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Generative artificial intelligence integration in foreign language education in higher education: A systematic literature review
No full textThis systematic literature review examines the opportunities and challenges of integrating generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into foreign language education within higher education (HE). Using the PRISMA guidelines, this systematic literature review (SLR) set out to identify the benefits and risks of generative AI, analyze its current utilization, and provide actionable implications and recommendations. The PICo framework guided the research questions, search query, and inclusion and exclusion criteria for this SLR. 152 studies were included for analysis. The quality of each study was evaluated using the Effective Public Health Practice Project (2010) (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies and the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (2023) (CASP) Qualitative Research Checklist. The included articles were analyzed and coded using in vivo coding and axial coding. 14 themes were identified. Five themes cover how GenAI can personalize learning experiences and feedback, provide affective support, improve students’ language skills and proficiency, support teachers, and foster creativity and critical thinking. Four themes cover how GenAI integration in HE presents numerous ethical issues, threats of over-reliance on technology, and limited human connections. These themes also cover some implementation challenges that this integration faces and how it can negatively affect feedback, critical thinking, creativity, and students’ well-being. Three themes cover how GenAI is currently being used by educators and students to practice the four skills, provide assessment and feedback, and make the learning and teaching process more dynamic. The last two themes lay out a few effective strategies for implementation and implications for educators and students
Navigating AI in language education: Exploring the role of online language teacher communities
No full textArtificial Intelligence (AI) has increasingly become a major discussion topic within the field of language education, prompting teachers to adapt to this rapidly changing teaching landscape. The current research study focuses on how language teachers are preparing themselves to navigate the use of AI for educational purposes. Specifically, it aims to uncover the role of AI-focused online language teacher communities as a means to learn more about AI. A mixed-methods approach is employed, combining qualitative content analysis of community posts and self-reported data from in-depth interviews with community members and non-members, alongside descriptive data on community membership growth. This study hopes to contribute to the growing body of research on AI in language education by providing insights into how language teachers can capitalise upon online language teacher communities on Facebook, which are free and which are free and easily accessible worldwide. It will also highlight the potential of such online communities to serve as collaborative spaces for teachers to explore new technologies and enhance their practice in the age of AI
Introducing sentinel assessment: An AI-powered approach for evaluating writing competence in French as a Foreign Language
No full textThe evaluation of writing competence in French as a Foreign Language is a pedagogical challenge, traditionally hampered by high subjectivity and time constraints. The emergence of Artificial Intelligence presents a new paradigm for educational assessment, particularly within educational contexts where traditional methods still struggle with complex competences evaluation. This research addresses the conflict between the limitations of traditional writing assessment and the potential of AI-driven solutions. The central problem is determining how an AI-based system can effectively support the formative eAssessment of FFL writing competence for elementary school students, ensuring pedagogical value beyond simple automation.Using a Design-Based Research (DBR) and sequential mixed-methods approach, this study developed and implemented “eCorrige,” an AI-powered mobile ecosystem which analyzes students’ written works based on four criteria: relevance, coherence, cohesion, and linguistic proficiency. Its performance was evaluated by comparing its three repeated automated gradings of 62 student compositions against assessments from three expert human teachers. The findings demonstrate significant inter-rater variability and subjectivity among the human teachers. In contrast, the eCorrige AI system exhibited high stability and internal consistency across repeated assessments. The AI’s evaluations aligned within the range of human grading practices, proving to be a reliable and consistent assessment tool.This research introduces “sentinel assessment,” a novel conceptual framework where AI acts as a predictive tool to identify potential learning difficulties before they become entrenched. This model moves beyond traditional formative assessment by enabling anticipatory remediation and preventive pedagogical intervention
Exploring the emotional labor of Iranian English language teachers in digital learning environments: A self-determination theory perspective
No full textThe study explored the emotional labor of Iranian English language teachers in digital learning environments, drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as the theoretical framework. Emotional labor, encompassing surface acting, deep acting, and naturally felt emotions, is essential for managing interpersonal dynamics in teaching. While emotional labor in traditional classrooms has been extensively studied, its manifestation in online settings remains underexplored. This qualitative study examined how the satisfaction or frustration of basic psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness—influenced teachers’ emotional regulation strategies during online instruction. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten mid-career Iranian English language teachers, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings indicated that autonomy enhanced emotional authenticity, with teachers who felt empowered in their teaching methods displaying naturally felt emotions or engaging in deep acting. Competence was a significant determinant of emotional regulation, as teachers with higher technical and pedagogical confidence were more likely to express authentic emotions. Relatedness, though challenging in virtual environments, emerged as crucial for fostering meaningful teacher-student interactions and mitigating emotional dissonance. However, institutional policies and technological constraints often frustrated these psychological needs, compelling teachers to rely on surface acting. The findings underscore the complex interplay between emotional labor and motivation in digital contexts, offering insights into supporting teachers' well-being and enhancing their professional efficacy in online teaching
