Digital tools in teaching and learning English in alignment with education 4.0

Abstract

The paper is a commentary to present the influence of Industrial Revolution 4.0 on the field of education, outlining some features of Education 4.0 so that it can meet the demands of the 21st century as well as the requirements for teachers to maximize their support for learners. Accordingly, the paper discussed the current trends of foreign language teaching in the era of Education 4.0, with a special focus on the application of artificial intelligence technology in English teaching through digital tools. The article explored some of the world’s common-used digital tools for teaching and learning English, aiming to support learners to improve their self-learning and proficiency in four important language skills, i.e., listening, speaking, reading and writing so that they manage to become effective communicators and own lifelong self-learning competence. The paper provided a detailed description of some of these tools and their benefits, offering a valuable resource for foreign language teachers and learners in Vietnam in the context of Education 4.0. Thereby, the ultimate expectation of this paper is to enable English teachers’ instruction for their learners to improve their language skills and acquire the 21st-century skills for effective communication and lifelong learning.