2026 Presentation Abstracts
Can’t wait to see what CALICO 2026 has to offer before our conference Whova app goes live? Here are some samples of presentations, meetings, posters, and tech showcase events that will be offered during the conference. Still undecided whether to attend? Check out the incredible research that your peers are doing and come talk to them in person at CALICO 2026!
Data accurate as of 29 April 2026. Offerings subject to change without notice on this page. Once the Whova app is live, changes will be updated instantaneously.
Meeting – Graduate Student SIG
Presentation – One Instrument, Two Perspectives: Exploring Technology-Enhanced Task Acceptance through the TeLTa
Natalia Roldan M.; Adjani Salazar; Paula Arias; Monica Cardenas
In earlier work, we made a case for developing instruments that did not only measure technological components but also learning motivation. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Basic Psychological Need mini-theory from self-determination theory, we designed and validated the Technology-enhanced Listening Task Acceptance (TeLTA) questionnaire. We used the TelTA to compare two intact classes of L2 learners working with the ideasforlistening platform in 10-week sessions. The study explores how contextual and experiential differences shape learners’ perceptions of usefulness, competence, and autonomy, offering insights into technology-mediated listening and the applicability of TeLTA for comparative CALL research.
Presentation – Making AI Feedback Look Smarter: Enhancing EFL Writing Revision Quality and Emotional Experience through Visual Design
Bin Zou
Revision in EFL writing often induces high cognitive load and negative emotions. This study, grounded in the Cognitive-Affective Theory of Learning with Media, integrates TESOL pedagogy and HCI design to develop a visualized GenAI writing Chabot co-designed with ten EFL teachers. The Chabot’s color-coded, tabular, and interactive feedback aimed to enhance emotional engagement and cognitive clarity. A quasi-experimental study with 60 learners showed that visualized feedback improved coherence and cohesion while reducing anxiety, boredom and cognitive load. The findings highlight the value of positive emotional design and reaffirm teachers’ vital role in humanizing AI-assisted learning in the GenAI era.
Live Online Presentation – Reimagining Student Academic Writing in the Age of AI
Deniz Gokcora; Raymond Oenbring
Many writing teachers worry that AI could hinder students’ writing and critical thinking. While big tech focuses on AI’s market value, its impact on academic integrity is often overlooked. This presentation introduces The Forge, a nonprofit, open-source word processor and learning management system that promotes academic integrity by providing feedback on student writing. Usable individually or across courses, it includes graphic analytics to show student effort and essay revisions. The Forge offers a new approach to writing instruction in the age of generative AI, aiming to balance technological innovation with core educational values and the preservation of academic honesty.
Presentation – Critical Thinking in Human–AI Interaction for L2 Speaking Assessment: A Systematic Review
Ali Ebrahimpourlighvani
Recent advances in spoken dialogue systems (SDS) and AI conversational agents have reshaped how L2 speaking is practiced and assessed, yet the construct of critical thinking (CT) remains underexplored in these automated interactional settings. While existing reviews address SDS-supported speaking practice, interactional competence, and automated scoring, none systematically examine how CT is elicited, evidenced, or assessed in human–AI spoken interaction for L2 speaking assessment. This systematic review addresses this gap by synthesizing research published between 2015–2025 on SDS-based oral proficiency tests that position the AI interlocutor as a conversational partner. Following PRISMA-aligned screening and inclusion criteria, approximately 30 studies were identified for in-depth analysis. The review examines how SDS task structures shape opportunities for reasoning and evaluative language, what linguistic and interactional features signal CT in speech, and how these features intersect with measures of interactional competence. Preliminary findings suggest that while SDS-mediated tasks increasingly support conversational negotiation and turn-taking, critical thinking remains largely implicit, seldom defined as a scoring construct, and rarely linked to assessment decisions. The review proposes a conceptual model for integrating CT into SDS-based speaking assessment, emphasizing task designs that foster reasoning, stance, and meaning co-construction. This contributes to Language with a Good Heart by positioning CALL as a space where technology supports deeper intellectual engagement and human connection, even when the conversational partner is artificial.
Presentation – “E” Cognition & VR-mediated SLA: Differing Approaches to L2 Japanese Role-Play
Matthew Steinhauer; Henry Aberle
Applying Embodied Cognition theory to language and culture learning (languaculture) learning in virtual worlds is growing in popularity (Akay & Kessler, 2024; Chun et al., 2022; Godwin-Jones, 2023; Steinhauer, 2026), however, comparisons of different VR applications are scarce. We discuss Embodied Cognition approaches and then share results from testing these principles in high-immersion VR Japanese experiences. Steinhauer found VR serves as a powerful memory anchor for recall, assisting in script performance and cultural acts. Aberle found environment-referencing role-plays in VR induced risk-taking and creativity in intermediate learners. While both studies yielded positive effects, we discuss how differing approaches led to distinct findings and conclude with suggestions for future research.
Presentation – Gen-AI Enhanced Automatic Practice Item Generation for Adaptive Learning and Assessment in Korean EFL Paraphrasing
Minyung Kim
This study presents an automatic practice item generation module integrated into ParaTest, an AI-based English paraphrasing assessment system for Korean EFL learners. The system analyzes learners’ paraphrasing responses through NLP metrics and GPT-based feedback, then generates individualized practice items targeting their weaknesses. Using linguistic feature extraction (e.g., syntactic complexity, lexical complexity, semantic similarity) and CEFR-aligned task templates, the generator produces contextually adaptive paraphrasing prompts. This approach bridges formative assessment and personalized learning by combining diagnostic analytics with generative AI, offering an adaptive paraphrasing learning and assessment system for those in need.
Live Online Presentation – Ethical Language Learning with Generative Artificial Intelligence: Enhancing Learners’ Oral Skills through Interactive Roleplay Platforms
Macha Petre
In the era of generative AI, language educators must rethink their pedagogical practices to sustain the purpose and value of language learning. This presentation examines how tools such as ChatGPT or Gemini can be ethically integrated to enhance oral proficiency through interactive, AI-mediated roleplay. By leveraging multimodal AI features, learners engage in spoken dialogue with real-time feedback and scaffolding. Preliminary findings from an ongoing project involving NautilIA, an AI-based roleplay gamified app for French learners developed by the researcher, highlight its potential to improve oral constructs such as accuracy and fluency while fostering creativity and critical engageme
Presentation – Peer and AI Agent Support in Post-GenAI Speech Evaluation: An Activity Theory Perspective on Division of Labour in EFL Classrooms
Chenghao Wang
This study examines how different post-feedback interaction modes influence EFL learners’ engagement with AI-Generated Multimodal Feedback (AIGMF). After receiving AIGMF on their speaking tasks, one experimental group collaborated with a peer, while another interacted with a GenAI agent; a control group reviewed the feedback individually. Over ten weeks, data from speaking tests, questionnaires, and interviews showed that both experimental groups achieved greater emotional engagement and confidence than the control group. Learners who interacted with the GenAI agent reported lower anxiety and higher AIGMF acceptance. The findings highlight the importance of interactive and emotionally supportive designs in GenAI-mediated oral learning.
