English Teachers’ Attitudes on AI in English Literacy: A Case Study From Rural Primary School in China

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been increasingly utilized across various industries in 2019. AI has gained significant attention as a promising tool to support both teachers and students while helping reduce disparities between urban and rural areas, especially in education. This study focuses on AI in English literacy and examines the attitudes of English teachers in rural primary schools in China. A Qualitative research design was used, including semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, with 9 English teachers purposively selected from rural areas with limited educational resources to explore their attitudes toward English literacy. The findings showed that teachers from rural areas generally hold a positive attitude toward integrating AI into their teaching practice. They view AI as a helpful tool, particularly in creating engaging lesson plans, providing additional teaching materials, and achieving new curriculum goals. Meanwhile, teachers feel stressed by the dominance of exam-oriented education, which results in a lower application of new methods and technologies and a greater focus on students’ scores. Furthermore, teachers expressed a less supportive attitude and specific concerns about students who may use AI directly. While students are enthusiastic about using AI tools, teachers are concerned that students tend to rely on AI to complete assignments without engaging in deep thinking, leading to cognitive laziness. The responses generated by AI are often general and unrestricted, without regard for students’ ages, which may result in inappropriate responses and answers. Finally, factors such as limited infrastructure, insufficient training, ethical considerations, and a lack of education-specific AI tools affect the way teachers perceive and apply AI. Teachers must be equipped not only with tools but also with the time, meaningful guidance, and autonomy to use AI in the classroom.