The Application of AI in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language: Improving Classroom Interaction and Student Engagement

Abstract

Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, and its integration into language education has grown steadily, particularly in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (TCFL). Within this context, this study aims to systematically explore how AI use correlates with classroom interaction, student engagement, and collaborative learning in TCFL. Three core research questions, and three key areas were examined: AI’s role in boosting both teacher-student and student-student interaction; its influence on student engagement and motivation through personalised learning support; and its ability to foster environments that encourage collaborative learning. From an empirical standpoint, the findings suggest that greater AI use tends to align with more frequent classroom interactions (including teacher-student and student-student exchanges), higher levels of student engagement, and stronger outcomes in collaborative learning. Moreover, AI also helps to reduce language learning anxiety, support personalized learning pathways, and reinforce students’ self-regulated learning capacities. This study highlights the value of AI in promoting student participation and cooperation and offers practical guidance for teachers seeking to better integrate AI tools into TCFL instruction. Finally, it underscores the complementary nature of AI tools and teaching approaches, emphasising that embedding AI into classroom practices can help create a more interactive and collaborative learning environment—insights that are relevant to future educational strategies in TCFL.