IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION B

Abstract

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in educational environments—from automated editing tools to generative platforms like ChatGPT—it is crucial to examine how these technologies shape not just what students write, but how they are allowed to express themselves. Drawing on research in linguistic justice and AI ethics, this presentation explores the impact of AI on speakers and writers of accented and non-standard varieties of English, particularly in multilingual and international learning contexts. Large language models are trained on data that reflect societal norms and biases, including long-standing preferences for standardized English. As a result, AI tools often label accented or culturally-specific English as “unclear,” “incorrect,” or “informal.” Drawing on real-world examples, this presentation shows how AI rewrites user-generated text—flattening linguistic variation and reinforcing dominant, often white, Anglophone norms.
Rather than treating AI as a neutral writing aid, this session frames it as an active force in shaping classroom language expectations. It argues for a pedagogical shift: one that interrogates AI’s assumptions instead of adopting its outputs uncritically. Educators must ask whose voices these tools center, and whose they silence through algorithmic “corrections.” Aligned with the conference’s focus on technology and teaching, this session calls for a critical, inclusive approach to AI, one that embraces linguistic diversity, supports creative expression, and resists the marginalization of global Englishes in academic communication.