The Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) In English Language Teaching Practices: A Meta-Synthesis Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26877/pqz4ef35Keywords:
Artificial intelligence (AI), English language teaching (ELT), integration, meta-synthesisAbstract
A great number of studies researching the incorporation of AI into English language teaching have grown significantly within the last five years. Nevertheless, to date, limited studies have been found to specifically review studies regarding AI integration in English language teaching. To fill the gap, this meta-synthesis study aims at presenting a summary of qualitative literature exploring how AI is integrated in English language teaching. Sixteen out of forty-seven articles were selected from various reputable databases as well as peer-reviewed journals (i.e., Scopus indexed) including Taylor & Francis, Science Direct, Wiley, Emerald, and ProQuest. Only qualitative data were processed and analysed thematically. Findings revealed some emerging themes: 1) student and teacher’s views towards AI integration in ELT, 2) benefits and drawbacks of AI integration in ELT, and 3) the role of AI for language skill improvement. In addition, the study shed light on several research topics recommended for further research.
References
AbuSahyon, A., Alzyoud, A., Alshorman, O., & Al-Absi, B. (2023). AI-driven technology and Chatbots as tools for enhancing English language learning in the context of second language acquisition: A review study. International Journal of Membrane Science and Technology, 10(1), 1209–1223.
Ahmad, S. F., Alam, M. M., Rahmat, M. K., Mubarik, M. S., & Hyder, S. I. (2022). Academic and administrative role of artificial intelligence in education. Sustainability, 14(3), 1101.
Akbarani, R. (2023). The use of artificial intelligence in English language teaching. International Journal of English Learning and Applied Linguistics (IJELAL), 4(1), 14–23.
Alharbi, W. (2023). AI in the foreign language classroom: A pedagogical overview of automated writing assistance tools. Education Research International, 2023(1), 4253331.
Al-khresheh, M. H. (2024a). Bridging technology and pedagogy from a global lens: Teachers’ perspectives on integrating ChatGPT in English language teaching. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 6, 100218.
Al-khresheh, M. H. (2024b). The future of artificial intelligence in English language teaching: Pros and cons of ChatGPT implementation through a systematic review. Language Teaching Research, 43, 54–80.
Alsanousi, B., Albesher, A. S., Do, H., & Ludi, S. (2023). Investigating the user experience and evaluating usability issues in ai-enabled learning mobile apps: An analysis of user reviews. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, 14(6).
Altinay, Z., Altinay, F., Sharma, R. C., Dagli, G., Shadiev, R., Yikici, B., & Altinay, M. (2024). Capacity building for student teachers in learning, teaching artificial intelligence for quality of education. Societies, 14(8), 148.
Annamalai, N. (2024). Factors affecting English language high school teachers switching intention to ChatGPT: a Push-Pull-Mooring theory perspective. Interactive Learning Environments, 1–18.
Barrot, J. S. (2023). Using ChatGPT for second language writing: Pitfalls and potentials. Assessing Writing, 57, 100745.
Beatty, K. (2010). Teaching and researching computer-assisted language learning (2nd ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Bellman, R. E. (1978). An introduction to artificial intelligence: Can computers think? Boyd & Fraser Publishing Company.
Campbell, E. (2016). Pre-service teachers’ perceptions and practices: Integrating digital literacy into English education.
Cheng, C., Wang, Q., Bai, J., & Christensen, M. (2024). Challenges, support, and strategies concerning learning among nursing students who have English as an additional language: A meta-synthesis. Nurse Education Today, 106408.
Cin, A., Özkale, U., & Akay, C. (2022). University Students’ Opinions about Mobile Learning: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis by ENTREQ Statement (2000-2020). Croatian Journal of Education: Hrvatski Časopis Za Odgoj i Obrazovanje, 24(1.), 297–342.
Cotton, D. R., Cotton, P. A., & Shipway, J. R. (2024). Chatting and cheating: Ensuring academic integrity in the era of ChatGPT. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 61(2), 228–239.
Dai, K., & Liu, Q. (2024). Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Classes: Challenges and Opportunities in the Spotlight. Computers in Human Behavior, 108354.
Danan, M. (2016). Enhancing listening with captions and transcripts: Exploring learner differences. Applied Language Learning, 26(2), 1–24.
Davies, G., Otto, S. E. K., & Rüschoff, B. (2013). Historical perspectives on CALL. In Contemporary Computer-Assisted Language Learning. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Davies, G., & Steel, D. (1981). First steps in computer-assisted language learning at Ealing College of Higher Education. 8–10.
Dodigovic, M. (2005). Artificial intelligence in second language learning: Raising error awareness. Multilingual Matters.
Du, J., & Alm, A. (2024). The impact of ChatGPT on English for academic purposes (EAP) students’ language learning experience: A self-determination theory perspective. Education Sciences, 14(7), 726.
