English as a foreign language teachers’ attitudes toward artificial intelligence in education

Abstract

This study investigates the attitudes of English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher toward the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education within the private school sector in Vietnam. It addresses a critical research gap by focusing on private multi-level institutions, which often lead digital shifts but remain under-researched regarding practitioner perspectives. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, data were collected from fifteen teachers across various educational levels through a validated Likert-scale questionnaire and open-ended questions. The findings reveal that while teachers hold generally positive attitudes, characterized by high interest and recognition of the usefulness of artificial intelligence for lesson planning and real-time feedback, significant concerns persist. These concerns include potential ethical risks, learner over-reliance, misinformation, and the possible erosion of human connection in the classroom. The study concludes that teacher acceptance is conditional, appearing more favorable in low-stakes instructional applications where pedagogical control is maintained. Consequently, professional development programs must provide both technical and emotional support while establishing clear, age-appropriate policies to ensure that technology enhances rather than replaces human-centered pedagogy.