The effectiveness of the ECRIF framework in developing EFL students' engagement and learning outcomes: A case study of Moroccan middle school students
No full textRecent shifts in education, particularly in English language teaching (ELT), have emphasized learner-centered approaches over teacher-centered ones. The ECRIF framework (Encounter, Clarify, Remember, Internalize, Fluently Use) is widely recognized for providing a practical roadmap for facilitating active, meaningful, and student-centered learning experiences. This study investigates its effectiveness in developing learning outcomes and engagement among Moroccan EFL middle school students. Data were collected from a sample of 67 ninth-grade students, using a pre-test, post-test, and feedback questionnaire. The results revealed that the ECRIF framework significantly enhanced students’ performance in the grammar test compared to traditional instruction. While both instructional methods resulted in learning gains, the improvement observed in the control group was modest compared to the substantial progress made by the experimental group. The structured stages and interactive activities incorporated throughout the instructional session contributed to the positive impact of the ECRIF framework on the experimental group’s achievement. The students expressed high levels of satisfaction and positive perceptions toward the ECRIF approach, as reflected in their responses to the feedback questionnaire. Overall, the present study demonstrated that the ECRIF activities used during the lesson not only improved students’ learning outcomes but also maximized their engagement and participation. These findings suggest that the framework can effectively foster both student learning and engagement in the English classroom. To this end, the study calls for the integration of ECRIF framework to enhance learner-centered practices and improve educational outcomes
What's in a word family? The assumptions of lexical units
No full textLemmas, flemmas, and level-6 word families (WF6) are three commonly discussed lexical units. Because each makes differing assumptions about learner knowledge, the selection of one unit over another in research or pedagogy has a great impact on interpretations of the lexical challenge. It is therefore important to fully understand these assumptions so that practitioners can select the most suitable unit for a given purpose. This study introduces an enhanced version of Nation’s BNC-COCA word lists that can be used to quantify several features of lexical units (https://osf.io/4mz6y/?view_only=a295f0089f8745c29667ef21479578c6). The original WF6 lists were adapted by including flemma and lemma groupings, part-of-speech (POS) tags, morphological codings, frequency data, and an expanded list of proper nouns. Analyses of lexical unit composition reveal that the rapid corpus coverage of WF6 is due to its much greater inclusivity than flemmas and lemmas in the 1-2k bands and that irregular forms make up a considerable proportion of 1k tokens regardless of the unit chosen. Accuracy checks then suggest that POS-tagged lists offer an improvement over untagged lists due to the latter’s overestimation of coverage and blocking of homographic concepts. An examination of semantic extension reveals that polysemy is almost as frequent in lemmas as in flemmas and that figurative extension is an important aspect of lexical knowledge. Finally, lexical and morphological profiling shows that threshold coverage values are unlikely to be reached without knowledge of at least mid-frequency basewords and tens of derivational affixes in most genres
Beyond formal training: An account of informal, self-directed professional development
No full textProfessional development in tertiary ESL settings is generally discussed in terms of formal workshops and training programmes. The informal, self-directed professional development (PD) that emerges through everyday teaching practice, particularly in under-resourced ESL settings, is often overlooked. Addressing this gap, this study presents an autoethnographic reflective narrative of a longitudinal, informal, self-directed PD trajectory undertaken by an ESL practitioner-researcher in Sri Lanka Informed by Dewey’s and Schön’s reflective practitioner model, Farrell’s framework for reflecting on practice, and the British Council’s continuing professional development (CPD) framework for teachers, the study uses data from the author’s PhD research, experiential data from classroom experimentation with digital tools, social platforms, and more recently AI technologies, as well as classroom practice, conference participation, contributions to peer-reviewed publishing, and feedback from learners and colleagues. Situated within the author’s specific institutional and sociocultural context and influenced by personal motivations, this autoethnographic reflective narrative suggests that teacher agency, critical reflection, ethical responsiveness, pedagogical innovation, and contextual sensitivity can foster sustained PD. A key pedagogical takeaway from this study is that ESL practitioners should view technology integration into instruction as a reflective process of experimentation, evaluation, and adaptation. The study presents actionable strategies for ESL practitioners, institutions, and policy makers. ESL practitioners can professionally develop through systematic observation, critical reflection, pedagogical experimentation, and the documentation and dissemination of classroom-based insights. Institutions and policymakers can support such informal, self-directed PD by recognising reflective practice, integrating mentoring and peer learning into workload structures, and endorsing context-sensitive policies that validate classroom inquiry and blended professional learning pathways.
