Reconceptualising English Language Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Theoretical Perspective

Abstract

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational contexts has prompted urgent reconsideration of established pedagogical frameworks, particularly within the domain of English Language Teaching (ELT). While AI-powered tools are increasingly present in language classrooms, the theoretical foundations needed to guide their thoughtful and equitable integration remain underexplored. This paper examines the reconceptualisation of ELT in the age of AI through a multi -theoretical lens, drawing on constructivism, Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, connectivism, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). The central argument advanced is that no single theory adequately accounts for the complexity of AI -mediated language learning; instead, an integrated framework is needed, the one that positions the teacher as a critical mediator, foregrounds social interaction as the locus of language developmen t, and embraces networked knowledge as a legitimate epistemic resource. The paper proposes a conceptual model; the AI-Mediated Language Learning Model (AMLL) to map the dynamic relationships among AI tools, teacher agency, student interaction, and language development. Implications are drawn for classroom practice, institutional policy , and future research directions. It is argued that the future of ELT must be neither technophilic nor technophobic, but critically reflexive.