English teachers lauded the new technology for personalising learning, enabling them to handle routine tasks easily, thereby giving them more time to inspire, connect with learners and cultivate a love for the language.
Speaking during a global annual conference on Saturday at Zetech University, English teachers under the umbrella of English Language Professionals Association of Kenya (ELPAK) allayed fears that the growth of technology would replace teachers, saying it will instead empower them.
They insisted that AI is no longer just a futuristic concept but a classroom reality, especially on matters of English language instruction.
ELPAK Chairman Fredrick Otieno, who is a retired teacher, said that the group is aimed at bringing together English teachers from across the country for professional growth as well as tackling problems they face while teaching in their isolated areas.
“This is a forum where teachers grow professionally. We believe that teachers need continuous professional development. We bring together our teachers so that they can also find solutions to the problems they face and for the benefit of the students who are the end recipients of the teachers,” Otieno said.
The Chairman noted that the incorporation of AI in English teaching has made the work of teachers easier which including assessing and setting exams as well as lesson planning.
“AI is very good and helpful to the teacher and the learner, but should not replace the teacher. It’s a good asset and teachers have embraced it in their work, including writing proposals and theses,” he said.
Otieno, however, expressed concerns that the technology is not directly beneficial to learners in the Kenyan set-up owing to restrictions on mobile phone usage in schools.
Teachers led by Jemal Maringo from Tanzania and Rukia Mohammed emphasised that the new technology has become a classroom assistant as most of them use AI to analyse students' writing more efficiently, freeing up time for more meaningful one-on-one instruction and discussion.
“Teaching the English language in Tanzania has been challenging because our main language is Kiswahili. Even teachers face difficulties because our learners have very low standards and understanding of English. With the new technologies, we have witnessed tremendous change and improvement both in learning and teaching of English,” Maringo, who has taught for 20 years, said.
Prof. Njenga Munene, the Vice Chancellor of Zetech University, described the English language as vital due to its widespread global usage, serving as a lingua franca for international communication, education, and technology
Invented decades ago, and spoken by over 80 countries across the globe as their national languages, Munene stated that AI can assist in collating dialects and phonetics by analysing large datasets of speech and text to identify patterns in pronunciation, vocabulary, and intonation specific to different dialects.
The global English conference that drew guests from all parts of the world provided a platform for disclosure on evolving trends in English language teaching and learning.
The educationists further encouraged students to pursue English at higher education institutes to help strengthen the language and increase the number of teachers.
