Speaker
Description
Eyam, E. N.
Federal College of Education Obudu, Cross River State, Nigeria
emmaeyam75@gmail.com
Track: Digital Pedagogy and Teaching Innovation
The assimilation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools into English language teaching highlights the transformative potential in the teaching of Nigerian English phonology. However, under-resourced classrooms face critical challenges that hinder the effective adoption and utilization of these digital innovations and technologies. This paper explores the multifaceted barriers confronting teachers and learners such as; inadequate infrastructure, limited digital literacy, poor internet connectivity and the lack of locally relevant AI applications customized to Nigerian phonological features. It is anchored in Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and Rogers Diffusion of Innovations Theory. Through qualitative analyses of selected secondary and tertiary institutions, the study highlights how these challenges affect phonological instruction and learner engagement. It further examines the pedagogical implications of AI-driven tools emphasizing the gap between technological innovation and classroom reality. The paper concludes with recommendations for policy reform, curriculum design, and teacher capacity-building, to ensure equitable and effective AI integration in Nigerian English phonology classrooms.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Nigerian English Phonology, Under-Resourced Classrooms, Speech Technology, Phonological Instruction