Presentation
Teacher Perceptions of AI Tools in English Language Teaching in El Salvador
This study examines English language teachers’ perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in El Salvador, exploring their awareness, usage, benefits, challenges, and concerns. In December 2024, a survey was distributed to 1,570 preservice and in-service teachers in Teachers Up, a nationwide professional network supporting English language educators in El Salvador, yielding 136 responses. Additionally, 12 teachers participated in focus groups. Findings indicate that while 57% of respondents are somewhat familiar with AI in language teaching, only 39% have integrated AI tools into their practice. Teachers recognize AI’s potential to create content and provide feedback, yet they express concerns about student over-reliance, the accuracy of AI-generated content. Most teachers view AI as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for human instruction, recommend always reviewing AI-generated materials before use, and emphasize the need for professional development and methodological guidelines. Additionally, they highlight issues with repetitive AI-generated content, the ease of identifying AI-produced work, and the need for critical evaluation of AI outputs. Finally, a lack of institutional training and clear policies further limits AI’s effective implementation. This presentation benefits English language teachers, teacher educators, policymakers, CALL developers, and researchers.
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English Program Coordinator, ESEN, http://esen.edu.sv Director, Teachers Up, https://teachersupgrade.com