Foreign Language Learning and the Cultivation of National Consciousness in the Age of Intelligence—A Case Study Through the Appreciation of The Wild Robot

This study examines how foreign language education in the artificial intelligence (AI) era could assist the cultivation of national consciousness through a technology-enhanced pedagogy of film appreciation. Using The Wild Robot as a case study, we argue that cinematic narratives serve as cultural mirrors, offering immersive, reflective, and affective sites for intercultural learning. We propose a three-layered pedagogical framework—progressing from semiotic decoding, through narrative and value comparison, to creative identity construction—that integrates intelligent tools to develop both communicative competence and an agentive sense of belonging. The approach exemplifies a humanistic turn in language teaching, aiming to form “rooted global communicators” who can engage in crosscivilization dialogue with cultural confidence and critical awareness.