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ABSTRACT

This study explores secondary school teachers’ perspectives on artificial intelligence (AI)-supported tools through qualitative in-depth interviews with 16 teachers of English as a foreign language in Kazakhstan. The research aimed to understand teachers’ views on pedagogy, their knowledge of AI, and their perceptions of its opportunities and limitations. Findings revealed that teachers were largely pragmatic and open to adopting new digital tools; however, concerns arose regarding scenarios where AI might diminish the teacher’s role. The practical implication of the study suggests that AI-supported tools should be framed as context-specific contributors to learning, rather than as transformative innovations. The qualitative approach was chosen to address the challenge of limited teacher familiarity with AI, enabling interviewers to clarify concepts and provide demonstrations during discussions. Kazakhstan’s bilingual and trilingual education system provided a unique context for this study. Education reform, often associated with technology, has been a focus in the post-Soviet era, though the system remains relatively centralized compared to OECD countries. Notably, better-resourced Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools serve as a model for trilingual secondary education. Teachers reported access to continuing professional development opportunities and ICT-related training, with classrooms typically equipped with projection devices, IT rooms, and sometimes tablets. Students’ use of mobile phones in schools was regulated but permitted for specific educational purposes. This research highlights the importance of positioning AI tools as augmentative technologies, emphasizing their role in supporting rather than replacing teachers in enhancing educational outcomes.

Keywords: AI, language learning, teacher perspectives, teaching and learning