Presentation – Applying Dynamic Assessment Principles to GPT-Mediated Feedback in EFL Summary Writing
Jiseon Ryu
This study examines whether a customized ChatGPT model can enhance Korean EFL undergraduates’ summary writing by providing tailored feedback and practice. Summary writing demands comprehension, synthesis, and concise expression, yet many EFL learners struggle due to limited authentic input and individualized feedback. By integrating AI-based mediation, the study explores how timely, adaptive feedback can foster writing development in contexts where such support is rarely available. The findings aim to inform best practices for AI-supported language instruction, advance discussions on technology-mediated writing pedagogy, and offer practical guidance for educators seeking to improve learning outcomes through emerging technologies.
Live Online Presentation – WebTransLearn: AI-Driven Global Workflow for Interactive Multilingual Web-Assisted Language Learning
Anil Kumar Gupta; Anil Kumar Gupta
WebTransLearn is an AI-driven multilingual web-assisted learning platform that transforms authentic multilingual content into interactive, adaptive, and feedback-based learning experiences. The system integrates content extraction, contextual translation, and AI analytics to auto-generate exercises such as flashcards, quizzes, and pronunciation tasks. Learners receive instant grammar and semantic feedback through adaptive dashboards, while educators gain analytics-driven insights into learner progress. Supporting global language pairs and cloud deployment, WebTransLearn bridges multilingual translation workflows with pedagogy, making authentic web materials a foundation for personalized and gamified language learning across classrooms, e-learning environments, and self-paced global education.
Presentation – Teaching Writing in Confucian-Heritage Culture Contexts: AI vs. Teacher Feedback
Nghia Jake Bui
This synthesis explores how Confucian Heritage Culture (CHC) learners perceive AI and teacher feedback in L2 writing. Findings show teacher feedback is preferred for personalization and discourse support, while AI excels in grammar correction and accessibility. A blended feedback approach is recommended to optimize writing outcomes in CHC contexts.
Presentation – Does Gemini Do Vocal Stereotyping? A Verbal Guise Study of Accent Ideologies in TESOL
Onur Özkaynak; Zeynep Arslan; Peter Sayer
We test whether Gemini engages in vocal stereotyping when it evaluates TESOL teachers’ speech. In a verbal guise design, nine speakers of diverse accents recorded short grammar explanations comparable to mainstream ELT textbook examples. The clips were standardized for voice quality and length. We selected Gemini because it supports direct audio file input, which allowed us to evaluate spoken delivery. We provided a fourteen-item rubric, and Gemini assigned ratings and wrote qualitative rationales. Descriptive statistics and appraisal analysis indicate procedural neutrality alongside standard language and native speakerist ideologies, with implications for automated assessment and hiring simulations.
Live Online Presentation – From Apps to Autonomy: Exploring Motivation and Acceptance in Mobile-Assisted English Speaking
Ahmad Zubaidi Amrullah
Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT) and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study aims to amplify the voices of both students and teachers regarding their experiences with mobile learning to support oral fluency within an extracurricular club setting. This study employs a mixed-methods design using an explanatory sequential approach, which includes surveys, in-depth interviews, and a focus group discussion (FGD). The findings revealed a shared recognition of the usefulness, accessibility, and motivational potential of mobile applications. Students valued AI-driven feedback and gamified features that foster autonomy and confidence, while teachers emphasized the importance of pedagogical alignment, safety, and sustained support. The findings from this study can serve as a foundational step in the selection or development of mobile applications that are responsive to the unique needs of learners in extracurricular settings.
Presentation – Machine Translation and L2 Oral Development: A Comparative Study of Lexical Diversity and Fluency
Jude Mensah
This study presents preliminary quantitative findings from a study exploring the impact of Machine Translation (MT) on L2 oral development, an area often overshadowed by written language research. Grounded in Sociocultural Theory (Vygotsky, 1978) and ecological perspectives (van Lier, 2004), MT is framed as a mediational tool within learners’ Zone of Proximal Development. Two groups of intermediate learners completed oral tasks with and without MT support. Lexical diversity and fluency were analyzed using ANOVA. Results suggest MT may foster linguistic exploration and learner autonomy, offering pedagogical insights into ethical and effective integration of MT in language teaching.
Presentation – “I’m not a bot!” Leveraging GenAI and the Benefits of Teacher and Student Connection
Hope Anderson; Will Jordan-Cooley; Heidi Brumbaugh
This presentation is geared toward both language technology entrepreneurs and faculty evaluating technologies to research or use in their own programs. Key topics to discuss include: How can language technology entrepreneurship build AI-based innovations and companies that leverage their possibility for democratizing/improving education while helping preserve regional educational institutions and educators against big tech? How can AI-based companies be sustainable, both environmentally and for the ecosystem of institutions and individual educators? How do we balance trendiness (e.g., GenAI) and individuality (making a unique, functional product)? How do we convey this nuanced value proposition to institutional buyers in ways that help them solve the challenges they face in their own programs?
Meeting – Gaming Special Interest Group Meeting
This meeting is for those interested in the use of gaming for language learning. This time will be used to meet together and discuss possible events for the upcoming year. If anyone is interested in a leadership role, this is the time to step up and declare interest in becoming a chair or vice-chair of the SIG.
Presentation – AI-Mediated Feedback for Self-Regulated Genre Learning: The Case of Deniz
Issam Rian
Drawing on a semester-long study, this paper focuses on one case study participant, Deniz, and traces how AI-mediated, genre-based feedback (via ChatGPT) catalyzed self-regulated learning. Using Tardy’s four domains (formal, rhetorical, process, subject-matter) and Zimmerman & Moylan’s self-regulation cycle, I analyze reflection logs, AI chat transcripts, and interviews. Findings show AI as a “validator” that calibrates metacognitive judgments, shifts trust from skepticism to selective reliance, and promotes audience-centric revision. Deniz enacted adaptive rejections, cross-checked teacher/AI advice, and learned to anticipate feedback by asking targeted questions. The case illuminates pedagogical moves for ethical, critical AI use that foregrounds genre awareness and self-efficacy.
Presentation – Using GenAI to Study Languages Beyond the Classroom: A Collaborative Autoethnographic Study
Jeffrey Maloney; Austin Pack
With the release of now widely-available generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools the field of applied linguistics has new opportunities to examine the role of such technologies (see Pecorari, 2023). We report on a collaborative auto-ethnographic study of two applied linguists and language educators that utilized AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) to engage in targeted language study for at least one hour per week across 9 weeks. The participant-researchers studied either Spanish or Japanese. Data collection consisted of chat logs, reflective journals, and recorded discussions. In addition, both researchers took a proficiency exam before and after the 9 weeks.
