community-of-inquiry
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- PaperOpenAlex — TESOL research22 Jul 2026
AI in language education
Jake Cummings
The chapter examines AI in second language acquisition through the interpretive frameworks of Community of Inquiry (CoI) and Sociocultural Theory of Second Language Learning (SL2), finding that the educational value of AI depends more on teacher preparedness than technical innovation. Three themes emerge: expanded opportunities for cognitive and social presence, persistent risks related to inequity, and the central role of teacher judgment. The chapter concludes that teacher digital competence is a mediating construct between technological capability and educational value.
Original abstract
AI tools are increasingly embedded in second language acquisition (SLA), yet their integration raises unresolved tensions between technological potential and pedagogical practice. While AI applications promise efficiency, personalization, and extended opportunities for interaction, these affordances are often overstated or disconnected from authentic learning, cultural exchange, and equity. At the same time, teacher preparation programs have been slow to adapt, leaving teachers underprepared to critically evaluate AI-mediated language learning environments. This chapter examines AI in SLA through the interpretive frameworks of the CoI and SL2, positioning teacher digital competence as a mediating construct between technological capability and educational value. Traditional SLA approaches provide historical context, while adaptive systems, chatbots, and GenAI are analyzed in terms of presence, interaction, authenticity, and cultural depth. Three themes emerge: Expanded opportunities for cognitive and social presence, persistent risks related to inequity, and the central role of teacher judgment. The chapter concludes that the educational value of AI depends less on technical innovation than on the preparedness of teachers to use it critically, ethically, and inclusively to design and mediate AI-supported language learning experiences.