Artificial Intelligence in EFL Education: Enhancing Learning Outcomes in Saudi Arabia

International school educators hold various opinions about language acquisition. These opinions are often formed during their training and previous teaching experiences in their home countries. This quantitative cross-sectional survey-based study explored and compared the opinions of 283 English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Primary, and Secondary English teachers in international schools in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America. The study examined the age EFL students should begin receiving EFL teacher support and for how long. The study revealed statistically significant differences between EFL and Primary teachers concerning the age for EFL students to begin receiving support from an EFL teacher. Further revealed were significant differences between EFL and Secondary English teachers concerning the duration of EFL support. Overall, participants' opinions about the duration of EFL support are well below previously reported data, which is troubling since EFL students in English-medium international schools are learning English for academic purposes.

The increasing incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction has garnered much attention on the importance of technological elements in language instruction. However, while AI in education (AIED) is still in its early development, research on how learners’ AI literacy affects their language learning outcomes is insufficient. Furthermore, studies examining the impact of learners’ emotional states within the context of AIED are remarkably few. This study examines the interplay between AI literacy and EFL learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC), emphasizing the mediating roles of learners’ AI learning self-efficacy and foreign language classroom anxiety. This study utilizes structural equation modeling, analyzing data from 517 university students in China to construct a prediction model for WTC in AI-enhanced EFL contexts. The findings indicate that AI literacy improves self-efficacy in AI learning and diminishes classroom anxiety, both of which are significant mediators in the relationship between AI literacy and willingness to communicate. The study highlights the imperative of integrating AI literacy into EFL instruction to enhance learners’ expressive confidence and mitigate fear. The findings improve understanding of the interplay between AI literacy, psychological factors, and language learning outcomes, offering practical insights for the integration of AI in EFL education.

This small scale, quantitatively based, research study aimed at exploring one of the most debated areas in the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL); and that is, the perceptions and attitudes of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers as well as EFL learners at an English Language Institute (ELI) at a major university in the Western region of Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz University, towards second language writing assessment. The research study involved, randomly selected twenty-two EFL teachers and seventy-eight EFL students between the period of September 2016 and December 2016. Two, purposefully designed, twenty-item, Likert scale questionnaires were distributed amongst the teachers and students. One for the participating EFL teachers and one for the participating EFL students. Data analysis using descriptive statistical methods indicated several concerns which EFL teachers and students have with regards to the writing assessment in general and to the obstacles EFL teachers face when teaching and assessing writing. In addition, there was an indication of general resentments and strong feelings amongst the EFL students where the majority indicated that they are sometimes graded unfairly and writing assessment should take another, more holistic approach rather a narrow one. The study makes recommendations for future research.

A review of literature on pragmatic competence reveals that less attention is given to the enrichment of cross-cultural pragmatic awareness in the classroom. The study focuses on the need to survey and discuss communicative dynamics in classroom situations and the importance of enhancing cross-cultural pragmatic competence in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context. We believe that enhancing students’ cross-cultural pragmatic competence will provide students with a sustainable learning environment, which is crucial for the quality of education. The investigation involves a mixed approach of quantitative and qualitative methods by using a questionnaire for EFL students and interview guide questions for both EFL students and teachers. For quantitative analysis, the participants involved in this research include 200 EFL students of different nationalities, and for the qualitative analysis, the participants include 10 teachers and 20 EFL students in a university in North Cyprus. The study’s findings indicate that students lack cross-cultural pragmatic knowledge and must be provided with classroom activities for social interaction and to develop explicit and implicit communicative competencies in EFL as a target language. Findings further reveal that EFL students are not endowed with cross-cultural pragmatic competence by the EFL teachers who provide little attention to pragmatic knowledge and classroom activities in the EFL context.

The influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool usage on students' learning ability has received much attention from the society. The present study reviews prior studies examining the effect of AI on learning motivation in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. Previous studies examinethe effects of AI on EFL students' motivation using a mixed-methods approach. The findings reveal a significant correlation between AI usage and student motivation. Other studies focuses on AI-assisted language learning's impact on English learning outcomes, self-regulated learning as well as L2 motivation, among EFL learners. AI-mediated instruction is proved to positively influences English learning motivation, self-regulated learning and learning outcomes. Additionally, findings from interview suggest learners' positive perceptions of AI platforms. Moreover, evidence from meta-analysis and studies on VR learning program demonstrate the beneficial role of AI on learning. The present study underscore AI's potential to enhance learning motivation in EFL contexts. Furthermore, more researches on AI's application to EFL instruction can be done in the future.

