English-speaking instruction has long been plagued by insufficient input, lack of interaction, delayed feedback, and emotional anxiety, leading to unsatisfactory outcomes. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) offers a new solution to these challenges by enabling real-time, adaptive conversational practice. This study systematically examined the potential effectiveness of GenAI in enhancing learners' English-speaking proficiency using a mixed-methods approach that combined pre- and post-test speaking assessments, weekly reflective journals, and semi-structured interviews. Three customised agents: an AI Reading Assistant, an AI Speaking Partner, and an AI Speaking Examiner; were integrated into participants' learning routines. The findings revealed that GenAI contributed to improvements in pronunciation, grammatical accuracy, speaking fluency, and learners’ confidence by offering immediate feedback and a low-anxiety learning environment. Participants also reported increased willingness to communicate and greater opportunities for repeated speaking practice in a supportive environment. In addition, GenAI-assisted interaction encouraged learners to engage in more self-directed speaking activities and facilitated greater awareness of their language problems during oral production. However, variations were observed across learners with different proficiency levels, particularly in the development of specific speaking micro-skills. Despite its pedagogical potential, GenAI also demonstrated limitations, including weak memory continuity, limited emotional authenticity, and difficulties handling culturally nuanced or complex communicative contexts. Overreliance on AI-generated responses during speaking practice may reduce opportunities for spontaneous language production and for independent use of communicative strategies. In addition, the accuracy and relevance of AI-generated feedback occasionally varied, leading to uncertainty among learners when evaluating and revising their spoken output. The results offer new insights into English-speaking instruction, emphasising the need for adaptive prompt engineering and teacher–AI collaboration. They also provide guidance on improving the use of GenAI in speaking instruction, such as designing scaffolded tasks for diverse proficiency levels.
Yu-Ju Lan, Norazrin Zamri· Quantum Journal of Social Sc...· 0 citations
Guided by Social Cognitive Theory, this study examines learners’ academic writing strategies drawing on Bandura's (1986) model, and focuses on how environmental, personal and behavioural factors are interdependent in influencing learners' writing. The study employed a quantitative survey design involving 109 undergraduate and postgraduate students in a Malaysian public university. The data were gathered using a structured questionnaire adapted from Raoofi et al. (2017), consisting of 27 items grouped under three main strategy domains: metacognitive, cognitive/effort regulation and social-affective strategies. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis through SPSS. The findings show that learners reported using metacognitive strategies, particularly for revising and monitoring their writing, while social strategies were used at a moderate level. This correlation analysis shows significant relationships among all three factors, with the strongest between personal and behavioural factors. Overall, the findings reveal the interconnected roles of cognition, action, and the learning environment in academic writing. The study provides pedagogical insights on shaping self-regulated writers and offers directions for further research on developing writing strategies.
Noor Hanim binti Rahmat, Nur Huslinda Che Mat., Norazrin Zamri et al.· International journal of res...· 0 citations
This systematic literature review (SLR) synthesises global research on the discursive construction of professional identities among English as a Second Language (ESL) educators between 2016 and 2026. Following the PRISMA 2020 protocol, this study rigorously screened 210 records from the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases, resulting in the selection of 30 peer-reviewed articles for final synthesis. The review addresses three core research questions, mapping contemporary trends, methodological frameworks, and the intersecting contextual factors that shape the professional identities of ESL educators. The findings reveal that professional identity is not a static construct but a dynamic, negotiated process of "identity work" occurring at the intersection of five emerging pillars: Teacher Education & Development, Institutional Power & Constraints, Emotional Labour & Well-being, Linguistic Ideology & Marginalisation, and Digital Pedagogy & Technology. The synthesis indicates that while narrative and phenomenological inquiries remain dominant, there is a clear trend toward micro-discursive and multimodal methodologies. Crucially, the review highlights that ESL educators’ identities are continuously shaped by the tension between institutional accountability and personal agency. However, there remains a critical gap in understanding how intersecting dynamics such as academic hierarchies, linguistic ideologies, and institutional precarity are navigated within the multiculturally unique tertiary institutions of Southeast Asia. Future empirical research must explore how ESL educators in these stratified settings negotiate their complex and competing professional identities and agency discursively.
Norazrin Zamri, Wan Syariza Wan Yadri, Sathiyaperba Subramaniam et al.· International journal of res...· 0 citations
We use cookies to run the site and, with your consent, for analytics and to show ads.
See our Cookie Policy.
