Harnessing GenAI to support vocabulary development in international students

Authors

Abstract

This practice-based project explored how international students at a pathway college could interact with Generative AI (GenAI) to develop academic vocabulary in a personalised and engaging way. The initiative aimed to develop vocabulary while promoting critical engagement with GenAI, preparing the students to use it ethically and effectively in both academic and professional contexts. Students used structured prompts which were designed to encourage deeper interaction beyond dictionary-style use and maintained individual vocabulary records to enable further development. Observations suggest that guided interaction with GenAI can support both language development and digital literacy.

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Published

2026-02-27

How to Cite

Hunt, R., & Morgan, L. (2026). Harnessing GenAI to support vocabulary development in international students. Journal of Academic Language and Learning, 20(2), 132–136. Retrieved from https://www.journal.aall.org.au/index.php/jall/article/view/1071

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 2 (2026): Special Issue: Proceedings of the 17th Biennial Conference of the Association for Academic Language and Learning

Section

ALL in Practice

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Rachel Hunt, Leigh Morgan

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