Presentation – The Impact of AI-powered Self-paced Lessons on Speaking Fluency: A Large-scale Study in an Intensive English Program
Emilia Gracia; Carla Consolini; Tricia Thrasher
This presentation reports on a large-scale study conducted with 150 English language learners (CEFR Pre-A1–B1) enrolled in an Intensive English Program that implemented AI-powered self-paced lessons to build speaking fluency. Over two 8-week terms, participants completed 2.5 hours weekly of structured, CEFR-aligned lessons featuring adaptive AI tutors that guided learners through contextualized, real-world speaking scenarios and provided instant feedback. Pre- and post-measures assessed changes in learners’ oral proficiency (fluency, grammar, vocabulary, task completion), foreign language anxiety, speaking motivation, and willingness to communicate. Results demonstrate how integrating adaptive AI-driven speaking practice outside of class impacts both linguistic and affective outcomes.
Presentation – Preparing Future EFL Teachers’ AI Competence with a Human-Centred Mindset: Insights from a Mixed-Methods Study in China
Mingjun Tang
Research on teacher preparation for AI-related competence remains at an early stage. This mixed-methods study aims to explore the preparedness and training needs of Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) pre-service teachers in AI-related competence, including considerations of AI ethics and social implications. Quantitative data from an adapted survey (N ≈ 500) examines the influence of academic year, practicum experience, and AI usage frequency on EFL pre-service teachers’ AI competence levels. The qualitative interviews (N = 12) provide in-depth insights into their perceptions and experiences. Findings will contribute to developing teacher education programs that prepare future teachers for human-centred and ethical integration of AI in language teaching.
Presentation – A Follow-Up Systematic Review of Research on High-Immersion Virtual Reality for Language Learning
Regina Kaplan-Rakowski
This presentation reports findings from a follow-up systematic review of research on high-immersion virtual reality for language learning (VRALL). Using the PRISMA framework, the review analyzed 90 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2024, identifying major research trends, pedagogical impacts, and methodological practices. Results show rapid growth in VRALL research, particularly in Asia, with English as the dominant target language. High-immersion VR was found to enhance learner engagement and learning outcomes across multiple language domains, especially vocabulary and speaking. The study highlights the role of pre-training and scaffolding in mitigating cognitive load and improving usability.
Meeting – Artificial Intelligence Special Interest Group Meeting
This meeting is for those interested in the application of AI to the teaching of languages. This time will be used to meet together and discuss possible events for the upcoming year. If anyone is interested in a leadership role, this is the time to step up and declare interest in becoming a chair or vice-chair of the SIG.
Presentation – Assessment of Digital Multimodal Composing and Criteria for Metalanguage Development
Dong-shin Shin
Digital multimodal composing has become a critical component of ESL composition. However, assessment remains a challenge in contexts that emphasize alphabetic writing. This study applied systemic functional approaches to multimodal discourse analysis, to examine ESL students’ metalanguage development through collaborative assessments of multimodal arguments. We analyzed classroom data, student texts, and interviews. The findings suggest that students emphasized the synthesis of multiple modes as a key criterion; the linguistic mode was used primarily for ideational meaning, while non-linguistic modes conveyed interpersonal meaning; and students’ developing metalanguage, which was evidenced in their criteria development, was not realized in their multimodal texts.
Presentation – Language Learners and GenAI: Toward a Reconceptualization of Learner Agency
Hsin-I Chen
This study explores how English language learners (ELLs) express individual, proxy, spatial, shared, relational, and collective agency in hybrid educational spaces. The findings show learners initially use GenAI in utilitarian, proxy-based ways but gradually develop spatial, shared, and collective agency through collaboration and critical inquiry. The study advances a sociotechnical view of learner agency in CALL and offers design insights for AI-integrated pedagogies that foster ethical, adaptive, and autonomous learners—responding to global calls to safeguard human agency in AI-enhanced language education.
Live Online Presentation – Pocket-Sized Pedagogy: Understanding Autonomous Language Learning in Mobile App Ecologies
Melike Akay
Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) is fundamentally recalibrating university language education, as commercial platforms (e.g., Duolingo, Babbel, Busuu) increasingly constitute students’ primary linguistic ecosystems beyond institutional supervision. Despite this seismic pedagogical reconfiguration, empirical work has only tentatively interrogated its ramifications for learner autonomy, strategy cultivation, and sociocultural development. This mixed-methods study interrogates how undergraduates appraise and appropriate MALL environments to determine self-regulated trajectories, mobilize metacognitive repertoires, and construe linguistic and intercultural growth. Integrating a large-scale survey with in-depth interviews, the study generates a multi-platform account of emergent autonomous practices, advancing theoretical and programmatic conversations on technology-mediated language learning in an increasingly app-governed educational landscape.
Panel – Tech Tool Time Workshop (sponsored by the Entrepreneurship SIG)
Hope Anderson; Will Jordan-Cooley
Come try out the language technologies developed by CALICO’s own innovators! Participants will watch short demos of each tool, then join small breakout groups for hands-on exploration. The first 15 minutes will offer a lightning overview of everything being built this year. Afterward, participants can dive deeper into up to three 20-minute mini-workshops to experience how these tools can support language learning or teaching. Interested in showcasing your own technology? Contact us by April 1, 2026. Both mobile and web-based applications are welcome.
Panel – Graduate Student Journeys and Advice in Publishing Research in CALL
Zeynep Sinan; Melike Akay; Alexander Tang
Academic publishing represents a crucial milestone in graduate researchers’ development, marking the transition from novice to contributing scholar, particularly within applied linguistics and CALL, where scholarly identity is closely tied to academic writing and publication. Organized by the CALICO Graduate Student SIG, this panel brings practical insights from early-career scholars who are actively publishing CALL research. Panelists will discuss preparing graduate research for publication, navigating journal selection, and responding to reviewer feedback. Emphasizing ethical, sustainable practices rather than a publish-or-perish mindset, the session supports emerging scholars in developing confident, reflective publication trajectories.
Live Online Presentation – Elevating Perspectives: AI-Driven Critical Dialogue for Transformative L2 Pedagogy
Nicole Ziegler; Alexandra Lee; Graham Crookes; Daniel Holden; Priscila Leal
Grounded in Critical Language Pedagogy (CLP) principles of equity and social justice, this case-study research explores the potential of implementing critically-oriented prompts using ChatGPT to foster L2 critical dialogue. Following training on prompt formulation, intermediate English L2 learners engaged in one-on-one structured tutoring-style discussions with ChatGPT as the interlocutor. Results suggest that ChatGPT acted as a supportive co-participant in critical dialogue, with results indicating that learners critically engaged with ideas and social issues. Findings are discussed in terms of how ChatGPT can foster transformative learning experiences in the L2 classroom.
Presentation – Analyzing AI Feedback and Learner Uptake in Self-paced Lessons: Insights from English Learners’ Conversations with AI
Tricia Thrasher; Carla Consolini; Emilia Gracia
This presentation examines how English learners receive and respond to AI-provided feedback during immersive self-paced lessons on the IMMERSE platform. Drawing on analysis of 50 lesson transcripts selected from over 600 completed sessions by 150 learners (CEFR Pre-A1–B1), this ongoing study explores the types of feedback provided by the AI—recasts, explicit corrections, metalinguistic feedback, translation scaffolds, and prompts—and the corresponding learner responses, including immediate or delayed repair, acknowledgement, continuation, or no uptake. Emerging patterns reveal how feedback and uptake patterns vary across proficiency levels, offering new insights into interactional processes that shape learning in immersive conversational-AI environments (Chun et al., 2025).
