Speaker
Description
In rural Vietnamese high schools, English is frequently taught as a strictly academic subject, leaving students with little exposure to authentic communicative use beyond the classroom. This practitioner-research study explores how AI conversational agents can facilitate a contextual shift from an EFL to a functional ESL orientation by creating an "AI-Powered Sandbox" - a structured digital environment in which students engage with English as a living tool for daily communication. Grounded in Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) and Second Language Acquisition theory, the study was conducted by the classroom teacher at Cam Khe High School, a rural public school in Phu Tho Province, Vietnam. Approximately 89 Grade 10 students completed daily AI-mediated interaction tasks over a four-week period. Data were collected through AI interaction logs and written learner reflections and analyzed using a mixed-methods approach to capture both language production patterns and attitudinal shifts. Preliminary findings indicate a notable increase in active language output and a measurable improvement in learners' willingness to use English beyond the classroom context. The presentation concludes with practical, scalable recommendations for educators in resource-limited settings who seek to leverage accessible AI tools to reposition English from a subject students study to a language they genuinely use.
Biography
Nguyen Thi Quynh Nam is an English teacher at a rural public high school in Phu Tho Province, Vietnam, with eight years of classroom experience at the secondary level. She holds a Master's degree in English Language Teaching from the University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), Vietnam National University, Hanoi. She teaches English to high school students across Grade 10 to Grade 12, with a focus on developing learners' communicative competence within the constraints of a traditional EFL setting. Quynh Nam's professional interests centre on the integration of technology in English Language Teaching, particularly the use of AI-powered tools to create more meaningful and autonomous learning experiences for students in resource-limited environments. Her current research explores how AI conversational agents can help reposition English from a purely academic subject into a functional communication tool for everyday use. She is committed to bridging the gap between classroom instruction and real-world language use through innovative, accessible, and student-centred pedagogical approaches.
| Affiliate type | Vietnamese public school |
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