Another paper I wrote dealt with how AI helps increase equity so that ESL students can keep up with native speakers of English. Equity in education ensures that all students, regardless of their background, have access to the resources and support needed to succeed. In Christian universities, this commitment to equity aligns with core values of inclusivity, service, and justice. These institutions often emphasize fostering a welcoming and supportive environment that reflects Christ’s love for all people, including those from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. By prioritizing equity, Christian universities fulfill their mission to serve every student as a unique individual created in God’s image.
Challenges Faced by ESL Students
Despite the commitment to equity, ESL (English as a Second Language) students often face significant challenges that can hinder their academic success: Language barriers present significant challenges for ESL students in Christian universities, affecting their ability to fully engage with academic material and classroom activities. Limited proficiency in English often makes it difficult for students to comprehend lectures and dense academic texts, leaving them at a disadvantage in understanding key concepts. Academic writing poses another hurdle, as students may struggle with structuring essays, using proper grammar, and adopting an appropriate academic tone, which can impact their grades and confidence. Additionally, many ESL students hesitate to participate in class discussions, fearing judgment from peers or the possibility of being misunderstood. This reluctance can lead to feelings of isolation and a lack of full integration into the learning community. Addressing these language barriers is crucial for fostering an equitable and supportive environment where ESL students can thrive academically and spiritually.
AT LAPU, the demographic for the common student is a female Hispanic of 29 years. An LAPU student is a non-traditional adult student who is raising children, paying a mortgage and has a full time job all at the same time. Some students are single parents. Many LAPU students are the first in their family to graduate from college. The most common ESL language is Spanish. As a teacher of ENGL 101, Prof. Ho has students who may not know how to write a sentence, a paragraph or know how to put together an academic essay. Students have the hardest time writing their essay in third person case. Some students struggle in writing because their first language is not English, but is Spanish.
Cultural Adjustment:
ESL students often face challenges navigating unfamiliar cultural norms in a Christian academic environment, which can differ significantly from their previous educational experiences. Many may be unaccustomed to the emphasis on active participation, self-directed learning, and critical thinking that characterizes Christian university classrooms. These expectations can feel overwhelming, especially for students from cultures that prioritize deference to authority or collective learning. Additionally, balancing their own cultural and religious traditions with those of the Christian university community can be complex. Students may feel pressure to conform to new practices while preserving their own identities and faith expressions. This cultural adjustment process can lead to feelings of alienation or stress, making it essential for universities to provide support that respects students’ diverse backgrounds while fostering inclusion. Creating a welcoming and understanding environment helps ESL students integrate more easily and thrive academically and spiritually.
Academic Demands
ESL students in Christian universities often face the dual challenge of managing a rigorous academic workload while simultaneously improving their English skills. The demands of mastering complex subjects are compounded by the need to learn new vocabulary, refine grammar, and develop fluency in academic writing and speaking. Many students find it difficult to meet performance standards that do not always account for the extra effort required to overcome linguistic challenges, creating additional stress. Furthermore, access to resources tailored to their needs as non-native speakers is often limited, leaving them without adequate support. This lack of specific assistance can hinder their progress and affect their confidence, making it harder to excel. Addressing these academic demands with targeted resources and inclusive policies can help ESL students succeed and feel valued in their educational journey. By addressing these challenges, Christian universities can empower ESL students to thrive both academically and spiritually, fostering a truly equitable educational experience.
Many students who are ESL and speak Spanish as their first language disclose in their introductions the difficulties they faced in English writing. They mention in their introduction how when taking ESL/English in high school, they remember all the red marks of grammar errors, punctuation errors, sentence structure errors and essay structure errors. When a Spanish speaking student writes an essay, the make ESL Spanish mistakes. For instance, in Spanish, the subject is often missing from a sentence. Examp0le: “Is a good house” or “is a good person. Because in Spanish these sentences are correct. For Spanish speaking ESL students, I often have to correct these ESL students by telling them that in English we always start the sentence with the noun/subject. Many ESL students, not just the Spanish speaking students disclose that they are nervous taking English and writing in English because English is not their first language. They are nervous to write essay, and they are nervous to talk to the teacher because they are too conscious of their English mistakes when speaking or writing.