Presentation – Intelligent Learning: The Power of AI in Enhancing ESL Teaching and Student Engagement
Abir El Shaban
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining the educational landscape, especially in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms. AI-powered tools such as Intelligent Tutoring Systems, chatbots, Grammarly, and augmented reality (AR) applications support language learning by providing personalized instruction, instant feedback, and engaging experiences. This session explores how AI addresses challenges related to diverse proficiency levels, workload, and learner engagement. Participants will learn practical ways to integrate AI tools to improve teaching and learning outcomes. The session will start with a simple question that connects participants’ shared classroom experiences before introducing AI as a solution to those challenges.
Poster – Unraveling the Emerging Paths in VR-assisted Language Learning: A Systematic Review Research
Zeynep Sinan
Virtual reality (VR) has been one of the commonly used cutting-edge technology tools that continues to revolutionize how languages are taught and learnt, investigated thoroughly by the scholarly literature. Despite the prevalence of research on this topic, the definitive role of VR needs further clarification for language educators and stakeholders in language education. In this regard, this study systematically reviewed the scholarly articles published in recent years to develop a theoretical framework, representing the role of VR in language education. The findings, including benefits, limitations, pedagogical suggestions, and research implications, will be underscored in this presentation.
Poster – What Aspects of Human-centered Design are Considered for the Design of a Fit-for-purpose Platform for L2 lLstening?
Belen Gert; Kimberley Dassonvalle; Monica Cardenas
This poster presentation outlines three key human-centered design principles underpinning the ideasforlistening platform, a fit-for-purpose self-access environment for L2 listening Grounded in learner-teacher co-design, the platform balances metacognitive instruction and learner control through minimal user interface. Added to that, its core innovation lies in its three-level feedback. Level 1-Knowledge of Results (KoR): immediate right/wrong only. Level 2-Elaborative/Directive: localized explanations, replay of the exact segment, and prompts to use supports (e.g., time-stamped transcript) to revise. Level 3-Knowledge of Correct Response (KCR) with monitoring: reveal the correct answer after attempts and cue brief reflection on progress and next steps.
Poster – From Kitchen Chaos to Communication: Teaching the Russian Speech Act of Requests with Overcooked! 2
Aidana Rysbek
This study investigates the potential of using the cooperative video game Overcooked! 2 to teach Russian request strategies within the Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) framework. Intermediate learners (A2-B1) at a large public Midwestern U.S. university will play the game, completing time-limited cooking tasks that require brief, task-focused requests. Gameplay will be recorded and analyzed for the frequency, accuracy, and variety of request strategies and their relation to task success. Follow-up interviews will explore learners’ experiences. Findings will show how fast-paced digital games can create authentic, goal-oriented contexts for practicing speech acts in an L2.
Poster – Beyond the Algorithm: Exploring Teacher-Created Video Tutorials for contextualized Learning in EFL Exam Preparation
Juan Camilo Gutierrez
In today’s digital world, teachers’ roles are often questioned, yet they remain essential cultural interpreters who contextualize learning beyond technology’ reach. This presentation will share an action-research project conducted at a regional Colombian university, where an instructor used open-access digital tools to support standardized test preparation through culturally relevant video tutorials. Findings show that integrating teacher-created videos fostered contextualized learning and communicative skills. Attendees will obtain access to a website featuring examples, practical guidelines, and recommended tools for creating effective audiovisual materials for English language instruction and test preparation.
Poster – Adaptive Learning Experiences for K-12: Personalizing Arabic Instruction with AI
Ayman Elbarbary
Arabic instruction for K-12 cannot follow a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Arabic teachers can customize their instruction to accommodate the diverse needs of their students. Srinivasa et al. (2022) note that artificial intelligence personalizes instruction and boosts student engagement. One way to do this is by using AI chatbots for adaptive learning. This poster presentation offers attendees step-by-step guidance on creating adaptive learning AI chatbots. An example of a chatbot and a handout will be provided to attendees at the end of the presentation. Although this presentation uses Arabic in K-12 settings as an example, the ideas and practices also apply to higher education and other languages. References Srinivasa, K. G., Kurni, M., & Saritha, K. (2022). Harnessing the Power of AI to Education. In Learning, teaching, and assessment methods for contemporary learners: pedagogy for the digital generation (pp. 311-342). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
Poster – The Language of Food: Building Human Connection Through Culture, Story, and Well-Being
Leah Kuhlmann
Food is our first language-a universal expression of care, culture, and connection. In this inspiring, practice-based session, Leah Kuhlmann, RDN, LD, explores how the rituals of food and story can inform human-centered learning in digital and cross-cultural environments. Drawing from her background in nutrition and behavior change, Leah introduces the Nourish Framework for Connection, a model that parallels nourishment with communication. Participants will discover strategies to design “well-fed” learning spaces that cultivate empathy, authenticity, and meaningful interaction between educators and learners.
Tech Showcase – Language Hero and the Mystery of the Long-gone Dragons; A Narrative Dialogue-based L2 Game
Mery Diez Ortega
Language Hero is a narrative task-based video game in which players engage in goal-oriented interactions with characters using a spoken dialogue system. Players embark on epic quests that require players to use the L2 meaningfully to advance the story and complete their mission: To uncover the mystery of the long-gone dragons by, for instance, helping the grumpy gardener Baldog with his sweet yet voracious snails. Language Hero integrates gameplay with second language pedagogy; developed collaboratively by game developers and narrative designers, its pedagogical framework is grounded in task-based language teaching research.. Powered by Linguineo’s speech recognition technologies, Language Hero provides adaptive individualized feedback and player support. It currently supports English and French.
Tech Showcase – Vocab Victor Zone: Smart Vocabulary Classroom Tools
Heidi Brumbaugh
Vocab Victor Teacher Zone is an AI-assisted, web-based app to build vocabulary quizzes and learning activities for your learners. Generate activities – fast! – from a list of words and assign them to your students. This project is being actively developed – feedback is welcome!
Tech Showcase – The Ideasforlistening Platform
Belen Gert; Monica Cardenas; Kimberley Dassonvalle
The Ideasforlistening is a self-access platform designed to foster learners’ autonomy, engagement, and metacognitive awareness in L2 listening. Developed within an ongoing research initiative, it integrates pedagogical and technological principles to support purposeful, flexible listening practice. The platform features graded comprehension and metacognitive sequences, immediate feedback, and progress-tracking tools for both learners and instructors. Validated through the Technology-enhanced Listening Task Acceptance (TeLTA) questionnaire, results indicate high usefulness, ease of use, and learner motivation. This technology showcase invites participants to explore its design, experience hands-on activities, and discuss ways to nurture human connections through technology-mediated listening.
