream of units into a sequence of discrete units. For at least one particular basic unit with the plurality of alternate representations, at least one of the alternate representations is automatically selected to present to the student based at least in part on the input obtained from the student during the presentation of basic units that are earlier in the sequence of basic units than the particular basic unit.