AI-Supported Teaching in Under-Resourced EFL Contexts: A Critical Review of Teacher Roles and Digital Barriers

This critical review investigates the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching, with a specific focus on under-resourced settings. While generative AI tools offer significant pedagogical advantages_x۰۰۰۴_۰especially in writing support, speaking practice, and feedback generation_x۰۰۰۴_۰their effective adoption is heavily mediated by the teacher's role and the existing infrastructural reality. This paper synthesizes recent empirical studies and technical documentation to argue that the primary barrier to AI integration is not the technology itself, but the lack of teacher preparedness and the persistence of the digital divide in developing nations. By examining contextual challenges such as unstable internet, cultural resistance, and systemic educational inertia, the review highlights the necessity of a "human-centered" and "teacher-mediated" approach to AI implementation. The findings underscore that without targeted investment in infrastructure and professional development, AI risks widening the educational gap rather than bridging it. The paper concludes with practical pedagogical implications, acknowledges its limitations, and offers concrete suggestions for future research.

کلیدواژه ها:

AI in EFL ، Teacher Roles ، Digital Barriers ، Under-Resourced Contexts ، Critical Review