AI Helps Improving English Speaking Skill?!

Title	:	Improving EFL learners’ speaking skills and willingness to communicate via artificial intelligence-mediated interactions
Year of published	:	2024
Writer	:	Jalil Fathi, Masoud Rahimi, dan Ali Derakhshan
Reviewer	:	Aliya Hegar Nugrahani
Link access	:	https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0346251X24000368

 

·                Background of study

We know that artificial intelligence (AI) provides opportunities for improving English speaking skills for second language learners (EFL). But, actually, we just know a little how AI impact the learning process.

Speaking skills is a critical skill in learning languages. With a good speaking skills, we can achieve outstanding performance in overall language development. Of course, this skills can be mastered through interactive and appropriate practices. But, there are some problems that learners might face, such as limited class time, unwillingness to communicate, and the fear of classmates’s negative jugdements. This problems can lead to unsufficient ouput partices during class time.

Thus, AI takes a significant role in providing some solutions to overcome those problems. It’s realized in the form of Chatbot-mediated instruction (simply, just like ChatGPT). Chatbot can carry out real-time conversation as if the learners are interacting with other people face to face, online or offline. In this way, Chatbot helps learners to have opportunity to utilise language in context without being bound to a specific context and time.

 

·               Goals

1.   Intended to examine the impact of Chatbot-mediated instruction on the speaking skills and WTC of EFL learners.

2.   Intended to know how Chatbot created a simulated and interactive speaking environment with diverse speaking activities

3.   Intended to know how Chatbot’s speaking activities contributed to EFL learners’s speaking skills and WTC.

4.   Intended to explore the advantages and disadvantages of the Chatbot’s programs.

 

·               Methods

1.   Research design

They collected and analysed quantitative data, then collected and analysed qualitative data to further explanation of the preceding quantitative findings.

2.   Participants

They used 65 EFL learners, consisting of 33 participants in the AI group and 32 pasticipants in the face-to-face group. The participants were aged between 18 to 25 years old with intermediate level of English proficiency (standart of IELTS)

3.   Materials and instruments

There were AI-mediated Chatbot, speaking test, willingness to communicate (WTC) scale, and semi-structured interviews.

4.   Pilot study

It used to know whether the main study is feasible or not.

5.   Ethical considerations

This study was reviewed and approved by the institutional review board (IRB) of the language institute, ensuring adherence to ethical guidelines and the protection of the participants’s rights.

6.   Data collection procedures

7.   Data analysis

It contains two kinds of analysis, that are quantitative and qualitative analysis.

 

·               Results

1.     The quantitative analysis

This analysis used a pretest and posttest to proved whether there was differences or not. The result suggest that the AI group showed significant improvements in every aspect. Meanwhile, the face-to-face group showed significant improvements only in lexicon and pronounciation. These findings support the AI intervention, which could enhance speaking skills in EFL.

2.     The qualitative analysis

This result was obtained from interviews with the participants. It was said that some of the participants suggested that the AI-mediated Chatbot had a positive impact on the learning process, such as provision of personalised feedback and instruction, a low-pressure environment, opportunities to inprove fluency and self-confidence, variety of exercises and programs, and instant feedback to correct mistakes. However, some of the participants suggested that they preferred for human instructor. They thought that they emphasized the importance of social interaction and the effectiveness of the accuracy and relevance of response or feedback.

 

·       Conclusion

Based on this study, it provided evidence that the AI-mediated Chatbot effectively improved the EFL learners’s speaking skills and WTC. The participants also generally held positive feedbacks and perceptions towards Chatbot.

This study also revealed the advantages and disadvantages of the use of Chatbot. The following advantages and disadvantages are presented in the table.

Advantages	Disadvantages
1.     Giving a provision of personalised feedback and instruction 2.     The programs and exercises are diverse 3.     Creating a low-pressure learning environment 4.     Carrying out continuous speaking practice outside formal settings	1.     Lack of social interactions 2.     The accuracy and relevance of feedbacks or instructions 3.     The need for further study

 

·       References

Agile District. (2023). A Brief - Benefits of AI in Language Learning. LinkedIn. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/brief-benefits-ai-language-learning-agiledistrict

Fathi, J., Rahimi, M., & Derakhshan, A. (2024). Improving EFL learners’ speaking skills and willingness to communicate via artificial intelligence-mediated interactions. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0346251X24000368

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