The arrival of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in educational settings has sparked debate over how it will transform teaching and learning. Language education is already grappling with teacher shortages, workload intensification, and shifting program viability. While conceptual work has outlined theoretical use cases, little empirical research has examined how world language teachers actually use GenAI or the challenges they encounter. In this study, we used a mixed-methods design to survey U.S. world language teachers, followed by interviews with eight teachers who were highly proficient in GenAI implementation. Findings revealed various factors shaping GenAI adoption and challenged claims that GenAI diminishes teacher expertise or undermines critical thinking. Access to GenAI and policies for its use were uneven across school districts and grade levels. Without institutional guidance, many teachers were self-taught, underscoring the need for targeted professional development. We discuss how, with appropriate guidance, emerging AI-integrated pedagogical models have the potential to revitalize and sustain language education programs through strategic, teacher-led use of GenAI.
Abstract This study examines how online Spanish language coaches, that is, trained native speakers who facilitate authentic conversational practice, perceive and use artificial intelligence (AI) in virtual language teaching. While previous research has predominantly focused on classroom teachers, we use a mixed‐methods design that includes a questionnaire and open‐ended responses from 96 coaches based in 15 Spanish‐speaking countries. We examine their familiarity with AI, attitudes toward its use, and views on how it may complement human interaction in language learning. Coaches see clear benefits in using AI for lesson planning, personalization, and idea generation, but they also express concerns about data privacy and ethics, misinformation, reduced critical thinking, and the loss of emotional connection and cultural authenticity. Regression analyses show that familiarity with AI and comfort using it are the strongest predictors of perceived usefulness and willingness to integrate this technology into practice. The findings suggest that professional development should strengthen AI literacy while preserving the interpersonal and intercultural dimensions of language learning. Clear institutional guidance is also needed on AI use and pedagogical approaches that integrate AI without diminishing meaningful human interaction.
Abstract This exploratory mixed‐methods action research study examines the role of an AI chatbot in supporting language learning motivation among university‐level Spanish learners, using the Self‐Determination Theory framework. It investigates (1) descriptive trends in pre–post changes in autonomy, competence, and relatedness between the chatbot and control groups and (2) how learners perceive chatbot‐supported practice vis‐à‐vis these psychological needs. Eighteen intermediate‐level Spanish learners participated in the control and intervention groups, completing surveys, reflective journals, and chatbot tasks. In this small sample, both groups reported high levels of motivation on post‐surveys. The intervention group reported feelings of autonomy and self‐directedness when using the chatbot, valuing its real‐time feedback and targeted support; however, no participants used it outside of class, preferring other tools for independent study. Pedagogically, insights from student reflections suggest that chatbots are best integrated into classroom instruction as targeted vocabulary and grammar support, allowing educators to prioritize communicative teaching strategies during class.
Abstract Relationships between domain‐specific self‐care, professional quality of life, and career intentions among language teachers were investigated using survey data from K‐12 world language and ESoL teachers ( N = 120). Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships among professional quality of life, career intentions, and self‐care practices across physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and professional domains to address three research questions examining patterns of self‐care, relationships between self‐care and professional quality of life dimensions (burnout, compassion satisfaction, and secondary traumatic stress), and relationships between self‐care and career intentions. Results indicated that self‐care was broadly associated with lower burnout and higher compassion satisfaction; however, these relationships were domain‐specific. Physical self‐care was most strongly associated with reduced burnout and secondary traumatic stress, whereas professional and spiritual self‐care predicted compassion satisfaction. Emotional self‐care was positively associated with secondary traumatic stress, suggesting a reactive coping pattern. Self‐care practices were also linked to career intentions in differentiated ways across domains. These findings suggest a need for teacher education and professional support initiatives that emphasize accessible, domain‐specific self‐care practices alongside structural support for teacher well‐being and retention.
Abstract Reading and writing are central components of second language (L2) development, yet research on L2 Chinese literacy remains unevenly conceptualized and methodologically fragmented. This scoping review synthesizes empirical studies on L2 Chinese reading and writing published between 1988 and 2024 to map research foci, construct operationalizations, and methodological trends. Following systematic database and journal searches, 260 studies published in English and Chinese were analyzed across dimensions including skill focus, text type, writing modality, research design, and participant characteristics. Results show a persistent emphasis on reading over writing, a strong bias toward character‐ and word‐level operationalizations, and a widespread treatment of writing as handwriting, often without explicit justification. Research is predominantly quantitative and cross‐sectional, with limited longitudinal or classroom‐embedded designs and inconsistent reporting of proficiency and multilingual backgrounds. By identifying dominant trends and underexplored areas—particularly discourse‐level literacy, digital modalities, and curriculum‐embedded research—this review provides a foundation for more robust and pedagogically‐meaningful research on L2 Chinese literacy from which relevant and justifiable pedagogical implications could be more meaningfully drawn.
