At SPELT, AI termed crucial for teaching in digital age

39th SPELT conference kicks off with a focus on teaching and learning the English language

KARACHI:

Educators have urged teachers to embrace modern teaching methods to cater to the multitasking and creative Generation Alpha. Tamrika Khvtisiashvili, an English language specialist, highlighted that this generation is highly child-centred and doesn’t focus on a single task. In her keynote address, she pointed out that 71% of students find English boring and that only 25% of teachers use internet-based activities.

Describing Generation Alpha as feedback dependent, Khvtisiashvili emphasised their kinesthetic and visual learning preferences. The 39th SPELT conference kicked off with a focus on ‘Teaching-Learning of English Language: Looking Towards the Future’ at Habib Public School. Khvtisiashvili demonstrated how educators can leverage AI-based apps and online platforms to host virtual field trips for students.

In a panel discussion titled ‘Engaging Gen Z: Strategies For Teaching English to the Next Generation,’ Dr. Nguyen Ngo Vu from Vietnam stressed the importance of the teacher’s role in student interaction and advised teachers to encourage critical thinking.

Dr. Fauzia Shamim highlighted how internet usage has led students in Pakistan to learn and use multiple languages, emphasising the need for effective AI utilisation. Dr. Mike Medley, a US Professor Emeritus, discussed the impact of climate change in Pakistan and the content-based nature of language. Farheen Hasan, a Pakistani educationist, noted that teaching methods have evolved due to the pandemic and emphasised aligning lessons with students’ interests.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2023.