Can AI teach us to talk? Why language still needs a human touch

Many children today navigate a digital childhood

Few educators have witnessed change as closely as Chin. Despite seeing toddlers of today learn to swipe a tablet before turning a book page, she admits it’s not all doom and gloom. “Some apps are brilliant at sparking curiosity.” For her, technology is neither a panacea nor a villain; it is a tool whose impact depends on how it is used.

“Here’s what keeps me up at night: when screens become pacifiers, not teachers. Language grows through back-and-forth—through messy, real conversations where kids ask ‘why?’ and laugh at silly jokes.”

She insists that there needs to be a balance between technology and old-school storytelling, drama and role-play because real communication is rarely about one-way consumption.

Chin cautions parents against racing to embrace every edtech trend or apps that purport to “make your child a genius.” She believes it’s critical to ask if a tool makes learning “more human or more convenient” and if it’s all bells and whistles, dismiss the noise. “The best ‘tech’ I’ve seen is a dedicated teacher sitting on the floor with kids, reading together.”

Reading in the age of distraction

Another pressing question is whether the decline of long-form reading spells the end of deeper comprehension. “I miss the days of kids getting lost in a novel under the blankets with a flashlight. But let’s be honest—we adapted even when radio gave way to TV,” Chin says, filled with hope. 

“The worry isn’t that attention spans are shorter; it’s that we’re not always teaching kids to dig deep,” she explains. Through experience, this educator discovered solutions to lure children back into long-form stories through cliffhanger chapters, sweetening the deal with snacks at book clubs and engaging in debates about characters. “You’d be surprised how a 12-year-old will defend Harry Potter’s choices for hours if you let them.”

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She also describes phone use in classrooms as “the new doodling.” Adding, “it isn’t that children aren’t less curious, it’s that curiosity looks different.” They might skim a textbook, only to invest three hours down a YouTube rabbit hole about sharks. “As educators we adapt. Shorter bursts of focus mean asking more ‘why do you think?’ questions and yes, sometimes prompting to put phones away and hold space for conversations. The spark to learn is still here, we just need to fan it differently.”

AI in the classroom

Of all the changes of the past decade, none has generated more fascination or anxiety than the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). Chin’s outlook is both pragmatic and deeply humanist.

“AI’s like that brilliant but overeager teaching assistant who never sleeps. Great for drilling verbs at 2am, but terrible at knowing when a student’s voice shakes with nerves during a speech,” she says. AI’s use, Chin feels, should be relegated to no more than grunt work, like facilitating grammar quizzes or vocabulary games.

Her refrain is memorable: “teaching is a work of heart.” Technology can complement but never replace the human presence in education. “A bot can’t high-five a shy kid who finally speaks up nor can it weep over a student’s moving essay. Language is about connection. Let AI handle the flashcards and worksheets; we’ll handle nurturing their souls.”

Lessons beyond the classroom

Chin’s conviction that learning extends beyond walls is deeply personal. She recalls her grandfather, a passionate racehorse enthusiast, who taught her more about thoroughbreds than any book ever could. “His lessons measured more than height and weight—they taught me to read forms like literature. It was an education in patience, observation and respect—lessons that went far beyond the racetrack. Sometimes the best classrooms have no walls.” 

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Such anecdotes underscore her advice for parents eager to future-proof their children. Grades, she argues, are not enough. What matters most is nurturing curiosity. “Cook with them and let them mess up the recipe. Wander a museum and follow their questions,” she says. “Our proudest moments aren’t when kids win debates—it’s when they whisper, ‘What if we tried it this way instead?’ That’s the spark no AI can replicate.”

Quiet wins and looking ahead

As CEFL approaches its 25th anniversary in 2026, Chin is quick to deflect attention from the institution’s size or reputation. Instead, she cherishes what she calls the “quiet wins”: the student with cerebral palsy who passed her A2 Key exam, the once-shy child who is now teaching English in the United States, or the 70-year-old gentleman who conquered his fear of navigating digital classrooms to write a heartfelt thank-you note.

“That’s the real legacy: not just teaching English, but giving people the words to shape their own stories and helping every learner find their voice, at any age, at any stage,” Chin says.

Considering the future, the experienced educator has no plans to slow down. “The world’s changing too fast to step aside! We’re dreaming bigger: partnering with schools where resources are thin, using AI to reach kids beyond the classrooms, even turning CEFL into a central portal where teachers worldwide can swap bold ideas. As for me? I’ll be in the trenches, learning from the next generation.”

Her mission, distilled in the words of one student, is as relevant as ever: “You don’t teach English. You teach us to be heard.”

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