Teachers’ Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence as a Motivational Tool for English Language Learners: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The present research explores lived experiences and perceptions of in-service English language teachers on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) as a motivational tool to be used with English language learners in various ESL and EFL settings. Based on the Self-Determination Theory and the associated motivational models, the study fills a very urgent gap as it anticipates the interpretative views of teachers during the booming adoption of AI technology, including chatbots, adaptive gamified environments, and automated feedback tools, and generative models like ChatGPT. Semi-structured interviews and reflective journals were used to collect data on 15 purposely selected teachers in both the public and the private schools in different countries. The results indicate that there are four main advantages: personalization that leads to a sense of autonomy, self-efficacy and intrinsic interest; greater engagement through interactivity, immediate feedback, gamification and flow-like experiences; the sense of safety and low-stakes practice environments that help to build confidence, and long-term motivation due to sustained variety and novelty. At the same time, when asked to identify significant constraints, teachers listed over-reliance, which kills intrinsic motivation, equity obstacles because of digital divides and disproportionate access, the failure of AI to deliver authentic emotional and relational support, which is crucial to relatedness, and flaws in teacher preparation and professional training. The respondents suggested implementing AI in a balanced way as a complement and not a substitute of human instruction and proposed pedagogical solutions including efficient prompt engineering, and hybrid classroom activities, which involve AI productions and teacher-designed interaction, to optimize the motivational gains without interfering with relational dynamics. They highlighted the importance of continuous professional education in AI literacy, the attentive approach to the ethical questions such as the agency of learners, the algorithmic bias, data security, and the risks of plagiarism and the institutional response to these risks through the enhancement of infrastructure, curriculum design, and policy solutions. The discussion frames these findings in the existing literature, which proves the consistency with evidence on AI motivational role in language education, in addition to raised equity and relational issues in diverse global contexts. In theory, the research contributes to motivational theories by proving that autonomy and competence can be reinforced by artificial intelligence but must be mediated by a human to ensure relatedness and avoid demotivation. In practice, it also encourages teachers to adopt hybrid models, the teacher educators to implement AI pedagogy in training programs, and the policymakers to advance equitable and ethical adoption. This is limited by the small sample size and context-specificity of the data which recommends future studies with larger longitudinal cohorts, the perspective of learners and comparative quantitative-qualitative methods. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, English language learning, teacher viewpoint, learner motivation, qualitative research, educational technology.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, English Language Learning, Teacher Perspectives, Learner Motivation, Qualitative Study, Educational Technology