Duong, T., & Suppasetseree, S. (2024). The Effects of an Artificial Intelligence Voice Chatbot on Improving Vietnamese Undergraduate Students’ English Speaking Skills. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 23(3), 293–321.
Ertel, W. (2017). Introduction to artificial intelligence (2nd ed.). Springer Nature.
Erwin, E. J., Brotherson, M. J., & Summers, J. A. (2011). Understanding qualitative metasynthesis: Issues and opportunities in early childhood intervention research. Journal of Early Intervention, 33(3), 186–200.
Fathi, J., Rahimi, M., & Derakhshan, A. (2024). Improving EFL learners’ speaking skills and willingness to communicate via artificial intelligence-mediated interactions. System, 121, 103254.
Gamper, J., & Knapp, J. (2002). A review of intelligent CALL systems. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 15(4), 329–342.
García, M. B. (2024). Using AI tools in writing peer review reports: Should academic journals embrace the use of ChatGPT? Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 52(2), 139–140.
Gozali, I., Wijaya, A. R. T., Lie, A., Cahyono, B. Y., & Suryati, N. (2024). Leveraging the potential of ChatGPT as an automated writing evaluation (AWE) tool: Students’ feedback literacy development and AWE tools integration framework. The JALT CALL Journal, 20(1), 1–22.
Guan, R., Raković, M., Chen, G., & Gašević, D. (2024). How educational chatbots support self-regulated learning? A systematic review of the literature. Education and Information Technologies, 1–26.
Gültekin Talayhan, Ö., Babayiğit, M., & Öğrenci, Y. Z. Y. A. (2023). The influence of AI writing tools on the content and organization of students’ writing: A focus on EFL instructors’ perceptions. CUDES Current Debates in Social Sciences, 6(2), 83–93.
Haugeland, J. (1985). Artificial intelligence: The very idea. MIT Press.
Heift, T., & Schulze, M. (2007). Errors and intelligence in computer-assisted language learning: Parsers and pedagogues. Routledge.
Hınız, G. (2024). A year of generative AI in English language teaching and learning-A case study. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 1–21.
Huang, W., Hew, K. F., & Fryer, L. K. (2022). Chatbots for language learning—Are they really useful? A systematic review of chatbot‐supported language learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 38(1), 237–257.
Jensen, L. A., & Allen, M. N. (1996). Meta-synthesis of qualitative findings. Qualitative Health Research, 6(4), 553–560.
Jeon, J. (2024). Exploring AI chatbot affordances in the EFL classroom: Young learners’ experiences and perspectives. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 37(1–2), 1–26.
Kim, J. (2024). Leading teachers’ perspective on teacher-AI collaboration in education. Education and Information Technologies, 29(7), 8693–8724.
Kohnke, L., Moorhouse, B. L., & Zou, D. (2023). Exploring generative artificial intelligence preparedness among university language instructors: A case study. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 5, 100156.
Kostikova, I., Holubnycha, L., Besarab, T., Moshynska, O., Moroz, T., & Shamaieva, I. (2024). ChatGPT for Professional English Course Development. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies, 18(2).
Kurzweil, R. (1990). The age of intelligent machines. MIT Press.
Lechien, J. R. (2024). Generative AI and Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America.
Levy, M. (1997). CALL: Context and conceptualisation. Oxford University Press.
Li, M. (2024). Non-native English-speaking (NNES) students’ English academic writing experiences in higher education: A meta-ethnographic qualitative synthesis. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 71, 101430.
Li, Z., Bonk, C. J., & Zhou, C. (2024). Supporting learners self-management for self-directed language learning: A study within Duolingo. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 21(3), 381–402.
Lingard, L. (2023). Writing with ChatGPT: An illustration of its capacity, limitations & implications for academic writers. Perspectives on Medical Education, 12(1), 261.
Liu, W. (2024). The integration of ChatGPT in language education: Exploring contexts, assessing impacts, and unpacking implications. In AI in Language Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (pp. 1–21). IGI Global.
Mahapatra, S. (2024). Impact of ChatGPT on ESL students’ academic writing skills: A mixed methods intervention study. Smart Learning Environments, 11(1), 9.
Marzuki, Widiati, U., Rusdin, D., Darwin, & Indrawati, I. (2023). The impact of AI writing tools on the content and organization of students’ writing: EFL teachers’ perspective. Cogent Education, 10(2), 2236469.
Mizumoto, A., & Eguchi, M. (2023). Exploring the potential of using an AI language model for automated essay scoring. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 2(2), 100050.
Moor, J. (2006). The Dartmouth College artificial intelligence conference: The next fifty years. Ai Magazine, 27(4), 87–87.
