Effects of technology-enhanced language learning on reducing EFL learners’ public speaking anxiety

Abstract

Public speaking is considered the most anxiety-provoking speaking activity for English as a foreign language (EFL) learner. While traditional lecture-based classrooms hinder EFL learners’ constant practice and frequent interaction due to large class sizes and limited time, recent developments in technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Automatic Speech Analysis, and Virtual Reality (VR), may enhance language learning by offering accessible and personalized learning experiences. This study aimed to investigate the effects of technology-enhanced learning on reducing EFL learners’ PSA. Thirty-three university students were divided into three groups and received either lecture-based, mobile-assisted, or VR-facilitated instruction for four weeks. The students’ perceived PSA levels were reduced in all three groups after their respective instruction, but only the VR-facilitated group reached statistical significance, and there were no differences in the three groups’ final oral performances. However, the two technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) groups achieved more convergent performances on the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety scale compared with the non-TELL group, which indicated that the impact of individual differences may have been compensated by technology assistance. The findings suggested that the instructional feedback generated by AI decreased the participants’ PSA, although the irreplaceable role of teachers as facilitators was also emphasized, while the potential of using VR in teaching public speaking was evident.

Keywords:

• Public speaking anxiety
• technology enhanced language learning
• mobile-assisted language learning
• virtual reality exposure therapy
• technology acceptance model
• explicit instruction
• elaborative feedback

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributor

Yi-chen Chen obtained her PhD in TESOL at National Chengchi University, Taiwan. She is currently an Associate Professor of Department of Foreign Languages and Applied Linguistics in Yuan Ze University, Taiwan. Her major research interests cover areas from second language acquisition, cognitive semantics, to computer-assisted language learning. She has published papers in Assessing Writing, Language Awareness, International Journal of Applied Linguistics, etc.

Notes

1 Orai made a change to its pricing model in October 2019, requiring a subscription to use the Practice mode after a 7-day free trial. As the study was carried out before the change, the participants had free access to the Practice mode during the entirety of the study.

Additional information

Funding

Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan.