Pakistani ELT Teachers’ Perceptions of ChatGPT as a Pedagogical Tool: A Qualitative Study

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17260068

Abstract

ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, has recently gained significant attention in academia. With its ability to provide instant language assistance and generate diverse educational materials, it has emerged as a valuable tool in English Language Teaching (ELT). This study explores Pakistani ELT teachers’ perceptions and experiences of using ChatGPT as a teaching aid in the ESL context. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with twenty five university teachers from different institutions in Pakistan. The findings reveal that ELT teachers employ ChatGPT for designing practice tasks, developing quiz and examination materials, and offering automated feedback. Teachers identified several advantages, including time efficiency, access to unlimited resources, and ease of use. However, they also expressed concerns regarding students’ overreliance on the tool, plagiarism, misinterpretation of instructions, inaccurate information, and repetitive language patterns. The participants emphasized the need for proper training and ethical awareness among both teachers and learners to ensure the effective and responsible use of ChatGPT in the Pakistani ESL classroom. These insights are particularly useful for educators, students, and policymakers in shaping future directions for technology integration in language education in Pakistan.