Navigating AI in Language Education: The PEARL Model for English Educators

Abstract

The rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is reshaping English language education by offering new ways to scaffold learning, assist drafting, and provide feedback. However, its integration also raises questions around authorship, originality, and teaching integrity. For English educators—especially in ESL and EFL contexts—the main challenge lies in fostering feedback literacy and critical engagement while upholding transparent and original assessments. Existing frameworks like TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) and SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition) guide technology use but do not adequately account for integrity issues in AI-supported learning. This paper aims to present the PEARL Model (Pedagogy of English-educators for AI-Responsible Learning), which builds on earlier models but extends them through four key commitments: prioritising human agency, encouraging AI literacy and disclosure, ensuring integrity in assessment, and adopting learner-centred design. Drawing on TESOL scholarship, studies of automated writing evaluation, and international policy, PEARL offers practical strategies for aligning pedagogy with institutional standards. By positioning teachers at the centre, the model provides a sustainable, integrity-focused pathway for responsible AI use in English education.