How AI helps with Equity with native students
AI supports equity for ESL students by providing personalized support that addresses their unique learning needs and challenges. Adaptive learning platforms use AI to assess a student’s proficiency level and customize lessons, ensuring that they receive instruction tailored to their abilities. Writing assistants like Grammarly or ChatGPT offer real-time feedback on grammar, sentence structure, and tone, helping students improve their writing skills at their own pace. Translation tools and speech-to-text software further enhance accessibility, enabling students to comprehend course materials and participate in discussions more effectively. Additionally, AI can simulate conversational practice, allowing ESL students to build confidence in speaking without fear of judgment. This personalized approach empowers students to overcome language barriers and fosters a more inclusive learning environment where they can thrive academically and socially. By addressing individual needs, AI helps level the playing field and promotes equity for ESL students in educational settings.
At LAPU, each LAPU class is outfitted with its own chatbot, virtual teaching assistant called Spark. Spark AI is trained on each class’ syllabus, textbook, lectures of that class. The ENGL 101 Spark is not the same as the ENGL 105 Spark. Each one is unique to each class. If an ESL student has an elementary knowledge of English, the AI can adapt its English level to the student personalizing the learning experience to the reading, writing and English level of each student. Spark can help students revise their essay, brainstorm ideas, and explain complex grammar topics. If an ESL student needs an explanation of a complex topic in Spanish, AI can explain that complex topic in Spanish. ESL students are often afraid to ask the teacher because they may not have enough English to ask the question, the beauty of AI is that it never judges or laughs at a students’ lack of knowledge or a student’s lack of English creating a safe space for ESL students to go to.
Enhanced Accessibility
AI enhances accessibility for ESL students by integrating tools that make academic materials more comprehensible and inclusive. Translation tools like Google Translate and DeepL allow students to instantly translate texts and lectures into their native languages, bridging gaps in understanding complex course content. These tools help ESL students keep pace with their peers by enabling quick comprehension without delaying their studies. Speech-to-text and text-to-speech software further support diverse learning needs by catering to auditory and visual preferences. For instance, speech-to-text tools can transcribe lectures for students who find written notes more accessible, while text-to-speech software can assist those who grasp information better when it is spoken. These technologies reduce barriers to learning and empower students to access materials in ways that best suit their abilities, fostering an equitable educational experience. By leveraging such AI-driven tools, Christian universities can ensure that ESL students have the resources they need to succeed.
What’s great about Spark AI is that it is available 24/7. Students can ask Spark in Spanish and ask any questions about how to do an assignment at 3AM in the morning when the LAPU professor is sound asleep. If there is a three day weekend where the school is closed, Spark AI is always open while the LAPU teacher is on vacation. This constant availability of AI helps students keep up with their schoolwork making students gain confidence and establish a feeling of belonging in college as the ESL student speaks in Spanish to AI and the AI speaks back in Spanish. When students understand what is going on in class, they begin to believe that they will actually succeed in class and maybe even be the first person in their family to graduate from college. Right now Spark is text-based, but in the future, Nectir is working on creating a voice-mode version of their chatbot which will allow ESL students to practice listening and speaking English skills.
Collaborative Learning Environments
AI fosters collaborative learning environments that support ESL students by facilitating meaningful interactions and encouraging equal participation. Virtual peer-tutoring and language exchange platforms, powered by AI, enable real-time practice with native speakers, helping students improve their language skills through conversation and feedback. These platforms also promote cultural exchange, allowing ESL students to feel more connected to their peers. AI-assisted discussion forums provide a supportive space for students hesitant to speak in class, enabling them to participate in discussions by writing thoughtful responses at their own pace. These forums often include features like language correction and prompts, which help ESL students refine their contributions without fear of judgment. By creating opportunities for collaboration and reducing communication barriers, AI helps ESL students engage more confidently with their peers and professors, fostering an inclusive and equitable learning environment.
AI indeed does increase equity for ESL students to the native speaking students because armed with the knowledge they gain from Spark, these students are ready to rumble with the native speaking students in the discussion forums where just like the native speakers, the ESL students can discuss complex topics of the lesson of that week stimulating intellectual conversation just as well as a native speaker evening the odds for an ESL student success of that class. AI helps erase the awkward Spanish ESL errors that students may have by having Spark or Grammarly AI correct their ESL Spanish mistakes in their writing. AI helps ESL students gain confidence in their student academic success.
Alignment with Christian Beliefs of justice and compassion
AI integration in education aligns with Christian values by embodying compassion and service through equitable access for all students, including those who face language barriers. By providing personalized learning tools and fostering inclusivity, AI reflects the principle of serving others with love and understanding. This approach mirrors the teaching of Matthew 25:40, where serving "the least of these" is equated with serving Christ. Supporting ESL students with technology demonstrates a commitment to their academic and spiritual well-being, ensuring they feel valued and empowered within the university community. It also exemplifies stewardship, leveraging innovation to create an environment where all students can flourish. In doing so, Christian universities uphold their mission to reflect Christ’s love and compassion through their educational practices. AI becomes not just a tool but a means of fulfilling a higher calling to support and uplift every student.
