English Literature and Language as a Medium of Artificial Intelligence Instruction at Tertiary Level Classrooms: Indian Teachers' Perspective

Abstract

This study proposes an empirical investigation into Indian teachers’ perspectives on using English language and English literary texts as a pedagogical medium for introducing and teaching Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the tertiary level. The study is conceptually grounded in the contemporary debate on English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI), but extends that debate from general academic content to AI-related instruction. The starting point is the documented Indian classroom reality that English may be officially preferred while teachers and learners continue to rely on mother tongues, translation and code-switching because of differences in language proficiency, confidence and institutional support. The present study argues that English language can provide the communicative and terminological foundation for AI literacy, while literature can provide narratives, ethical dilemmas, cultural perspectives, interpretation, critical reading and humanistic reflection through which AI can be understood beyond its technical dimensions. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design is proposed, using a structured questionnaire for teachers from urban, semi-urban and rural higher-education institutions and across disciplinary backgrounds. The instrument is organized around five constructs: perceived linguistic accessibility, literary-pedagogical usefulness, AI teaching readiness, ethical and critical AI awareness, and institutional support. The paper develops research questions, hypotheses, a sampling strategy, an instrument, an analytical framework and a proposed model for interpreting findings. Importantly, no empirical findings are fabricated in this draft; numerical results should be inserted only after actual data collection and statistical analysis. The study is expected to contribute to discussions on English-medium instruction, AI literacy, human-centred pedagogy and the role of English studies in contemporary Indian higher education.