The effect of AI-based instruction on vocabulary retention and learner motivation in higher education
No full textThe study investigated the effects of Grok 5 Artificial Intelligence technology on the student`s motivation level and their vocabulary learning progress. In order to do this, 66 Omani EFL students were split into two groups at random: one that got traditional instruction and Grok 5 exposure, and the other that received conventional instruction alone. The number of students in each group was 33. A motivation questionnaire created by the researchers and piloted appropriately to guarantee the validity and reliability of the questions, as well as vocabulary pretests, posttests, and delayed posttests, was used to gather the necessary data. Although the experimental group's results were substantially different from the control group's after five weeks of treatment, the study's findings validated both groups' initial improvement in the posttest. The experimental group continued to make considerable improvement, but the control group's performance did not significantly vary, according to a thorough examination of the delayed posttest. The research findings would bring advantages to students, teachers and all institutions that offer higher education
Digital applied linguistics: What is it and where are we in the GenAI era?
No full textDigital Applied Linguistics (DAL) is an innovative and rapidly evolving field that integrates advanced technologies, particularly generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), into language education, acquisition, and research. This study first systematically synthesized research on language learning, teaching, and teacher development, as well as potential future directions in GenAI-driven Digital Applied Linguistics, drawing on 23 recent and relevant studies. Employing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, findings indicated that digital technologies, particularly GenAI, have significant potential to enhance and transform language learning and teaching. Additionally, the study adopted semi-structured interviews for three focal cases from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. Enlightened from the framework of communities of practice, the results identified key dimensions of the future role of foreign language teachers in DAL, including teacher identity, role transformation, and belief change. Qualitative evidence further revealed that teacher agency functions as an outcome, shaped by the interplay between personal motivation and external support. Finally, the study presents opportunities and challenges while outlining prospective pathways for the continued exploration and reflection of DAL, positioning GenAI as a central and transformative force in this field
Promoting intercultural competence through SDGs-integrated PBL curriculum: A virtual exhibition peer feedback approach
No full textIntercultural competence (IC) is a vital capability in higher education, yet limited opportunities for authentic intercultural interaction in many Asian EFL contexts constrain its development. This study examined the effectiveness of a Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-integrated Problem-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum in enhancing IC among Taiwanese university students. The intervention combined global problem-solving activities with virtual peer feedback on Virsody, a web-based 3D exhibition platform that supports intercultural exchange. Using a mixed-methods design, 107 participants completed the Intercultural Competence Scale (ICS) at three time points, and 23 students participated in semi-structured interviews. Repeated-measures ANOVA results revealed significant improvements in students’ IC scores, while qualitative findings indicated that anonymous virtual peer feedback promoted reflection, empathy, and openness to diverse perspectives. The integration of SDGs (content), PBL (process), and Virsody (medium) operationalized IC development through collaborative, experiential, and technology-enhanced learning. The study contributed to intercultural education theory by demonstrating how sustainability-oriented and digitally mediated pedagogies can foster measurable intercultural growth. Practically, it offers a replicable model for incorporating global citizenship education into EFL curricula through authentic, reflective, and collaborative learning experiences