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Feasibility of AI-Assisted Literary Comprehension in International Chinese Teaching

Author(s)

Zhen Luo*

Affiliation(s)

Chinese Teaching Group of High School Department, The Experimental School Affiliated with Zhuhai No.1 High School, Zhuhai, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

The integration of literary works into international Chinese teaching (ICT) faces ongoing educational difficulties; genuine literary language contains abundant culture and language materials, but its complex meanings and implicit culture often exceed the comprehension limits of advanced second-language (L2) students. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has some relatively under-explored potential in managing the above-mentioned problem of diversity and individuality. Through a two-way lens analysis, this study explores the practicability of using AI to assist in literature understanding for Chinese-as-a-foreign-language learners at present. Based on recent empirical studies and L2 reading theories, this paper identifies specific AI affordances (i.e., pre-reading scaffolding, semantic disambiguation, etc.) alongside some inherent weaknesses in pragmatic sensitivity, aesthetic perception, etc. Based on these findings, the paper presents a scaffolded-critique teaching mode in which AI-generated interpretations function as approximate references instead of true texts. Based on this conclusion: AI-assisted literary comprehension is pedagogically feasible when it integrates into an effectively mediated critical-dialogical teaching system that maintains the cognitive and interpersonal nature of literary reading.

Keywords

AI-Assisted Language Teaching; Chinese as a Foreign Language; Literary Comprehension; Scaffolding; Generative AI; L2 Reading

References

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