It is obvious to recognize the important but not significant roles of robots in the activities of teaching English. Robots can assist language learners, bridging their objectives, or contribute to the development of English teaching, however, they can never replace human beings.
Firstly, robots can not effectively manage classrooms and identify those who require special needs. Classroom management requires the sensitivity of face-to-face meetings, and the flexibility of choosing and adapting a suitable activity in different situations. In reality, each class, each group of learners and each situation will have different characteristics that no programmers can identify and evaluate precisely in advance. Even though we can predict what problems may happen in this situation, evaluate some risk assessments to prepare some solutions, but it will never enough. Just a teacher with their own knowledge, experience, and heart can respond efficiently to those situations. For example, a student is always a good listener, always does homework and knows how to behave well in every class, there are no symptoms to be on the radar. Suddenly, he behaves in a strange way, annoys his classmates, refuses to work and ignores teachers. It would be really challenging for a robot to deal with him when it is not programmed. Another problem that robots can never identify is language anxiety. Students who have language anxiety will not able to acquire an appropriate level and always require extra notice, support from English teachers and counselors. Therefore, robots are just smart engines, and the engine is not as smart as a human.
Secondly, teaching a language requires the teacher to update and combine the teaching methodologies. There are no best methods and no worst methods. It depends on each individual learner and the practicality. We are able to install those methods on the robots, but we are not able to tell them which method is ideal in a specific situation. They are, therefore, can not develop those methods, or create new innovations in order to improve learner's acquisition.
Another benefit that robots can never provide is the relationship between a teacher and learners. Through a process of working together, observing and understanding each other, a positive relationship can be created. It then scaffolds and improves learners' ability to learn the language.
With those reasons, I strongly believe that robots are some tools to assist language learners, but will never replace us, the educators.