Communicative Language Teaching in the Age of AI: A Hybrid Model for Indian Classrooms

Abstract The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping educational practices, offering unprecedented opportunities to enhance language learning. This paper examines the integration of AI tools into Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), a widely adopted method in English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, to formulate a hybrid teaching model. Focusing on the Indian higher education context—particularly engineering institutions in Tamil Nadu—the study investigates how AI applications such as chatbots, speech recognition software, and grammar checkers can support CLT’s objectives: authentic interaction, fluency, and learner autonomy. Through a synthesis of secondary research and illustrative classroom-based case studies, the paper analyzes the pedagogical benefits and potential limitations of AI-augmented CLT. The proposed hybrid model harmonizes technological support with task-based learning, collaborative engagement, and continuous feedback mechanisms, ensuring a balanced and learner-centered environment. Ethical considerations and infrastructural challenges are also addressed. The paper concludes that, with strategic implementation and ethical oversight, a CLT-AI hybrid model can help bridge language proficiency gaps, cultivate independent learners, and equip students with communicative competencies essential for the digital age.