Insights Into the Effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence-Integrated Speaking Instruction in Enhancing Speaking Skills and Social–Emotional Competence as Well as Reducing Demotivation and Shyness

Despite the recognised importance of communicative competence in language acquisition, many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners persistently grapple with affective barriers such as speaking anxiety, shyness, and demotivation, alongside underdeveloped social–emotional competence (SEC), challenges that traditional speaking instruction methods have often struggled to comprehensively address. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-integrated speaking instruction on EFL learners' SEC, demotivation to speak, shyness, and speaking skill development, thereby addressing a crucial gap by evaluating a novel technological intervention. To achieve this, a quasi-experimental design was employed, allocating participants into an experimental group (EG) receiving AI-integrated speaking instruction and a control group (CG) engaging in traditional speaking instruction via the Big Blue Button platform; pre- and post-intervention data were collected using validated questionnaires for SEC, demotivation, shyness, and speaking development, supplemented by an attitude questionnaire for the EG. The results from a one-way MANOVA revealed statistically significant and positive outcomes for the AI-integrated approach, with learners in the EG demonstrating substantial improvements in their SEC and overall speaking skills, alongside a significant reduction in demotivation to speak and shyness when compared to the CG, a finding corroborated by the EG participants' predominantly positive attitudes towards the AI intervention. These findings carry important implications for EFL pedagogy, suggesting that AI-integrated speaking instruction presents a more efficacious strategy for concurrently enhancing learners' speaking proficiency and fostering crucial social–emotional skills, thus providing empirical support for integrating AI tools to create more supportive and effective pathways for EFL students to overcome affective hurdles and improve their communicative abilities.