Tech Showcase – Hands-On with Mixed Reality: Three Apps for Innovative Language Teaching
Randall Sadler
This tech showcase introduces attendees to Mixed Reality (MR) for language learning, a headset-based technology that projects digital elements into existing real-life environments. In addition to the information on the table about MR and its potential usefulness to language teachers, the presenters will have multiple Quest 3 headsets available, each logged into an existing MR app for attendees to try. These will include single-user apps such as Fluent XR, as well as multiple-user social & game apps such as Horizon Mixed Reality with Friends. A website link will be provided with additional apps and detailed plans for use.
Tech Showcase – A Programmable Six-Sided LED Dice for Language Learning
Alfonso Sintjago
The Programmable Dice project transforms a familiar classroom object into a dynamic language-learning device. Each handheld cube integrates six micro-displays, orientation sensing, and motion detection to create multimodal, communicative tasks such as storytelling, charades, and vocabulary games. Designed and prototyped by students at the University of Michigan, the dice supports most languages, image and animation playback, and open-source game development through ROS 2. By bridging tangible play and digital interactivity, the Programmable Dice reimagines how physical computing can foster collaboration, creativity, and spontaneous language use across proficiency levels in both face-to-face and hybrid learning environments.
Tech Showcase – From Generic to Purposeful: Custom AI Chatbots for Writing Feedback
Huyen Nguyen
This Tech Showcase will give attendees hands-on experience in customizing an AI chatbot to provide targeted feedback on a specific aspect of writing. Unlike generic AI tools, these chatbots can be tailored by teachers for different instructional goals, making it easy to reinforce the particular skills taught in class. During the session, attendees will first interact with a ready-made chatbot to see the feedback it provides. Then, attendees will explore how to adjust the prompt to meet various instructional objectives. Attendees will leave with practical resources, including a tutorial video, sample lesson ideas, and clear guidelines for creating effective prompts.
Tech Showcase – Multimodal Teaching in Online English Instruction: A Reflective Tech Showcase Using Flexge
Polianna Torres
This tech showcase explores how Flexge’s multimodal features supported online English instruction in Brazil across a range of learner levels. Grounded in practical experience, the presentation highlights how speech recognition, gamified listening tasks, and progress dashboards were used to personalize learning, support oral practice, and respond to learner needs beyond live sessions. Participants will gain a firsthand look at how multimodal tools can foster learner autonomy and engagement in online settings, along with adaptable strategies drawn from real teaching experience. The session invites discussion on how CALL tools can promote learner agency and multimodal literacy, especially in low-resource and mobile-first contexts.
Poster – AI as an Affective Scaffold in Early Korean Learning: From Exploratory Dialogue to Multimodal Expression
Kyoungeun Song
This study explores how AI-supported language exploration can reduce speaking anxiety and enhance participation among absolute beginner learners. Conducted through a 10-session Korean program at a public library, the study involved elementary students with no prior exposure to Korean. AI tools served as a low-stakes scaffold for pronunciation and exploratory language use, followed by expressive EdTech-based activities. Preliminary findings suggest that AI-mediated interaction lowered affective barriers and facilitated a shift from hesitation to active participation. These findings highlight the role of AI as an affective scaffold, creating a supportive environment for early-stage language production.
Presentation – The Paradox of Connection and Concern: Graduate Learners’ Perceptions of Generative AI in Academic Writing vs. Communicative Practice
Jini Jung
This mixed-methods study examined 51 graduate students with second-language learning experience to explore how they perceive GenAI tools in two contexts: academic source-based writing (AW) and communicative practice (CP). The findings reveal a paradox: higher satisfaction but greater concerns (plagiarism, fabrication) in AW, yet lower satisfaction and a perceived failure in nurturing human connection and emotional depth in CP. This variability requires that AI integration move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to purpose-driven, context-sensitive CALL design. Aligning tool functions with learner goals and promoting Critical AI Literacy is crucial for fostering meaningful interaction, ethical engagement, and sustained human-centered language learning.
Presentation – Click, Revise, Reflect: Automated and Teacher Feedback in L2 Classrooms
Nihan Sanic
Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) systems are becoming an increasingly substantial part of the L2 writing process. However, consistent outcomes have not been achieved in student engagement when AWE is used alongside instructor feedback. Using think-aloud protocols, surveys, revision analysis, and interviews, the study explores how writers interact behaviorally, cognitively, and affectively with teacher and AWE feedback presented simultaneously for the same text. Preliminary findings suggest that a multitude of factors shape outcomes, with teacher feedback style being a key factor. Attendees will be provided with a packet of feedback process templates and examples to enhance engagement beyond click and accept.
Presentation – Embodied Empathy in Virtual Classrooms: Investigating Intercultural Connection through VR-Based Language Learning
Jung-Hsien Lin
This presentation reports on an empirical study examining how immersive virtual reality (VR) environments support empathy and intercultural connection in multilingual classrooms. Drawing on data from Virtualizing Cultures at the University of California, Irvine, the study analyzes student reflections, project artifacts, and collaborative interactions within VR platforms such as ENGAGE and Spatial.io. Findings suggest that embodied engagement in shared virtual spaces can enhance affective awareness, intercultural understanding, and collaborative meaning-making. By integrating qualitative data with pedagogical reflection, this research demonstrates how VR can serve as a human-centered CALL practice grounded in empathy, accessibility, and care.
Live Online Presentation – Effect of Textual Enhancement in Dual Subtitles on Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition from Audiovisual Input
Kadir Kaderoglu; Isil Günseli Kaçar
While dual and textually enhanced (TE) subtitles benefit L2 learning independently, their combined effect on incidental vocabulary learning (IVL) is unexplored. This study investigated how TE dual subtitles influence IVL from a documentary. In a pretest-posttest design, 33 participants were assigned to either a dual subtitles or TE dual subtitles condition. GLMM showed significant IVL occurred (p<.05). The TE group showed significantly greater gains in meaning recall (p = .044), but not recognition (p = .689), than the no-enhancement group. Prior vocabulary knowledge moderated the effect on recognition (p = .045).
Presentation – LinguaLens: Designing Empathetic AR and AI Experiences for Human-Centered Language Learning
Yalun Helen Zhou; Alexander Wu; Divekar Rahul
This presentation introduces LinguaLens, a mobile app co-designed by language educators and technologists to integrate AI and AR for human-centered learning. Developed through iterative collaboration, LinguaLens enhances engagement by linking real-world objects with interactive, multimodal experiences. A Fall 2025 pilot with A1 and B1 learners examines how design thinking, usability testing, and instructor feedback shape the app’s evolution, classroom interaction patterns, and perceptions of ethical AI integration. Findings illustrate how collaborative design and user experience research can inform scalable, empathetic learning technologies that bridge pedagogy and innovation, fostering authentic human–technology connections in language classrooms.
