AI-powered Tools for EMI Teaching

1. Introduction

As English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) continues to expand across higher education systems worldwide, lecturers are increasingly seeking effective ways to support students’ linguistic and academic needs. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered teaching tools provide flexible, adaptive, and data-driven support that can enhance teaching clarity, student engagement, and language development. These tools do not replace the educator; rather, they act as collaborative partners that reinforce deeper learning experiences in multilingual classrooms.

Research indicates that AI tools can enhance pedagogical clarity and provide targeted support for language development in EMI settings (Konyrova, 2024). AI-based platforms can adapt to learners’ proficiency levels, offering personalized feedback and scaffolding academic English use, thereby helping students navigate complex academic content more confidently (Peng & Xie, 2021). Additionally, AI integration promotes the development of digital literacy skills, which are essential for succeeding in contemporary academic and professional environments.

Importantly, AI tools complement—rather than replace—the human role of the lecturer. The educator remains essential in guiding critical thinking, shaping academic discourse, and cultivating classroom community. AI supports this role by automating routine feedback, identifying learning gaps, and enabling more time for interaction-rich, higher-order teaching (Gómez-Pablos et al., 2022).

While concerns exist regarding AI’s potential influence on academic integrity and the over-reliance on automated support (Bannister et al., 2023), emerging evidence suggests that when used responsibly and transparently, AI can strengthen instructional quality and enhance students’ participation and confidence in EMI courses (Lee, 2023). As such, AI is positioned to play an increasingly important role in shaping equitable and engaging EMI learning environments.

2. ChatGPT for Language and Content Scaffolding

ChatGPT is one of the most widely adopted AI tools in academic settings. In EMI classrooms, lecturers can use ChatGPT to simplify complex disciplinary concepts without oversimplifying meaning. By prompting ChatGPT to rephrase academic terms, generate analogies, provide structured explanations, or create example sentences relevant to the field, lecturers support student comprehension while maintaining academic rigor.

Additionally, ChatGPT can assist in designing lesson outlines, checking the clarity of instructional language, generating prompts for group discussions, and providing quick feedback on written student work. However, lecturers must always validate the accuracy of content generated by AI, as incorrect or unsupported information may occur.

3. SpeechAce for Pronunciation and Oral Fluency Practice

SpeechAce is another valuable tool for EMI contexts, particularly where student confidence and oral communication play a central role. SpeechAce provides learners with real-time feedback on pronunciation, intonation, rhythm, and stress. Unlike traditional pronunciation drills, the platform visualizes how closely a learner’s production matches expected phonological patterns and suggests individualized improvement steps.

Instructors can integrate SpeechAce practice sessions into pre-class preparation or reflective learning portfolios. When paired with peer-supported speaking tasks, SpeechAce can contribute to measurable improvements in intelligibility and communication clarity over time.

4. Pairing AI Tools with Pedagogical Intent

The effectiveness of AI tools in EMI instruction depends on how they are embedded within learning design. Lecturers should avoid assigning AI tasks as isolated activities. Instead, AI should be paired with clear learning objectives and follow-up tasks that encourage reflection, application, and collaboration.

• Use ChatGPT to generate initial explanations → then facilitate in-class application discussion.
• Assign SpeechAce pronunciation practice → followed by live seminar presentations.
• Use AI to summarize reading texts → students verify accuracy using academic sources.

By situating AI activities within meaningful academic tasks, the classroom environment remains human-centered, interactive, and intellectually engaged.

5. Ethical and Critical Use

While AI tools offer valuable support, lecturers should model responsible use. This includes encouraging citation of AI-assisted text, teaching students to question generated content, and discussing data privacy and academic integrity concerns. The goal is to cultivate AI literacy alongside EMI proficiency.