THE ROLE OF AI TOOLS IN ENHANCING ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: A CASE STUDY OF PAKISTANI UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examines the efficacy of AI-assisted feedback versus traditional teacher-led approaches in Pakistani undergraduate English language classrooms. Data from 120 students across two universities revealed AI tools such as Grammarly significantly enhanced grammatical accuracy and vocabulary retention, while teacher feedback excelled in nurturing cultural relevance and contextual understanding. Qualitative insights highlighted AI’s immediacy but criticized its lack of explanatory depth, whereas teachers provided scaffolded, culturally attuned guidance aligned with Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory (1978). Students valued AI for reducing but expressed emotional disconnection, contrasting with teacher feedback’s motivational rapport. The study identifies infrastructural barriers exacerbating inequities in AI adoption and proposes a blended model integrating AI’s efficiency with teacher-led contextualization. Recommendations include localizing AI tools with Urdu-English corpora to address cultural biases (Ahmed & Malik, 2023) and promoting digital access. Findings advocate hybrid frameworks to balance technical accuracy with socioemotional and cultural responsiveness in resource-constrained settings, aligning with global evidence on blended learning efficacy (Li et al., 2023).