In recent years, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education has had a significant impact on foreign language learning, particularly for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in higher education. This paper examines how AI technologies are transforming language proficiency development in Azerbaijani and Indian universities. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study analyses a simulated dataset that includes surveys and interviews with undergraduate and postgraduate EFL learners and educators from selected Azerbaijani and Indian institutions. The findings indicate that AI-driven tools, such as language learning applications, intelligent tutoring systems, speech recognition software,and chatbots, positively influence learner autonomy, vocabulary development, and pronunciation skills. However, the research also highlights challenges such as issues with technology access, disparities in digital literacy, and resistance to new teaching methods. The study is grounded in Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). Results suggest that AI not only improves language skills but also facilitates personalized and adaptive learning experiences, positioning it as a valuable resource in EFL education. The paper concludes with recommendations for AI-integrated strategies aimed at language curriculum developers, educators, and policymakers to enhance proficiency outcomes. This research contributes to the growing conversation about AI in language education and emphasizes the need for ethical and context-aware implementation within India's diverse educational landscape.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education has transformed teaching practices, necessitating a re-evaluation of teacher competencies in the digital age. This systematic review examines the intersection of AI technologies and EFL teachers' competencies, exploring how AI tools influence pedagogical skills, technological proficiency, and professional development. Through an analysis of recent literature, the study identifies key competencies required for EFL teachers to effectively leverage AI, including adaptive teaching strategies, data literacy, and ethical considerations in AI usage. The review also highlights challenges such as resistance to technological adoption, the digital divide, and the need for continuous upskilling. Findings suggest that while AI offers significant opportunities for personalized learning and efficiency, EFL teachers must develop a balanced skill set that integrates traditional teaching expertise with emerging technological demands. The results of the research showed that 1) EFL teachers’ competencies in artificial intelligence field consist of 10 competencies, namely: 1) AI-Assisted Lesson Planning, 2) AI-Powered Language Practice & Feedback, 3) Speech Recognition & Pronunciation Tools, 4) AI for Differentiated Instruction, 5) Automated Assessment & Grading, 6) Data-Driven Student Insights, 7) Ethical & Critical Use of AI, 8) AI for Content Creation & Gamification, 9) AI-Powered Translation & Comprehension Support, and 10) AI and Virtual/Augmented Reality in EFL. The paper concludes with recommendations for teacher training programs and policy frameworks to support the evolving role of EFL educators in an AI-driven educational landscape.

English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has constituted a major part of the curriculum in private and public institutions in Saudi Arabia for over eight decades. More recently, the emergence of English as a global language has made it a socially desirable language in Saudi society, as elsewhere in the world. However, despite the long history of English teaching in Saudi Arabia and the growth of the profession over the years, the overall English proficiency level of the majority of students is low and unsatisfactory. Saudi researchers have reported many reasons for the ineffectiveness of English Language Teaching (ELT) including, but not limited to, low levels of student motivation, negative attitudes toward English, a substandard English as a Foreign Language (EFL) curriculum, and inefficient teacher pedagogical practices. These problems fall into two major categories: problems related to the lwhyr of teaching and learning of EFL, and problems related to the lhowr of teaching and learning EFL. In investigating these issues, much of this research has been carried out within individual/psychological/structuralist/positivist frameworks, which has failed not only to problematize the complexity of such constructs but also to appreciate the fact that all realities are produced/(re)produced via ldiscourser. Hence, the present study investigated EFL teaching and learning practices by employing Foucauldian and poststructuralist frameworks. This study used poststructuralism not only as a theoretical lens per se, but also established it through the implemented analytical tools and textual representations of the collected data. Employing a poststructuralist discursive perspective made it possible to view EFL teaching and learning as complex social practices, interacting with the discourses of English and ELT practices available in the global as well as the local context(s). These discourses create the nexus between power and knowledge and impact on what an EFL teacher/ learner does within a classroom setting by constructing perspectives of reality through which he or she comes to understand the EFL teaching and learning process in certain ways which constitute epistemological spaces and generate particular practices. Drawing on policy documents, EFL textbooks, classroom observations, interviews with two Saudi EFL teachers, and focus group discussions with Saudi EFL students in two rural areas, the study identified seven discourses circulating within and competing across the examined discursive spaces. The first three discourses are related to English and its values, including: English as a universal language; English as the language for better employment opportunities; and English as the language for spreading religion. The remaining four discourses centred around ELT with exams as an important aspect of EFL learning and ELT; CLT as the key to success in ELT; L1 as a barrier to successful EFL learning; and EFL textbooks as an essential aspect of the processes of EFL learning and ELT. In exploring the production and (re)production of these discourses through the examination of how visibilization, normalisation, exclusionary/inclusionary acts, classification, and subject positioning as discursive strategies are employed, it was found that whether a particular discourse was made visible or invisible depended on other discourses operating across the examined discursive spaces: the social context, the policy, the textbook, the classroom, and the teachers and students. The analysis of the connection(s) and misconnection(s) between these discursive spaces demonstrated that the interplay between the different discourses constructed discursive battlegrounds, which impacted the processes of EFL teaching and learning. Through the investigation of this interplay, it was found that there was a disconnect and an ambivalent relationship between the study participantsr espoused discourses of English and their EFL teaching and learning practices, suggesting that EFL teachers and learners should not be considered lstabler figures, but rather as social agents with discursively constructed ever changing subjectivities. Furthermore, the analyses of the constructions of the discourses operating within the examined policy texts demonstrate an intra disparity and fragmentation. This was manifested in the difference between the ideals of the EFL curriculum and the institutionally imposed regulating techniques, that is, examinations and teachersr assessment practices which had negative effects on EFL teaching and learning dynamics. Additionally, as a consequence of the competition between the different sources of discursive constructions, I found that there was a gulf between the EFL policies and the enactment of these policies in EFL teaching and learning dynamics in the observed EFL classrooms. The findings of this study also indicate that if a discourse promoted through the policy is mediated by discourses operating in the larger societal context, it became more visible in teaching and learning practices as compared to other discourses that did not have social moorings. This suggests that taking the prevailing social expectations into account at the stage of developing any policy is of paramount importance.nThe study concludes with a discussion of the implications of the interplay of connections and misconnections between competing discourses across different spaces in Saudi educational settings for improving the EFL teaching/learning environments in Saudi Arabia and other similar contexts.n

