Chapter 6. An Asia as Method Approach to AI for English Teachers in Japan
Jonathan Donnellan
Abstract
Recognition that coloniality - the logic, metaphysics, ontology, and matrix of power tied to the ideas of the West that continue to exist independently of colonialism – shapes our experiences of education in ways that are often harmful has led to calls to decolonize or deimperialize educational institutions around the world. Decolonization and deimperialization require an understanding that we live in a pluri-versal world, where Western ways of doing, being, and knowing are only one set of options among many. Both English language teaching (ELT) and artificial intelligence (AI) have deep entanglements with colonial projects, to the point where it has been questioned whether a decolonial ELT or decolonial AI are even possible. However, in some contexts, both ELT and, I argue, AI can be used in pursuit of decolonial aims. This chapter consists of three sections. The first summarizes theories of (de)coloniality, with specific reference to Asia as Method by Kuan-Hsing Chen. The second section demonstrates in what ways these concepts apply to the fields of ELT and AI, focusing on what has been termed ‘epistemic capture’ or the ‘coloniality of knowledge’. The third section suggests some pathways for teachers to consider when making decisions about the use of AI tools in their classrooms. Through this chapter, I offer teachers an introduction to some of the theory surrounding decoloniality in a way that they will be able to apply to their own AI- and ELT-related practice
About the Contributor
Jonathan Donnellan is a senior assistant professor at Sojo University in Kumamoto, Japan. Before moving to Kumamoto, he also taught in Miyazaki and Osaka in Japan, as well as in the UK, China, and Türkiye. His main research interest is social justice in education, especially relating to issues of coloniality and decoloniality. He is particularly interested in the hidden curriculums of educational environments, such as those embedded in teaching materials, in digital tools, in teaching practices, or in architecture and the use of space.
Citation
Donnellan, J. (2026). An Asia as method approach to AI for English teachers in Japan. In R. Dykes, O. Edwards, D. Bollen, & T. S. W. Lin (Eds.), Artificial intelligence in Japan’s language learning classrooms (pp. 145–170). Candlin & Mynard. https://doi.org/10.47908/45/6
Recognition that coloniality - the logic, metaphysics, ontology, and matrix of power tied to the ideas of the West that continue to exist independently of colonialism – shapes our experiences of education in ways that are often harmful has led to calls to decolonize or deimperialize educational institutions around the world. Decolonization and deimperialization require an understanding that we live in a pluri-versal world, where Western ways of doing, being, and knowing are only one set of options among many. Both English language teaching (ELT) and artificial intelligence (AI) have deep entanglements with colonial projects, to the point where it has been questioned whether a decolonial ELT or decolonial AI are even possible. However, in some contexts, both ELT and, I argue, AI can be used in pursuit of decolonial aims. This chapter consists of three sections. The first summarizes theories of (de)coloniality, with specific reference to Asia as Method by Kuan-Hsing Chen. The second section demonstrates in what ways these concepts apply to the fields of ELT and AI, focusing on what has been termed ‘epistemic capture’ or the ‘coloniality of knowledge’. The third section suggests some pathways for teachers to consider when making decisions about the use of AI tools in their classrooms. Through this chapter, I offer teachers an introduction to some of the theory surrounding decoloniality in a way that they will be able to apply to their own AI- and ELT-related practice
About the Contributor
Jonathan Donnellan is a senior assistant professor at Sojo University in Kumamoto, Japan. Before moving to Kumamoto, he also taught in Miyazaki and Osaka in Japan, as well as in the UK, China, and Türkiye. His main research interest is social justice in education, especially relating to issues of coloniality and decoloniality. He is particularly interested in the hidden curriculums of educational environments, such as those embedded in teaching materials, in digital tools, in teaching practices, or in architecture and the use of space.
Citation
Donnellan, J. (2026). An Asia as method approach to AI for English teachers in Japan. In R. Dykes, O. Edwards, D. Bollen, & T. S. W. Lin (Eds.), Artificial intelligence in Japan’s language learning classrooms (pp. 145–170). Candlin & Mynard. https://doi.org/10.47908/45/6
Information About the Book
|
Title: Artificial Intelligence in Japan’s Language Learning Classroom
Editors: Robert Dykes, Oliver Edwards, Dave Bollen, and Tina Shu-wen Lin Publication date: June 2026 Read more... |