Pan, M., Guo, K., & Lai, C. (2024). Using Artificial Intelligence Chatbots to Support English-as-a-Foreign Language Students’ Self-Regulated Reading. RELC Journal, 00336882241264030.
Peachey, N. (2023). ChatGPT in the language classroom. PeacheyPublications Ltd.
Polakova, P., & Ivenz, P. (2024). The impact of ChatGPT feedback on the development of EFL students’ writing skills. Cogent Education, 11(1), 2410101.
Qin, L., & Zhong, W. (2024). Adaptive system of English-speaking learning based on artificial intelligence. Journal of Electrical Systems, 20(6s), 267–275.
Russell, S. J., & Norvig, P. (1995). Artificial intelligence: A modern approach. Prentice Hall.
Sajja, R., Sermet, Y., Cikmaz, M., Cwiertny, D., & Demir, I. (2024). Artificial intelligence-enabled intelligent assistant for personalized and adaptive learning in higher education. Information, 15(10), 596.
Sandelowski, M., & Barroso, J. (2003). Classifying the findings in qualitative studies. Qualitative Health Research, 13(7), 905–923.
Schalkoff, R. I. (1990). Artificial intelligence: An engineering approach. McGraw-Hill.
Schulze, M., & Heift, T. (2013). Intelligent CALL. In Contemporary Computer-Assisted Language Learning. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Seo, K., Tang, J., Roll, I., Fels, S., & Yoon, D. (2021). The impact of artificial intelligence on learner–instructor interaction in online learning. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18, 1–23.
Shen, Y., & Guo, H. (2024). “I feel AI is neither too good nor too bad”: Unveiling Chinese EFL teachers’ perceived emotions in generative AI-Mediated L2 classes. Computers in Human Behavior, 161, 108429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2024.108429
Tafazoli, D. (2024). Exploring the potential of generative AI in democratizing English language education. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 7, 100275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100275
Tai, T.-Y., & Chen, H. H.-J. (2024). Improving elementary EFL speaking skills with generative AI chatbots: Exploring individual and paired interactions. Computers & Education, 220, 105112.
Teng, M. F. (2024). “ChatGPT is the companion, not enemies”: EFL learners’ perceptions and experiences in using ChatGPT for feedback in writing. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 7, 100270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100270
Tong, A., Lowe, A., Sainsbury, P., & Craig, J. C. (2008). Experiences of parents who have children with chronic kidney disease: A systematic review of qualitative studies. Pediatrics, 121(2), 349–360.
Ulla, M. B., Perales, W. F., & Busbus, S. O. (2023). ‘To generate or stop generating response’: Exploring EFL teachers’ perspectives on ChatGPT in English language teaching in Thailand. Learning: Research and Practice, 9(2), 168–182.
Walsh, D., & Downe, S. (2005). Meta‐synthesis method for qualitative research: A literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 50(2), 204–211.
Warschauer, M. (2000). The death of cyberspace and the rebirth of CALL. English Teachers’ Journal, 53(1), 61–67.
Warschauer, M., & Healey, D. (1998). Computers and language learning: An overview. Language Teaching, 31(2), 57–71.
Waziana, W., Andewi, W., Hastomo, T., & Hasbi, M. (2024). Students’ Perceptions about the Impact of AI Chatbots on their Vocabulary and Grammar in EFL Writing. Register Journal, 17(2), 352–382.
Werdiningsih, I., Marzuki, Indrawati, I., Rusdin, D., Ivone, F. M., Basthomi, Y., & Zulfahreza. (2024). Revolutionizing EFL writing: Unveiling the strategic use of ChatGPT by Indonesian master’s students. Cogent Education, 11(1), 2399431.
Winston, P. H. (1992). Artificial intelligence (3rd ed.). Pearson.
Yeh, H.-C. (2024a). Revolutionizing language learning. Educational Technology & Society, 27(3), 335–353.
Yeh, H.-C. (2024b). The synergy of generative AI and inquiry-based learning: Transforming the landscape of English teaching and learning. Interactive Learning Environments, 1–15.
Zhai, N., & Ma, X. (2022). Automated writing evaluation (AWE) feedback: A systematic investigation of college students’ acceptance. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 35(9), 2817–2842.
Zhang, J. (2025). Integrating chatbot technology into English language learning to enhance student engagement and interactive communication skills. Journal of Computational Methods in Sciences and Engineering, 14727978241312992.
Zhang, X., Sun, J., & Deng, Y. (2023). Design and application of intelligent classroom for English language and literature based on artificial intelligence technology. Applied Artificial Intelligence, 37(1), 2216051.
Zhou, Q., Hashim, H., & Sulaiman, N. A. (2025). Supporting english speaking practice in higher education: The impact of AI chatbot-integrated mobile-assisted blended learning framework. Education and Information Technologies, 1–32.
