Artificial Intelligence as a Catalyst for Empowering Listening and Speaking Teaching in Vocational English Education_Vol. 3 No. 3 (JHET 2026)_Journal of Higher Education Teaching (ISSN: 3005-5776)

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Artificial Intelligence as a Catalyst for Empowering Listening and Speaking Teaching in Vocational English Education

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jhet.202615334

Author(s)

Shen Yujing

Affiliation(s)

Suzhou Vocational Institute of Industrial Technology, Suzhou, China

Abstract

Listening and speaking proficiency is critical for vocational English learners, yet traditional teaching in higher vocational colleges suffers from large classes, scarce individual practice, delayed feedback, inauthentic materials, and high oral anxiety. This paper contends that Artificial Intelligence (AI)-through Automatic Speech Recognition, Natural Language Processing, and generative agents-offers a transformative solution. Rather than a mere aid, AI reconfigures pedagogy by providing scalable, personalized practice. the paper systematically examines AI applications across four domains: intelligent pronunciation assessment, conversational dialogue systems, immersive VR/AR scenario simulation, and datadriven adaptive assessment. Concrete examples demonstrate enhanced learner autonomy, practice frequency, immediate feedback, and authenticity. Implementation challenges-data privacy, algorithmic bias, over-reliance, teacher readiness, and digital access-are also discussed. the paper concludes by advocating a human-AI synergy where AI handles routine correction and practice, while teachers focus on motivation, cultural nuance, and higher-order coaching. Strategic AI integration is essential for building a more effective and occupationally relevant vocational English listening-speaking curriculum.

Keywords

Artificial Intelligence (AI); Vocational English; Listening and Speaking Teaching; Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR); Intelligent Tutoring; Human-AI Synergy; Teaching Reform

References

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