As artificial intelligence (AI) gains prominence, its integration into second language (L2) /foreign language (FL) instruction has become a significant trend. Despite the considerable promise of AI for L2/FL learning, more research is still needed on its effects on student academic engagement in literature classes and the corresponding emotional experiences. This study, therefore, aimed to examine the effects of AI use on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' academic engagement, and the emotional experience was also qualitatively explored. Students were allocated to the experimental group ( N = 48), who received instruction integrated with AI, and the control group ( N = 48), who received traditional instruction without AI assistance. Quantitative data were collected using an FL engagement scale, supplemented by individual semi‐structured interviews in the qualitative phase. The results indicated that integrating AI into EFL instruction has a positive effect on students' cognitive, emotional and social engagement. Moreover, the learners' emotional experiences were found to be abundant and dynamic, exerting influence on their academic engagement. This study provides valuable insights for language educators and researchers regarding integrating AI into EFL instruction.

Purpose: This study aims to examine the impact of technology integration in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes on learners' motivation and performance. It also seeks to provide training for EFL teachers to effectively incorporate technology into their instructional practices.
 Methodology: The research utilizes experimental and descriptive-analytical methods, involving 75 participants, including EFL students and teachers from secondary schools in Al-Hasaheisa Locality, Gezira State, Sudan. Data collection involves questionnaires and pre-post-tests administered to both teachers and students. The collected data is analyzed using the SPSS program.
 Findings: The study reveals that the use of technology in EFL classes facilitates English language teaching and learning. Despite the high internet costs in Sudan, EFL students actively engage in online collaboration activities. However, it is highlighted that nearly half of the EFL teachers lack sufficient training to effectively utilize the available computers and technological devices. The study emphasizes that EFL students display motivation to learn through computer usage, both inside and outside the classroom. Additionally, technology enables EFL learners to engage in computer-based assignments, practice problem-solving and critical thinking through e-activities, and improve their overall performance. Furthermore, utilizing technology allows teachers to provide a broader range of materials and information.
 Unique Contributions to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study recommends the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in the EFL teaching and learning process. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive training programs to enhance EFL teachers' proficiency in effectively employing technology in their instructional practices.

This study focuses on lexical diversity and the use of academic and lower frequency words in essays written by EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students enrolled in Years 1 and 2 at the undergraduate university level. The purpose of this study is to find out the extent to which EFL students become more proficient in their use of academic and lower frequency words and make more diverse choices in their writing after one year of undergraduate university education in English. The study also compares essays written by EFL students and NS (native speaker) students to determine inter-language differences. Essays written by 62 EFL students and 198 NS students at Years 1 and 2 were analyzed for this study. The findings showed no statistically significant difference between the essays written by EFL students in Year 1 and those written in Year 2, either in terms of lexical diversity or in terms of the use of academic and lower frequency words. EFL students in both year levels had a preference for highly frequent words (words in the 1k frequency band). This is in contrast to the NS students, whose use of academic and some lower frequency words improved in Year 2. The findings also showed a statistically significant difference between the essays written by the EFL and the NS students in both year levels. The EFL students made less diverse lexical choices and used fewer words in various frequency bands than the NS students. Findings are discussed and recommendations are offered to EFL students and their educators on how to focus on these aspects of academic writing.

