Enhancing English language and Literature learning through artificial intelligence in Cameroon: Teachers’/facilitators’ perspectives, challenges and implementation strategies

The focus of this study has been to demonstrate how the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed, and continues to transform, educational practices by creating new possibilities for the teaching and learning of English language and literature in Cameroonian schools. In English language and literature education, AI offered opportunities to enhance lesson preparation, assessment practices and learner engagement. However, the integration of AI within low-resource educational contexts like Cameroon is limited by factors such as technological infrastructure, teacher preparedness and institutional support. This study examined English language and literature teachers’/facilitators’ perspectives, challenges and implementation strategies on the use of AI to enhance teaching and learning in selected secondary schools in the North-West and South-West Regions of Cameroon. The study hypothesised that the integration of Artificial intelligence significantly enhanced English language and literature learning outcomes in Cameroon, as perceived by teachers/facilitators. A mixed-methods research design was employed involving 50 English language and literature teachers; both Secondary and High school from twelve government, mission and lay-private secondary schools. Data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews and analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings revealed a generally positive perception of AI among teachers/facilitators, with 66% reporting frequent use of AI tools in their teaching. Furthermore, 80% agreed that AI facilitates lesson preparation and enhanced assessment and feedback practices, while 92% supported the wider adoption of AI in English language and literature classrooms. However, 68% of teachers expressed confidence in their ability to use AI effectively, highlighting existing gaps in AI-related pedagogical competence. Teachers identified inadequate digital infrastructure, limited access to AI tools, insufficient professional training, ethical concerns and limited institutional support as major barriers to effective implementation. The study concluded that although AI presents considerable opportunities to transform English language and literature teaching in Cameroon, its successful integration required context-sensitive strategies that emphasised teacher capacity building, improved digital infrastructure, institutional commitment and clear ethical guidelines for responsible AI use. The study contributed to emerging scholarship on AI adoption in resource-constrained educational settings by providing empirical evidence from the Anglophone secondary school context of Cameroon.