Artificial intelligence as mediator of linguistic reflection in FFL classes (*)

Abstract

This study examines the pedagogical potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to promote metalinguistic reflection in the teaching of French as a foreign language (FFL) within the context of initial teacher training. The research focuses on analysing the interaction between metalinguistic reflection, plurilingual competence and the didactic integration of AI tools in the learning of idiomatic expressions, an essential component of everyday language which, despite its communicative relevance, often occupies a marginal place in language teaching curricula due to its semantic, cultural and pragmatic complexity. This research describes a teaching experience implemented during the 2025–2026 academic year in the course ‘Foreign Language for Teachers – French’ within the Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education at the University of Valencia. The intervention was structured around a teaching sequence focused on the learning of idiomatic expressions, based on a metalinguistic reflection approach centred on interlinguistic comparison between the languages present in the students’ linguistic repertoire. In parallel, various artificial intelligence tools were integrated with the aim of supporting linguistic analysis, facilitating the semantic exploration of phraseological units and promoting the development of critical digital literacy among the students. The results obtained show that the combination of interlinguistic contrast strategies and the pedagogically guided use of AI tools promotes the development of students’ metalinguistic awareness, increases their motivation to learn languages, and contributes to a more reflective and critical use of digital technologies. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the integration of artificial intelligence into teaching can be a valuable resource for enriching the teaching of idiomatic expressions and contributing to the simultaneous development of linguistic, plurilingual and digital competences in the training of future teachers.