Presentation – Navigating Interculturality in English as a Lingua Franca Virtual Exchange between Canada and Jordan
Hiba Ibrahim
This study investigates how English as an Additional/Second Language (EAL/ESL) university students navigated intercultural competence (IC) in an English as a lingua franca (ELF) virtual exchange (VE) between Canada and Jordan. Using digital ethnography and a multiple case study design, data included surveys, interviews with stimulated recall, and observations of multimodal group interactions. Analysis revealed that learners co-constructed IC strategies—such as storytelling, linguistic adaptation, politeness, and distributed leadership—shaped by pedagogical choices, learner identities, and VE tools. Findings emphasize interculturality as fluid, relational, and context dependent, offering implications for equitable VE design and evolving IC frameworks.
Panel – CALL and Socio-emotional Learning: How are Emotions Part of It All?
Hope Anderson; Linda Molin Karakoc; Ellen Yeh
This panel, sponsored by the SLAT SIG, bridges theory and practice in explorations of identity, belonging, and socio-emotional learning (e.g., willingness to communicate, identity, motivation) in digital contexts. Why are socio-emotional aspects so crucial in SLA? Themes will include theoretical frameworks used to explore socio-emotional learning in CALL and ways to embed socio-emotional components into CALL research design.
Panel – From Awareness to Action: Building Sustainable AI Professional Development Practices for Language Programs and Educators
Angel Añorga; Phil Hubbard; Mathias Schulze; Greg Kessler
As the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education accelerates, professional development (PD) for language educators must evolve beyond short, tool-focused workshops toward sustained, principle-driven approaches that build AI literacy, ethical awareness, and pedagogical confidence. CALICO’s AI Special Interest Group has invited expert panelists to address how to implement PD programs that empower language educators to integrate AI effectively and responsibly. Attendees will gain insights into how PD grounded in solid principles – such as continuity, collaboration, ethics, and contextual relevance – can support educators in making informed decisions about when and how to use AI as a pedagogical ally.
Live Online Presentation – Exploring Opportunities and Challenges of Using Web 2.0 Tools in LESLLA Classrooms in the U.S.
Cem Varlik
This classroom-based action research investigates the pedagogical opportunities and challenges associated with integrating Web 2.0 tools into LESLLA (Literacy Education and Second Language Learning for Adults) classrooms involving Afghan refugee women in the United States. The study examines how teachers’ use of digital technologies shapes instructional practices, professional knowledge, and classroom interaction, while exploring students’ technological, infrastructural, and cultural barriers to engagement. Data are collected through classroom observations, reflective journals, interviews, and blog documentation. The findings aim to contribute to understanding technology-enhanced pedagogy in low-literacy adult ESL contexts and to inform adaptive, inclusive instructional practices.
Presentation – Beyond Accuracy: Evaluating the Functionality and Efficacy of Machine Translation in an AI-Driven Era
Bouchra El Harrak
This study investigates robust assessment frameworks for machine-generated Spanish translations in public-service contexts, advancing the field of AI-mediated language communication. Using Texas emergency-management websites as a case study, the project applies Colina’s (2009) functionality-based model to evaluate automated translations on linguistic (grammatical, lexical, semantic) and functional (purpose-fulfilment, audience comprehension) dimensions. The research identifies recurring error patterns and shows how conventional accuracy metrics fall short for AI-driven texts. It proposes a blended evaluation model that combines quantitative error analysis with qualitative usability and audience-response metrics—ensuring translations are not just correct but communicatively effective in real-world multilingual and technological contexts.
Live Online Presentation – Designing XR Applications Mediated by Artificial Intelligence for Diverse Learners: Affordances, Challenges, and Tensions Across Teachers, Software Developers, and Researchers in Diverse Contexts
Stella Hadjistassou; Shaunna Joannidou
The study addresses the following research questions: (1) How do interdisciplinary teams conceptualize and translate pedagogical goals related to multilingual and multicultural education into AR design features? (2) In what ways do design-based learning principles shape iterative cycles of design, testing, and refinement in AR and AI-supported learning environments? (3) What institutional, technological, and cultural factors facilitate or hinder the co-design and implementation of AR applications for multilingual learners? Through a design-based research approach, the study integrates qualitative data to examine the role of differing pedagogical expectations in generating discussions and tensions in the design of AR- and AI-mediated applications for multilingual and multicultural learning.
Live Online Presentation – Teaching Languages in the Digital Age: An Examination of CALL Course Design and Practice
Francesca Marino; Melike Akay
Technology has transformed language teaching and learning, making CALL a key part of university curricula, especially in applied linguistics. But how are these courses designed today? This study examines undergraduate and graduate CALL-related courses over the past five academic years at U.S. universities in World Languages, (Applied) Linguistics, and Education departments. Data from syllabi, questionnaires, and supplementary materials were analyzed using content and thematic analysis. Preliminary findings show an increasing emphasis on GenAI, digital multimodal pedagogies, and social media in L2 education. Additionally, despite the inclusion of both practical and research-focused assignments, explicit connections to industry applications remain limited.
Presentation – World Language Placements in Higher Ed: A Panorama
Boris Yelin
Accurate placement in a language course is vital for proficiency-based curricula in order to ensure that students have an appropriate, challenging environment to foster growth. However, there is no one recommended solution that is considered best practice. This survey study canvassed various types of institutions and a variety of language programs about their placement policies, processes, and rationale. Results show logistics, cost considerations, and control over content as the most important factors. This study, which continues to receive results, intends to inform the eventual creation and implementation of customizable placements that many types of programs can use.
Presentation – Bridging Past and Present: Documenting the Socio-Cultural Value of Tunisian Heritage Proverbs through AI-Enhanced Educational Media
Attia Youseif
This presentation showcases how Artificial Intelligence can preserve and revitalize Tunisian heritage proverbs through multimedia documentation and digital storytelling. Using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Veo3, and Stream 2, the project transforms oral wisdom into a series of short educational videos that bridge generations and foster intercultural understanding. Each proverb is contextualized linguistically and culturally, then reimagined through AI-generated visuals, narration, and subtitles. Designed as both educational and media resources, the video series connects younger audiences with ancestral expressions, illustrating how technology can sustain the socio-cultural wisdom of Tunisian society while nurturing empathy and intergenerational connection.
Live Online Presentation – Exploring EFL Teachers’ Awareness of AI Application in the Language Classroom
Quang Nguyen
This study explores the challenges and potential of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into English language teaching practices in Vietnam and Indonesia, two EFL contexts traditionally dominated by Grammar-Translation methods and a focus on form over communication. Guided by the technological acceptance model (TAM) (Davis et al., 1989) and the intelligent TPACK framework (Celik, 2023), this mixed-methods study investigates EFL teachers’ perceptions and instructional practices before and after a targeted AI training program (ChatGPT). The findings indicate that EFL teachers exhibit a significant change in their perception and intention to use AI, as well as an increase in knowledge for integrating AI into English teaching.
