AI Can Be a Useful English-Learning Tool

There is no question that AI can be helpful in the English classroom.

For example, Japanese students can use AI to practice grammar. If a student doesn’t understand the difference between "I have been” and "I was,” they can ask an AI tool to explain the difference and provide examples. AI can also generate grammar drills, vocabulary exercises, writing prompts, quizzes, and worksheets within seconds.

For teachers, this can be useful as well. Instead of spending a large amount of time creating basic exercises, a teacher can use AI to help prepare materials and then spend more time actually teaching. AI can also provide students with opportunities to practice English outside of class.

However, being able to practice English with AI is not the same as learning English from another person.

Language Is About More Than Grammar

Learning a language isn’t simply about memorizing vocabulary and understanding grammar rules. It is also about communication.

A student needs to learn how to listen to another person, respond naturally, ask questions, express themselves, and understand what someone means even when they don’t use textbook English.

This is where a human teacher becomes especially important. A Malawian teacher speaking with a Japanese student isn’t simply teaching English. They are also creating an opportunity for the student to communicate with someone from a different cultural background.

The student might learn about life in Malawi, while the teacher might learn more about Japanese culture, customs, and everyday life.

That exchange can happen naturally in a conversational discussion. AI can tell a student about Malawi, but talking to a Malawian teacher about Malawi is a different experience. The conversation becomes more than an English lesson. It becomes a cultural exchange.

What Can a Malawian Teacher Offer That AI Cannot?

One of the biggest advantages of having a human English teacher is the opportunity to hear and interact with a real person.

For example, pronunciation is not simply about knowing how a word is spelled. A teacher can say a word out loud, have the student repeat it, listen carefully, and then correct the student’s pronunciation.

A teacher might notice that a student is struggling with a particular sound or that their pronunciation is being influenced by Japanese. The teacher can then demonstrate the sound again and encourage the student to try it. This process of listening, repeating, making mistakes, and trying again is an important part of language learning.

The same is true for conversation. An AI can simulate a conversation, but a teacher can react to the student as a real person. They can notice hesitation, confusion, confidence, excitement, or frustration. They can change the direction of a conversation depending on how the student is responding.

A Teacher Can Follow a Student’s Progress

Another important advantage of having a teacher is that the teacher can get to know the student over time. Imagine a Japanese student who understands English grammar quite well but struggles to speak.

A teacher who has worked with that student for several months might recognize this immediately. They may know that the student understands the vocabulary but is nervous about speaking. They might also recognize which sounds the student struggles to pronounce, which grammar mistakes they frequently make, and what topics make them more comfortable speaking.

This allows the teacher to adapt lessons to the individual student. AI can provide personalized exercises, but a human teacher can observe a student’s development over time and make judgments based on their interactions with that student.

Could AI Put English Teaching Jobs at Risk?

We should not ignore the concern that AI could affect English-teaching jobs. If AI can create worksheets, explain grammar, generate exercises, translate sentences, and provide basic conversation practice, schools may eventually question how much traditional teaching they need.

This could put some teaching positions under pressure. The parts of teaching that are easiest to automate are likely to be the repetitive ones. If a teacher’s role is mainly giving grammar explanations, correcting simple sentences, or handing out worksheets, AI can increasingly help with those tasks.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean teachers become unnecessary.

Instead, it may mean that the role of the teacher has to change. Rather than competing with AI, teachers can use it as a tool. AI can help create a grammar worksheet. The teacher can then use the classroom time to have students discuss the topic, practice pronunciation, role-play real situations, and communicate with one another.