Contemporary advances in generative AI technology have sparked considerable interest regarding its application in language education. This article explores the innovative impact that AI-powered linguistic educational tools may have, such as customized learning journeys, dynamic content, and individualized feedback mechanisms, which collectively have the potential to enhance language acquisition. At the same time, it is important to recognize the constraints associated with such technologies. Concern about maintaining precision and genuineness within AI-crafted language texts is an issue in the literature. There is also caution about AI’s current inclination to standardize language expression and to propagate limited cultural narratives, alongside the risks of overreliance on technology which may diminish analytical thought and inventiveness. This article examines the ethical considerations involving generative AI, such as the authenticity of creative work and the ownership of intellectual output. Emphasizing the necessity for clarity and conscientiousness in the application of AI, this conceptual article outlines the opportunities, limitations, and ethical concerns associated with generative AI in language instruction. This article advocates for a well-rounded strategy that leverages the positive aspects of generative AI within language education, while also addressing possible drawbacks and championing an ethical and equitable approach to language learning in the emerging AI-centric digital landscape. A model for forging thinking in this new research and practice space is offered to synthesize many of the possibilities of generative AI in language education.

This article provides a critical thematic literature review that explores the intersection of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and social-emotional learning (SEL), analyzing its implications for teacher education. GenAI offers promising applications for enhancing SEL competencies such as self-awareness, empathy, and social skills through tools like real-time emotional feedback and personalized learning experiences. However, the integration of GenAI into SEL also presents significant challenges, including risks of depersonalization, algorithmic bias, and privacy concerns. This paper introduces a conceptual framework designed to prepare both pre-service and in-service teachers to navigate these complexities, emphasizing ethical considerations, human oversight, and cultural sensitivity. The framework highlights strategies to operationalize cultural sensitivity within AI systems, recognizing the limitations of current technologies in accounting for diverse social and emotional norms. By addressing both opportunities and risks, we aim to provide a balanced analysis of GenAI’s potential in SEL as well as guidance for teacher education programs.

The emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) marks a fundamental transformation in education, mirroring wider technological changes across society. This conceptual article positions GenAI not merely as a tool, but as a relational paradigm shift that redefines pedagogy. Drawing on posthumanist and phenomenological perspectives, we explore how AI reshapes educational practice, focusing on shifts in pedagogy, teacher identity and student engagement. Posthumanism challenges anthropocentric assumptions, inviting new collaborations between human and machine. Phenomenology foregrounds the lived experiences of learners and educators in AI-mediated environments, emphasising the affective and relational dimensions of technological integration. By synthesising these perspectives through the interconnected dimensions of Positionality, Relationality and Functionality, we outline the educational implications of GenAI. Teacher positionality shifts from authoritative knowledge-holder to facilitator; relationality reframes AI as a co-creative presence; and functionality opens new modes of assessment, feedback and creative production. These principles inform the development of the ‘Integrated AI-Oriented Pedagogy Model’ for reimagining classroom practice and teacher education. A fictional classroom narrative is offered to illustrate the complexity of GenAI integration, showing the tensions and possibilities educators navigate. This work contributes to emerging scholarship on ethical and effective AI use in education, advocating for approaches that respect human experience while embracing the agency of intelligent technologies.

This article describes a phenomenological approach to doing educational inquiry and understanding learning. Working within the qualitative tradition, the research is conceived as ‘narrow and deep’, intimate research that focuses definitively on internality and on first-hand experiences of learning. The theoretical background for doing phenomenological research is explained, especially in regard to the ideas of Edmund Husserl. Then, the author’s own systematic process for doing phenomenological research in education and exploring learning is offered with examples from his doctoral research project in which he investigated doctoral students and their experience of negotiating their learning. Samples from the author’s writing in regard to one research participant are used to illustrate the research process explicated in the article.