Presentation – A Principled Approach to Using AI in App-based Language Teaching
Xiangying Jiang
Generative AI can unlock richer input, responsive feedback, and authentic practice—but without pedagogy that is guided by theory and research-based evidence, it risks inaccuracy, mis-leveling, or even harming learning. We outline a principled approach to using AI in language teaching, and provide converging evidence from three studies showing that this principled approach can strengthen self-efficacy and improve listening and speaking proficiency in app-based language learning settings. The session contributes to the field by providing a timely framework to guide use of AI in language learning.
Presentation – Implications of AI-integrated Writing Instruction for Teacher Identity Development: Insights from Tertiary-level ESL Instructors
Zeynep Sinan
This study investigated the identity tensions of ESL instructors in the era of AI by exploring their AI literacy, experiences with teaching academic writing at a higher education institution, the ethical dilemmas they encounter in this process, and the impact of it on their well-being. In this vein, a variety of data collection instruments with phenomenological elements were implemented to interpret the shared experiences of the instructors. The results, elucidating the consequences of AI-integrated writing instruction for teacher identity formation and informing the teaching practices of teachers, teacher educators, stakeholders, and policymakers, will be underscored in this presentation.
Presentation – Aligning GenAI Writing Feedback with L2 Developmental Trajectories: Corpus-based Insights for Learner-centered CALL
Shuyuan Tu
This study investigates GenAI’s ability to provide proficiency-sensitive, developmentally aligned feedback to second language (L2) learners. Drawing on Biber et al.’s (2011) developmental framework, 450 L2 essays written by L1 Mandarin learners across A2, B1, and C1 levels (50,252 words) from EFCAMDAT (Geertzen et al., 2013). GPT-generated feedback was compared with revisions by six trained human raters. Results show strong alignment between GPT and human feedback for intermediate and advanced learner writing, but a tendency for GPT to oversimplify beginning-level writing. Findings highlight GenAI’s potential to provide equitable, proficiency-aware feedback, which informs empathetic, human-centered CALL research.
Live Online Presentation – Humanizing Feedback in CALL: Exploring the Complementarity Between AI and Teachers in FFL Writing
Ines Izmeralda Bensalem; Christine Blanchard Rodrigues
This study analyzes the impact of mixed feedback combining AI-generated suggestions with teacher-provided comments on the written productions of A2-level learners of French as a Foreign Language (FFL). It examines how this approach can nurture human connections in CALL by merging technological efficiency with empathic mediation. Preliminary results reveal a complementary relationship between AI and teachers: the former provides immediate and personalized feedback, while the latter interprets learners’ intentions and adapts interventions to promote comprehension, autonomy, and engagement. Together, they foster a more balanced and human-centered learning dynamic in technology-enhanced language education.
Presentation – Reading with Ears: A Case Study on International Students’ Use of AI Podcasts to Understand Academic Articles
Congzhi Ma
Understanding academic journal articles is a major challenge for international students who speak English as a foreign language in English-speaking universities. This session presents a case study exploring how AI-generated podcasts support academic reading comprehension. With AI-generated podcasts that transformed scholarly texts into human-like spoken narratives, five international graduate students were examined on their using experience. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and AI-enhanced TPACK, the study combines quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to analyze learners’ perceptions of usability, usefulness, and pedagogical affordances. Findings offer new directions for integrating generative AI into academic English learning.
Presentation – Between Innovation and Caution: Exploring University Teachers’ Perception of Generative AI in Classroom-based Language Assessment
Tara Shankar Sinha; MenyeneAbasi Obong
This study investigates university instructors’ perceptions and integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools in classroom-based language assessment. Drawing on interviews, demographic questionnaires, and analyses of AI policy documents from three writing programs at a North American university, the research examines instructors’ beliefs, strategies, and challenges in adopting GenAI. Findings reveal a strong willingness to integrate AI for feedback and test creation, but also highlight concerns about widening the gap between teachers and students, detachment from real classroom contexts, fairness, and institutional policy gaps. The study underscores the need for clear guidelines for ethical and effective assessment practices.
Presentation – The Vibrant Doorway
Phuong Khloe
This presentation describes a practical, practice-based method for reviving Vietnamese heritage language (VHLL) in primary school students using Augmented Reality (AR). With our Cánh Cửa Sôi Động (Vibrant Doorway) model, Vietnam no longer seems like a distant fantasy. By transforming common household items into augmented reality triggers, it bases language acquisition in embodied cognition. Real Vietnamese noises, such as a grandmother\’s voice or market banter, come to life when you scan corresponding objects. This straightforward action strengthens cultural ties, offers highly contextualized information, and establishes the ideal setting for the eventual application of AI to handle challenging Vietnamese tones.
Presentation – Learners’ Perceptions of Interactive Learning Modules for Technology and Language Learning
Lillian Jones
Online dictionaries, machine translators, and generative AI are integral to language learning, yet uncritical use can hinder development and deepen inequities (Goertler & Gleason, 2024; Hellmich, 2021). Scholars advocate structured guidance and critical digital literacy and training (Hubbard & Schulze, 2025). This study reports on interactive modules designed with the TPACK and ADDIE frameworks and completed by 94 Spanish language learners. Quantitative results (M=4.05/5) and thematic analysis revealed increased digital literacy, ethical awareness, and reflective engagement. Findings underscore the need to embed ethically grounded, interactive digital literacy instruction and training as a core component of language curricula, showing that human-centered, feedback-informed CALL design can enhance equity, learner agency, and reflective engagement with technologies.
Presentation – Capturing Foreign Language Anxiety through Biometric Measures in Virtual Reality
Regina Kaplan-Rakowski; Tricia Thrasher
Foreign language anxiety (FLA) often hinders communication and performance, yet it is typically assessed through self-reported surveys that capture subjective impressions rather than real-time data. This experimental, within-subject study (N = 60) employs biometric tracking and virtual reality (VR) to capture objective measures of FLA. Using EmotiBit sensors to monitor heart rate and electrodermal activity, participants complete speaking tasks in high-immersion and low-immersion VR settings. By comparing biometric and self-reported data, the study investigates how objective signals reflect perceived anxiety and evaluates the potential of VR to create psychologically safe spaces that are supportive for language learning and practice.
Presentation – Data Quality in AI Training for Oral Assessment
Feng Xiao; Xuren Shen
Assessing L2 pragmatic competence, particularly speech act production, often depends on human raters whose subjective interpretations lead to reliability challenges. This study explores a small open-weight language model (Qwen-3B) for automated assessment of L2 Chinese request-making. Data were collected from 62 American learners (N = 1,240) using a computerized oral discourse completion task with 20 scenarios. Of these, 489 responses with unanimous human ratings were used for training and 751 for evaluation. The fine-tuned model achieved strong correlations with human raters (r = .65, p < .001) and comparable self-consistency (MnSq = 0.87). Findings highlight SLMs’ potential as efficient, interpretable tools for L2 pragmatics assessment.
