From Rote to Reasoning: AI Mediated Learning as the Latest Turn in English Language Pedagogy in Higher Education

English language teaching (ELT) in higher education has undergone a series of pedagogical transformations, evolving from rote memorisation to task‑based and communicative approaches, later integrating computer‑assisted language learning (CALL), and now entering an era of artificial intelligence (AI)–mediated learning. This paper examines the implementation and impact of AI tools in language classrooms, arguing that their adoption should not be viewed as a pedagogical rupture but rather as a continuation of a long‑standing shift toward learner‑centred, meaning‑focused, and interaction‑driven models of language education. By situating AI within the historical trajectory of ELT, the paper contends that successful AI integration relies not on technological novelty, but on research‑informed pedagogy, ethical awareness, and evidence‑based practice. A practical action research project on incorporating AI for vocabulary learning in an elective course at a research-focused liberal arts university will be presented to illustrate both the implementation process and the pedagogical impact of AI‑mediated vocabulary learning.