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Does AI Help EFL Learners? A Scoping Review of Effectiveness, Engagement, and Ethics Across 131 Scopus-Indexed Studies
Subject area: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities · Area of research: ELT
DOI: 10.64388/IREV10I3-1722794
Abstract
This scoping review maps 131 Scopus-indexed publications (2022–2026) examining AI-mediated English language teaching (ELT). Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines (Page et al., 2021), we searched Scopus and analyzed retrieved records through bibliometric analysis, thematic synthesis, and keyword co-occurrence mapping. Publication volume grew from one article in 2022 to 70 in 2025, a trajectory driven by the emergence of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. Thematic analysis identified four clusters: (1) effectiveness of AI interventions across vocabulary, writing, and speaking skills; (2) engagement outcomes encompassing motivation, anxiety reduction, and foreign language enjoyment; (3) the diversity of AI tools spanning chatbots, intelligent tutoring systems, and large language models; and (4) ethical concerns including academic integrity, AI dependency, and algorithmic bias. Geographic analysis revealed a pronounced concentration in Asia-Pacific contexts, with China accounting for 60 publications (45.8%). Given the breadth of topics and the heterogeneity of study designs across the corpus, this review adopts a scoping rather than systematic synthesis approach, mapping the landscape of current research rather than producing definitive effect estimates. The evidence base suggests promising but context-dependent effectiveness for discrete language skills and predominantly positive engagement outcomes; however, most primary studies were conducted in 2022–2024 and should be read as reflecting AI capabilities of that period rather than the current generation of tools. Significant gaps remain in longitudinal research, theory-driven investigation, and empirical examination of ethical issues.
Keywords
AI-mediated learning, English language teaching, ChatGPT, generative AI, learner engagement, educational technology, scoping review
References
[1] Barrot, J. S. (2023). Using ChatGPT for second language writing: Pitfalls and potential. Education and Information Technologies, 28(12), 16293–16303.
[2] Hwang, G. J., & Chang, C. Y. (2023). A review of opportunities and challenges with the AI-assisted language learning in foreign language contexts. Educational Technology & Society, 26(2), 121–134.
[3] Kohnke, L., Moorhouse, B. L., & Zou, D. (2023). ChatGPT for language teaching and learning. RELC Journal, 54(2), 537–550. Crossref
[4] Lo, C. K., Yu, P. L. H., Xu, S., Ng, D. T. K., & Jong, M. S. Y. (2024). Exploring the application of ChatGPT in ESL/EFL education and related research issues: A systematic review of empirical studies. Smart Learning Environments, 11, Article 34.
[5] Mizumoto, A., & Eguchi, M. (2023). Exploring the potential of using ChatGPT to evaluate student writing for English as a foreign language learning. Language Teaching Research, 1–21.
[6] Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Systematic Reviews, 10(1), Article 89. Crossref
How to cite this paper
@article{1722794,
author = {S. Bharathikumar, Balaji Sundharam K},
title = {Does AI Help EFL Learners? A Scoping Review of Effectiveness, Engagement, and Ethics Across 131 Scopus-Indexed Studies},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {3},
pages = {1073-1076},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1722794.pdf},
abstract = {This scoping review maps 131 Scopus-indexed publications (2022–2026) examining AI-mediated English language teaching (ELT). Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines (Page et al., 2021), we searched Scopus and analyzed retrieved records through bibliometric analysis, thematic synthesis, and keyword co-occurrence mapping. Publication volume grew from one article in 2022 to 70 in 2025, a trajectory driven by the emergence of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. Thematic analysis identified four clusters: (1) effectiveness of AI interventions across vocabulary, writing, and speaking skills; (2) engagement outcomes encompassing motivation, anxiety reduction, and foreign language enjoyment; (3) the diversity of AI tools spanning chatbots, intelligent tutoring systems, and large language models; and (4) ethical concerns including academic integrity, AI dependency, and algorithmic bias. Geographic analysis revealed a pronounced concentration in Asia-Pacific contexts, with China accounting for 60 publications (45.8%). Given the breadth of topics and the heterogeneity of study designs across the corpus, this review adopts a scoping rather than systematic synthesis approach, mapping the landscape of current research rather than producing definitive effect estimates. The evidence base suggests promising but context-dependent effectiveness for discrete language skills and predominantly positive engagement outcomes; however, most primary studies were conducted in 2022–2024 and should be read as reflecting AI capabilities of that period rather than the current generation of tools. Significant gaps remain in longitudinal research, theory-driven investigation, and empirical examination of ethical issues.},
keywords = {AI-mediated learning, English language teaching, ChatGPT, generative AI, learner engagement, educational technology, scoping review},
month = {September},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I3-1722794}
}