Live Online Presentation – The Impact of AI-Based Translation Tools on Vocabulary Learning in French as a Foreign Language: Between Comprehension and Interference
Akila Djihane Benfetima; Christine Blanchard Rodrigues
This study explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered translation tools influence vocabulary comprehension and retention in French as a Foreign Language (FFL). Drawing on classroom observations, lexical tests, and teacher-learner questionnaires, the research reveals that AI tools such as DeepL or ChatGPT can enhance lexical understanding and memory through immediate, multimodal access to meaning. However, their use also introduces risks of lexical interference and cognitive overreliance. By examining how AI can support but not replace human mediation in the classroom, this study aligns with CALICO 2026’s theme, “Language with a Good Heart,” advocating for an ethical, reflective use of technology in CALL.
Presentation – Can GenAI Write Appropriate Abstracts? A Comparative Analysis of GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet 4, and Human-Authored Abstracts
Yiwen Zheng
This study investigates the extent to which GPT-4o and Claude Sonnet 4 can appropriately generate academic abstracts in English compared to human-authored abstracts. Drawing on lexical and syntactic complexity measures and fidelity analyses, the results show that both models produce structurally complete and grammatically accurate abstracts but often include excessive elaboration, nonessential details, and deviations from APA style. Human evaluation further indicates that GPT-4o demonstrates slightly higher precision, while Claude avoids hallucinations entirely. The findings suggest that GenAI can support academic writing instruction when used critically and with careful guidance.
Presentation – Co-Constructing with Machines: Evidence and Lessons from Piloting Pragmatics-Informed AI Bots
Stephanie Knight
Though digital landscapes can promote the successful teaching and learning of L2 pragmatics (Sykes & González-Lloret, 2020), the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in language learning contexts complicates the benefits of digital discourse spaces. Most overtly, language produced by AI is neither socially informed nor adaptive to interlocutor needs (Montemayor, 2021; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2023). As a partial solution to this issue, this presentation explores user data and lessons learned from the development of pragmatics-informed chatbots for classroom use. Participants will discuss design considerations, pilot data, and key takeaways to inform future innovation.
Presentation – The AI Note-Taking Dilemma: A Qualitative Exploration of Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions, Trust, and Decision-Making Processes
Yimeng Zhu; Congzhi Ma
This qualitative interview study explores undergraduate students\’ perceptions and adoption decisions regarding AI-powered note-taking tools in higher education. Grounded in constructivist epistemology and interpretive inquiry, the research addresses critical gaps in AI education literature dominated by quantitative approaches. Through semi-structured interviews with ten students from an introductory AI course, the study examines perceptions of AI-generated notes\’ accuracy, usefulness, and trustworthiness while identifying factors shaping adoption decisions. The research reveals tensions between efficiency promises and fears about reduced cognitive engagement, providing empirically-grounded insights beyond traditional Technology Acceptance Model constructs to inform pedagogically-aligned AI integration in educational contexts.
Presentation – Designing ChatGPT-Driven Interactive Fiction for Vocabulary Acquisition: A Gamified Approach to Vietnamese EFL Learning
Nghia Jake Bui
This study explores how ChatGPT-generated interactive fiction (IF) can facilitate vocabulary acquisition and learner autonomy among Vietnamese EFL learners. Grounded in input-based, noticing, and incidental vocabulary learning theories, as well as Flow and MDA (Mechanics–Dynamics–Aesthetics) frameworks, the project examines how AI-generated narratives transform language learning into an immersive, gamified experience. Using a mixed-methods design, quantitative pre- and post-tests assess vocabulary gains, while qualitative interviews and journals capture learner perceptions. Findings highlight that IF driven by ChatGPT not only enhances lexical growth but also fosters engagement, cultural adaptability, and agency in Confucian-heritage classrooms.
Presentation – From Framework to Practice: Teaching AI Prompt Literacy Through Task-Based Learning
Artem Zadorozhnyy
This project investigates the evolving AI prompt literacy skills of freshman undergraduate ESL learners at a Hong Kong university amidst the increasing spread of GenAI tools. Building upon a recently developed AI prompt framework (Tour & Zadorozhnyy, 2025) inspired by the Four Resources Model of Literacy, this study reports on task-based workshops targeting a dynamic process of engaging with GenAI involving code-breaking, meaning-making, purposeful text use, and text analysis dimensions. Grounded in task-based language learning principles, the intervention workshops engaged participants in authentic, goal-oriented activities. Using pre- and post-intervention data including focus group interviews, analysis of L2 users’ prompts, and reflections, we report on the development of AI prompt literacy and offer practical implications for designing sustained interventions in ESL contexts.
Presentation – Expanding Human Connections Beyond the Classroom: Fostering Empathy and Communication in Spanish through ChatGPT, the Extempore Platform, and Virtual Immersion Experiences (VIE)
Carolina Palacios
This proposal outlines an innovative approach to enhance FL2 Spanish learning by integrating ChatGPT, Extempore, and Virtual Immersion Experiences (VIE). The project fosters linguistic and intercultural competencies essential for global citizenship, expanding learning beyond traditional classroom settings. By leveraging AI for personalized practice, asynchronous interactions—where Reels through Extempore’s audio feature mimic group chats on popular social media platforms—and real-time conversations with native speakers, students gain confidence and fluency. This initiative demonstrates how technology can support meaningful, inclusive, and human-centered language learning, preparing students to apply their skills in authentic, real-world contexts.
Live Online Presentation – Integrating Nonviolent Communication into Digital and Intercultural Academic Communication
Ramzi Grid
This research explores the integration of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), as developed by Marshall Rosenberg, within digital and intercultural academic contexts. Two complementary methods were applied. First, a retrospective analysis of students’ online collaborative interactions showed that spontaneous alignment with NVC principles fostered smoother collaboration, while divergence often created obstacles. Second, feedback from Master’s students at the University of Venice, collected after interactive workshops on NVC, revealed both a strong appreciation of its role in preventing intercultural misunderstandings and a keen interest in including it in academic training. Overall, the findings highlight the potential of NVC to enrich digital and intercultural communication, while stressing the importance of individual openness to its practice.
Presentation – What Triggers Change? How Developments in Technology Affect Online Language Teachers’ Practice
Ursula Stickler
Educators teaching with technology have to constantly adapt to changing media and means. Language teachers are often early adopters of new tools and apps but we have little information about when, how and why they decide to change their practice of online language teaching. A mid-scale survey at a large distance teaching university in the UK was designed to gather information on triggers for change. Rather than assuming that experienced practitioners only re-act to guidance from above, we are investigating the question under the assumption of agency and self-determination of teachers. Co-designed with online teachers and learners, the questionnaire will provide some of the much-needed answers to triggers of change in online language teaching practice.
Presentation – Leveraging CALL Tools to Enhance Strategic Competence for L2 Academic Writing
Tharanga Koralage; Russell Cross
In online learning environments, there is minimal research that has examined competencies other than the linguistic (vocabulary and syntax) that have a significant impact on mitigating language issues multilingual writers encounter during academic text production. This study set out to explore the role of strategic competence to build an understanding of what makes academic communication possible with the support of digital tools when writers have not yet achieved a high proficiency level in their target language (TL). The findings illustrate how digital tools further our understanding of strategic competence and the importance of how that works in the context of a translanguaging paradigm.