Re-centring Teacher Cognition in the Age of Generative AI: A PRISMA-informed Review of TESOL Research

Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has rapidly entered TESOL classrooms, yet the evidence base remains fragmented and often treats teachers as peripheral adopters rather than central decision-makers. This scoping review maps research published between January 2023 and September 2025 on TESOL/EFL teachers’ engagement with GenAI through a teacher cognition lens (beliefs, knowledge/AI literacy, decision-making, identity, and affect). Following PRISMA-ScR guidance, the authors searched Scopus, screened records against PCC eligibility criteria, and synthesised 47 eligible publications using a theory-led narrative synthesis. Five recurring patterns emerged: conditional acceptance tied to pedagogical value and ethical feasibility; triadic AI literacies (conceptual, procedural, ethical); pragmatic classroom heuristics that permit ideation while demanding process evidence; a shift towards process-oriented assessment practices (e.g., iterative drafting, oral defences, version control); and evolving professional roles shaped by professional development and policy clarity. The corpus is dominated by self-report designs and uneven procedural reporting. We conclude with implications for targeted professional development, assessment protocols that operationalise transparency, and policy development attentive to teachers’ situated judgement.