The impact of Google Assistant on adolescent EFL learners' willingness to communicate

• Published in: Interactive learning environments Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 1485 - 1502
• Main Authors: Tai, Tzu-Yu, Chen, Howard Hao-Jan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 03.04.2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent Development; Anxiety; Artificial Intelligence; Automatic speech recognition; automatic speech recognition (ASR); Communication (Thought Transfer); Educational activities; EFL learning; Electronic Equipment; Empirical analysis; English (Second Language); English as a second language learning; English Language Learners; Foreign Countries; Foreign language learning; Foreign languages; Games; Google Assistant; Grade 8; Handheld Devices; Intelligent personal assistant (IPA); Interpersonal Communication; Junior High School Students; Language Attitudes; Learner Engagement; Learning; Learning Activities; Learning Motivation; Learning outcomes; Second Language Learning; Self Esteem; Speech recognition; Student Attitudes; Technology; Voice recognition; Willingness to communicate; willingness to communicate (WTC); Taiwan
• ISSN: 1049-4820; 1744-5191
• DOI: 10.1080/10494820.2020.1841801

Willingness to communicate (WTC) is considered to be an important factor contributing to successful foreign language learning. Many studies aim at finding effective tools for enhancing WTC. With the support of AI and Automatic Speech Recognition technology, intelligent personal assistants (IPAs) seem to have potentials in improving foreign language learners' WTC. However, few empirical studies focus on the possible impact of IPAs on learners' WTC. This study was conducted to investigate the potentials of an IPA, Google Assistant, for developing adolescent EFL learners' WTC and their perceptions of IPAs for EFL learning. This study recruited 112 eighth-grade EFL learners who engaged in Google-Assistant-language-learning activities for two weeks. Two WTC questionnaires were administered at the beginning and end of the intervention. The results demonstrated that Google Assistant significantly promoted EFL learners' WTC, enhanced communicative confidence, and reduced speaking anxiety. Analyses of interviews revealed that participants enjoyed playing games with Google Assistant and talking to chatbots, which helped them feel less anxious and motivated to use English for real and meaningful communication. The findings indicated that IPA-based interaction provided a less threatening environment, in which learners displayed higher levels of engagement, motivation, confidence, and, in turn, their WTC in the target language.