Innovative Language Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: A Qualitative Inquiry into Pedagogy, Agency, and Transformation

The rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has triggered a profound transformation in educational practice, demanding new pedagogical frameworks, updated assessment strategies, and institutional policies that address emerging ethical challenges. This qualitative essay explores the nature of innovation in language teaching within the context of AI, arguing that true innovation transcends mere technological adoption. Instead, it requires a fundamental reimagining of the roles of teachers, learners, and the very processes of language acquisition. Drawing on theoretical frameworks from critical pedagogy (Freire, ۱۹۷۰), post-method pedagogy (Kumaravadivelu, ۲۰۰۶), and sociocultural theory (Vygotsky, ۱۹۷۸), and critically synthesizing insights from Bowen and Watson's Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning and Miller et al.'s Generative AI in Education. this essay argues that innovative language teaching in the age of AI requires a deliberate, reflective, and human-centred approach. It explores three core themes: the reconceptualization of the teacher's role from transmitter to critical facilitator; the emergence of the learner as an autonomous, digitally literate co-constructor of knowledge; and the potential of AI to foster critical language awareness and dialogic engagement. The review highlights the discussions of AI literacy, assessment redesign, and the need for intentional integration of AI into instructional design. It further explores tensions in the literature regarding epistemic authority, academic integrity, and institutional responsibilities. The paper concludes by outlining implications for educators and future research directions. the reconceptualization of the teacher's role from transmitter to critical facilitator; the emergence of the learner as an autonomous, digitally literate co-constructor of knowledge; and the potential of AI to foster critical language awareness and dialogic engagement

کلیدواژه ها:

Generative AI ، Pedagogy ، AI Literacy ، Assessment Innovation ، Educational Technology ، Higher Education ، Ethics in AI ، post-method pedagogy ، critical pedagogy