Exploring the pedagogical shift to AI-integrated teaching in university-level ELT

This study explored the key areas of ELT in which transformations happened by AI integration, with a specific focus on the pedagogical designs, teaching methods, and teacher and learner roles. Having assessed 35 peer-reviewed articles published during 2023 through 2025 employing qualitative metasynthesis methodology and guided by grounded theory the study has identified the most significant parameters that facilitate the transformation of ELT pedagogy. The parameters that rendered the transformations in ELT possible were critically evaluated and analyzed using open coding, axial coding, and category synthesis as outlined in grounded theory and used in grounding a core theory. The key areas in which pedagogical shifts happened were identified to be instructional design transformation, learner-centered pedagogy, teacher role reconfiguration, skill-specific enhancement, and institutional and cultural mediation. The findings suggest that although AI applications like ChatGPT, automated writing evaluation, and adaptive learning technologies help in improving personalized treatment, interaction, and teaching, they also generate ethical, digital equity, and humanistic issues. The study emphasized the significance of continued teacher training, the requirement for culturally sensitiveand flexible policies to promote the successful integration of AI. These observations contribute to providing valuable directions to institutions that intend to become leaders in AI-driven ELT.