The communicative confidence of language learners has a significant impact on their capacity for their second language (L2) output and higher language proficiency. Enhanced communicative confidence can potentially increase English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ in-class participation and engagement. The artificial intelligence (AI)-powered avatars and chatbots can function as teachers presenting the possibility of improving EFL learners’ communicative confidence. AI teachers can serve as peers or classmates, allowing learners to practise English-speaking skills without the time and space limits. Amidst the impact of COVID-19, numerous institutions conducted classes through online real-time communication platforms. During online delivery, it is common for instructors to encounter periods of silence while conducting discussions or awaiting responses to their questions. The investigation of utilising AI teachers to augment communicative confidence and establish a more dynamic online learning atmosphere is conducted through the present research, which utilised two distinct AI teachers for managing an online English-speaking course consisting of two lectures in both the traditional and the AI-powered online synchronous classroom. 103 adults who were about to take the IELTS speaking exam participated in the intervention to explore whether AI teachers can contribute to students’ communicative confidence and attitudes towards AI teachers through a mixed-research method. The result showed the participants’ communicative confidence was significantly improved due to the higher communicative competence and decreased anxiety. Meanwhile, AI teacher-student interaction is less intimidating and anxiety-provoking, thereby fostering a dynamic learning environment. More importantly, AI teachers present an opportunity for educators to alleviate the workload.

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Abstract Summary
The investigation of utilising AI teachers to augment communicative confidence and establish a more dynamic online learning atmosphere is conducted through the present research, which utilised two distinct AI teachers for managing an online English-speaking course consisting of two lectures in both the traditional and the AI-powered online synchronous classroom.

Authors:
Chenghao Wang, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China
Bin Zou, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China

About the Presenter(s)
Mr chenghao wang is a Civil Servant at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in China

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