Book Review: Language Education in Saudi Arabia: Integrating Technology in the Classroom

(Hajar Khalifa Al Sultan)

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Abstract

This review explores the contribution of Language Education in Saudi Arabia: Integrating Technology in the Classroom, edited by Al-Hoorie, Mitchell, and Elyas, emphasizing how its collected studies reflect current pedagogical practices while offering valuable directions for future research. Bringing together corpus analyses, case studies, systematic reviews, and practitioner reflections, the volume provides context-sensitive insights into technology-enhanced language education in Saudi Arabia, with a focus on tools such as ChatGPT, flipped learning, and virtual writing platforms. A unifying theme across the chapters is that technology’s effectiveness depends on teacher support, critical reflection, and contextual awareness. While the editors frame the volume as addressing both teaching and learning, most chapters emphasize teacher experiences, classroom practices, and instructional tools. Learner voices, emotional responses, and motivational dynamics remain underexplored, especially in relation to digital tools and AI. Additionally, the empirical scope leans toward urban, English-dominant higher education contexts, with fewer insights from K–12, rural, or multilingual settings. Nonetheless, the volume offers a valuable foundation for educators and policymakers. Future research could build on this work by more deeply engaging with learner perspectives, exploring ethical dimensions of AI, and addressing the sociocultural diversity within Saudi educational contexts.
KEYWORDS
Language education, educational technology, vision 2030, Saudi Arabia, artificial intelligence (AI), learner-centered pedagogy

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References

Al-Hoorie, A.H., Mitchell, C. and Elyas, T. (2025). Language Education in Saudi Arabia: Integrating Technology in the Classroom (English Language Teaching: Theory, Research and Pedagogy). Switzerland: Springer Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-84278-8
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