LAPU as a Christian university has embraced AI. AT first when ChatGPT first came out in November 2022, faculty did not know how to react and how to implement a coherent AI policy. Gradually after many AI training webinars where the more adventurous LAPU faculty who had played with ChatGPT reported to the other faculty the amazing ways AI could help students succeed or help teachers save time. One teacher was amazed at how fast AI could come up with a coherent sermon. Once LAPU had an AI policy in place, it was up to faculty to teach students how to use AI ethically to adhere to the newly implemented AI policy. For instance, Ai policy says that it is okay to use AI to brainstorm ideas, idea generation and essay revision, but under no circumstance can AI write the essay for the student.
Limitations of AI
Implementing AI to support ESL students requires addressing ethical considerations and limitations to ensure its effective and responsible use. One key concern is the potential for bias in AI tools, which may inadvertently perpetuate linguistic or cultural biases if not carefully monitored and trained on diverse datasets. Privacy is another critical issue, as safeguarding student data must align with Christian ethical frameworks that prioritize respect, confidentiality, and trust. Additionally, over-reliance on technology could undermine the importance of human mentorship and spiritual guidance, which are essential components of a holistic Christian education. Maintaining a balance between leveraging AI tools and fostering personal connections with educators ensures that technology complements rather than replaces the human element. By addressing these challenges thoughtfully, Christian universities can integrate AI in a way that supports equity while upholding ethical standards and their mission to serve students faithfully.
Case Students and Real World Examples of Reactions of LAPU Students to AI
At LAPU, students have reacted positively to AI. Over 85% of LAPU ESL students report that they have tried out Spark. And a whopping 99% report that Spark has helped them with idea generation, essay revision, and with understanding complex topics in class. One student talked with Spark for hours. Spark is programmed not to do the assignments for the student. Spark is programmed to ask probing questions about the topic to encourage students to think more profoundly about the topic. As a result of these probing review questions, Spark AI stimulates a student’s critical thinking skills by having a back and forth chat interaction with the student getting the student little by little to write the essay for himself.
Student: “Can you help me with my thesis statement?”
Spark: “What do you know about a thesis statement?”
Student: Prof. H says it’s the main idea of the essay.
Spark: What’s the main idea of your essay?”
Student: I want to write about the benefits of gun control.
Spark: Why do you think gun control is beneficial?
Student: In my country, only the police is allowed to have guns. In my country, school shootings are a rarity. I think if American had more control over who owns guns like in my country, then there would be fewer school shootings and less violence.
Spark coaxes the student little by little to write his own essay by constantly challenging the student to think about what to write for the essay. Spark is programmed not to simply regurgitate an answer like ChatGPT. Students love this interaction with the bot and love talking with it for hours. And they especially love interacting with the bot in Spanish making them feel more comfortable with the class material and class assignments. AI makes the diffuclt assignments more accessible to international students which increases equity for ESL students through using AI.
AI plays a pivotal role in addressing the challenges faced by ESL students in Christian universities, particularly by enhancing language acquisition, accessibility, and inclusivity. Through personalized support, AI tools like translation services and speech-to-text software help students overcome language barriers, ensuring they can engage with academic materials and participate in class. Additionally, AI fosters collaborative learning environments and aligns with Christian values by promoting compassion and service. However, ethical considerations such as bias, privacy, and the balance between technology and mentorship must be carefully managed. Christian educators are encouraged to embrace AI as a tool that can create more equitable learning opportunities while adhering to ethical principles that reflect Christ’s love and justice. By thoughtfully integrating AI, Christian universities can offer an inclusive, supportive educational experience that benefits all students, regardless of their linguistic background.
In Prof. H’s classes, she encourages students to use both ChatGPT and Spark. She teaches her students the proper way to use AI ethically. She gives sample chats she has had with Spark to show students how to interact with Spark by using the same prompts as she did in her chats with Spark. She also teaches students that they can use Spark or ChatGPT to talk with the bot in their own language which usually garners a reaction of surprise and pleasure from the struggling ESL students. She teaches her students that AI is okay for idea generation, and essay revision, but it is plagiarism if a student let ChatGPT write the essay for them. By embracing AI, LAPU increases equity in the classroom which align with Christian values of compassion and service. When a teacher uses AI to help ESL students even the playing field they are reflecting Christ’s love for justice and brotherhood. By integrating AI, ESL students can write, read, understand and interact with native speaking students on an even playing field.
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