<p style="text-align:justify">Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic changed education conditions worldwide forcing all the parties involved to adapt to a new system. This study aimed to collect information related to the effects of teaching English online on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ achievement. Data were collected from EFL teachers and students enrolled in three different Ecuadorian Universities (Technical University of Ambato, Higher Polytechnic School of Chimborazo, and University of Cuenca) from five different levels: A1, A2, B1, B1+, and B2. This preliminary paper reports the results of 480 students regarding four major sections: pedagogical practice and assessment, learning outcomes, affective factors and perceptions of students about the advantages and disadvantages of online learning during the pandemic COVID-19; considering the Hierarchy of online learning needs of Justin Shewell. An online survey questionnaire with 17 questions and a 5-point Likert scale was applied. The Cronbach's Alpha test presented 0.84 and 0.73 level of reliability. The Kolmogorov Smirnov’s statistic and, the Kendall's Tau_b tests, and the Levene's test for homogeneity of variances were performed with the SPSS statistical program. The results made evident that online learning affects academic achievement in EFL students during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was confirmed after analyzing four main areas: pedagogical practices and assessment, learning outcomes, affective factors and students’ perceptions about the advantages and disadvantages of online learning. The importance of online learning was highlighted since it has been understood as a tool to face the emergency produced by the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>

Process drama, which emphasizes the active exploration of fictional roles and situations, has proven to be an effective pedagogical approach in language teaching and learning. Despite its recognized efficacy, the systematic evaluation of process drama's impact on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education remains understudied. This systematic review aimed to investigate the current literature on the relationship between process drama and EFL teaching and learning. Using the keywords "process drama" and "EFL," publications released between 2003 and 2023 were meticulously extracted from various reputable databases, including ProQuest Citation, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, Taylor & Francis, SAGE, and Google Scholar. In total, 30 studies (27 articles, two master's theses, and one PhD thesis) that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed comprehensively based on their primary characteristics, fostering in-depth discussions on the diverse factors influencing EFL learning and teaching through process drama. Notably, the review underscores that process drama exerts a significant and positive impact on EFL learning and teaching, particularly by enhancing language skills, students' language learning outcomes, and EFL teacher development.

Dehydration is linked to worse cognitive functions and preference for beverages that are linked to obesity and other health conditions. Saudi Arabia’s hot climate can exacerbate these effects and it is important to ensure that children in the region understand the benefits of adequate water intake. To evaluate secondary school student perceptions and practices regarding water intake, investigate how water intake is related to BMI and school performance, and compare international schools to national schools. This cross-sectional study surveyed understanding and practices relating to water intake of national and international secondary school students using a questionnaire based on a random selection of schools and students. One-hundred and sixty-two students from international schools (I) and 157 from national schools (N) responded. Most were aged 16 and 17 years old (I:61.1%, N:76.5%, p = .005). The average BMI of all students was 24.9 ± 6.013 (I:23.6 ± 4.658, N:26.1 ± 6.931, p < 0.001). Students understood beverages do not replace water intake (I:80.2%, N:75.8%, p = .337) and preferred water when thirsty (I:77.8%, N:75.2%, p = .549). However, water consumption was low with more than 50% of students drinking less than 1500 ml a day (I:54.3%, N:70.7%, p = .002). A positive correlation between BMI and water intake was observed only among international school students. Students have inadequate water intake despite understanding the importance of hydration. There are some differences between international school students and national school students that can be attributed to the availability and sources of water, though other factors cannot be excluded.

As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly influences education, understanding learners' experiences, engagement and literacy of these tools is critical. This study explores AI literacy among Turkish EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students regarding their familiarity, knowledge, and ethical perceptions of AI technologies in academic writing. Using a descriptive exploratory approach, the study surveyed 427 students from two Turkish universities. Findings reveal a moderate level of AI familiarity and usage among participants, with a significant reliance on AI tools for translation and grammar proofreading. Despite recognizing AI's potential to enhance academic writing, students exhibited limited technical proficiency and understanding of AI's underlying mechanisms, highlighting a need for targeted and structured AI education for EFL writing. The findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on AI integration in EFL education, offering insights for policymakers, educators, and researchers to better prepare students for an AI-driven academic environment.