AI-ASSISTED ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING: PREVALENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN ENGLISH CLASSROOMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS ACROSS PAKISTAN

Abstract

The present research aims to investigate English language teachers' perceptions and views regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education institutions in Pakistan. A mixed-methods research design was adopted that included a quantitative descriptive survey and qualitative thematic analysis to gain a comprehensive understanding of AI adoption in ELTs. The target population was 40 teachers of English from public and private higher educational institutions who were selected from various provinces of Pakistan using purposive sampling. The data were gathered using a structured questionnaire that aligned with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data. Moreover, the open-ended responses were analyzed using thematic analysis, which revealed the major themes: training needs, infrastructural challenges, and ethical issues. The results highlighted that teachers' awareness of AI ranges from moderate to high, and their attitudes were generally positive towards the role of AI in ELT. Most stated that AI improves student learning and are willing to adopt AI, but limited training and institutional support, technical issues and limited AI literacy prevented real-life use. However, overall, teachers generally saw AI as a complement to teaching, not a substitute for it, even as they recognized the potential to enhance language teaching. The study findings suggest the need for improvement in infrastructure, professional training, and institutional support for effective implementation of AI in higher education in English language classrooms across Pakistan.