ChatGPT 5.2 for multimodal language teaching and learning: A two-year update

Authors

Keywords:

Human–AI collaboration, English Language teaching, ChatGPT 5.2, multimodal engagement, artificial intelligence in education

Abstract

In this technology review, we examine the development of ChatGPT over the two years since its inception in 2023. Specifically, we update the seminal review of Kohnke et al. (2023a) by exploring ChatGPT 5.2’s transition from a text-based Large Language Model (LLM) to a Large Multimodal Model (LMM) capable of real-time auditory and visual processing. As English language teachers across K–12 and higher education, we provide contextualized understandings of how human–AI collaboration must change from “textual interaction” to “multimodal engagement.” This review highlights expanded affordances, including low-latency voice interaction to enhance oral fluency and the application of visual representations for vocabulary creation and contextualized language learning. We also address emerging challenges, such as multimodal AI “hallucinations” and risks of cognitive offloading. Ultimately, this review aims to assist teachers and learners in developing the advanced digital competence required to use these semi-autonomous instructional agents critically, responsibly, and ethically.

Author Biographies

  • Darren Rey Javier, Department of Education – Central Office and Philippine Normal University, Philippines

    Darren Rey C. Javier is a Senior Education Program Specialist at the Department of Education – Central Office and an associate member of the National Research Council of the Philippines. He is a former public secondary school English language teacher and has completed the academic requirements for the Master of Arts in Education, with specialization in English Language Teaching, at the Philippine Normal University. His publications have appeared in SCOPUS-indexed journals such as MEXTESOL Journal and TESOL Journal, as well as in the Sinaya Journal, which is indexed in the Andrew Gonzalez Philippine Citation Index (AGPCI).

  • Frankie Har, English Language Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

    Frankie Har is an English lecturer at The English Language Centre, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His research interests lie in the areas of AI in ELT and Gamification in ELT. He is the reviewer of Computers and Education, Computers and Education Open, Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, Computer Assisted Language Learning, RELC Journal, Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, Technology in Language Teaching & Learning and Frontiers in Education. His publications appeared in RELC Journal, The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, Springer Nature, University of Michigan Press and Frontiers Journal. His most recent and forthcoming publications include “Navigating Professional Growth in AI in Language Education: Narratives from a University in Hong Kong” (in press), “EFL Teaching in the RenAIssance: A study of Thai pre-service teachers' perceptions of Artificial Intelligence” (in press), “HeyGen’s AI video platform for English language teaching” (2026), “Perusall Encourages Critical Engagement with Reading Texts” (2024), “Teaching English as a Second Language in the Midst of a Paradigm Shift: An Exploration of Students’ and Teachers’ Perception of ChatGPT” (2023), and “The Future of Education utilizing an Artificial Intelligence Robot in the Centre for Independent Language Learning: Teacher Perceptions of the Robot as a Service” (2023).

  • Ken Russel Gutierrez, College of Education, University of Rizal System, Philippines

    Ken Russel Z. Gutierrez is a full-time faculty member at the College of Education, University of Rizal System, the Philippines. He holds a master’s degree in English from the same university. Beyond teaching, he has contributed as an author, content developer, and editor for textbooks across K-12 and higher education. His research interests include GenAI in English Language Teaching, World Englishes, Philippine English, and Corpus Linguistics.

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Published

2026-02-14

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2026): The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics

Section

Technology Reviews

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How to Cite

ChatGPT 5.2 for multimodal language teaching and learning: A two-year update. (2026). The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 10(1), 1327. https://caes.hku.hk/ajal/index.php/ajal/article/view/1327

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