AI-DRIVEN LANGUAGE LEARNING: CAN CHATGPT IMPROVE STUDENT SPEAKING PROFICIENCY?

Abstract

The advent of artificial intelligence has provided students with quick and efficient tools to complete written assignments, with ChatGPT emerging as a popular choice. However, the implications of using AI for oral assignments remain underexplored. This study investigates the extent to which ChatGPT aids students in developing their speaking skills and identifies the specific aspects of speaking that benefit most from AI assistance. The research was conducted at UIN Raden Intan Lampung, involving 41 students from the English Education Department enrolled in a Speaking class. Data were collected through interviews and questionnaires. The findings reveal that 78% of the students are at an intermediate level of English proficiency. While 12.2% of the participants recommend ChatGPT for improving speaking skills, the aspects of speaking where ChatGPT proves most beneficial include grammar (26.8%), fluency (31.7%), content organization (19.5%), and pronunciation (7.3%). Notably, ChatGPT aids in sentence construction, vocabulary enhancement, and organizing content logically, which are crucial for both speech preparation and delivery. Additionally, while 65.9% of students utilized ChatGPT for writing assignments, only 9.8% reported using it for speaking tasks. These results suggest that while AI tools like ChatGPT are valuable in certain areas of language learning, their application in enhancing speaking skills requires further exploration.