Speaker
Description
There have been great concerns over the role of EFL teachers given the popular use of generative AI tools among students, particularly in higher education. Many discussions have focused on how EFL teachers and students can leverage these powerful tools to optimize educational outcomes, but few has been made on how these learners perceive the role of human educators in this new landscape. This practice-oriented presentation shares findings from a small-scale questionnaire survey (N=74; 14 items), conducted with university students from different faculties at a Vietnamese university. The survey was aimed at exploring the students’ AI usage patterns and their expectations of English teachers in an AI-assisted learning environment. The findings showed that respondents are not seeking to replace their teachers with AI but rather to reposition them. Also, three areas where English teachers were consistently felt irreplaceable are: authentic human interaction, emotional support and motivation, and the ability to share real cultural experience. Drawing on these findings, the presenter offers a three-part framework that suggests EFL teachers redefine their role in AI-present classrooms: a facilitator of real communication, a guide for responsible AI use, and a designer of assessments that reflect genuine ability. Participants will leave with practical strategies they can apply in their classrooms and a broader reflection on how listening closely to even a small group of learners can lead to meaningful changes in teaching practice.
Biography
Tran Thi Thanh Giang is a lecturer of English at the Banking Academy of Vietnam, where she teaches both English majors and non-majors. Her professional interests include language teaching methodology, learner autonomy, and the integration of technology in EFL classrooms. The research presented in this session grew directly from her classroom experience and a desire to understand how students are navigating AI tools in their language learning. She is committed to evidence-informed teaching practice and to fostering meaningful human connection in an increasingly digital learning environment.
| Affiliate type | University |
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