The Paradox of Technology in English Language Education: Connected Or Excluded?

Abstract

This article explores the complex relationship between educational technology and equity in English language learning, particularly in the Global South. While the proliferation of digital tools like mobile apps to AI-based platforms—has opened new avenues for language acquisition, their actual impact on reducing structural inequalities remains contested. Through a critical lens grounded in the works of Paulo Freire, John Dewey, Lisa Delpit, and others, the article interrogates whether technology can serve as a leveller or inadvertently reproduces existing hierarchies of language, access, and opportunity. Drawing on global case studies from India, Africa, and Southeast Asia, and mapping differences between urban and rural, public and private learning environments, the article highlights both the possibilities and the limits of technology-mediated English instruction. Barriers such as device access, socio-economic inequality, linguistic bias, and pedagogical mismatch are examined, alongside emerging efforts in culturally responsive design and equity-focused policy. The article argues that meaningful change will require a shift from tech-centric innovation to justice-oriented implementation. It concludes with practical policy recommendations and a call for participatory, inclusive, and critically engaged approaches that prioritize the needs and voices of marginalized learners in shaping the future of English language education.