Exploring opportunities and challenges of using ChatGPT in English language teaching (ELT) in Morocco

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Published: Mar 5, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14744/felt.6.1.7
Keywords:
ChatGPT Chatbots Artificial Intelligence OpenAI ELT TEFL

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Ali Bekou
Ibn Tofail University
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0619-9156
Mohamed Ben Mhamed
Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra
Kamal Assissou
Ibn Tofail University
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6157-5156

Abstract

This article investigates the use of ChatGPT in English Language Teaching (ELT) in Morocco. It explores the opportunities and challenges associated with implementing it as a tool to enhance English language learning for Moroccan students, employing a mixed-methods approach. A questionnaire was administered to 62 ELT teachers in Morocco, and 12 interviews were conducted to validate and enrich the data. Findings shed light on the opportunities that ChatGPT offers in Moroccan ELT, including personalized learning, instant feedback, teachers’ professional development enhancement, and access to authentic language resources. However, the study identified challenges such as concerns about accuracy, cultural appropriateness, and excessive reliance on technology. The study informs ELT instructors and educational stakeholders in Morocco about the potential advantages and limitations of incorporating AI-based conversational agents like ChatGPT into ELT practices and promotes informed decision-making and effective integration of technology in language learning contexts.

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How to Cite
Bekou, A., Ben Mhamed, M., & Assissou, K. (2024). Exploring opportunities and challenges of using ChatGPT in English language teaching (ELT) in Morocco. Focus on ELT Journal, 6(1), 87–106. https://doi.org/10.14744/felt.6.1.7
Issue
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2024): Focus on ELT Journal-Special Issue
Section
Articles
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Mohamed Ben Mhamed, Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra

Mohamed Ben Mhamed is an associate professor at Ibn Tofail University. He has a Ph.D. in Applied linguistics from the Faculty of Sciences of Education, Rabat, Morocco. Currently, he is the English Department Study Program Coordinator. Ben Mhamed is also an active member within the laboratory of “Langage et Société”. Professor Ben Mhamed is interested in Applied Linguistics issues, Teaching & Learning Methods & Approaches, Knowledge Management, Research Methodology, and Educational Psychology.

Kamal Assissou, Ibn Tofail University

Kamal Assissou is a fourth-year doctoral student at Ibn Tofail University in Morocco and an intern at the same university. He has been teaching English to primary, secondary, and high school students for 7 years. He obtained a bachelor's degree in linguistics in 2017 and a master's degree in 2018 from Ibn Tofail University. He is currently enrolled in the laboratory " Langage et Société" as a Ph.D. candidate, working on a research project which explores the impact of video-input instruction on EFL learners' interpretation of Conversational implicatures. Assissou is also interested in teaching pedagogies and the role of leadership in the field of education.

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