Improving English Communication Skills for Non-English Major EFL Students Using a Self-Developed Website - Speakee
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.26644Keywords:
self-developed speaking website, Speakee, English communication skills, non-English major EFL studentsAbstract
The study examined the effects of a self-developed website – Speakee on developing English communication skills among non-English major students at the University of Da Nang. It also examined how students perceived the use of the website as a tool for improving their English communication skills. Speakee is an AI-powered role-play platform developed to provide contextualized speaking practice and delayed feedback, which was designed based on Task-Based Language Teaching and Situated Learning Theory. The study adopted a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design. Datawere gathered through English speaking tests during pre- and post-intervention and semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that students using Speakee demonstrated significant improvement in their overall English-speaking performance. Interview findings further suggested that students perceived several benefits from using the platform, particularly in pronunciation practice, vocabulary development, speaking confidence, and opportunities for additional speaking practice. Nevertheless, several technical limitations related to speech recognition accuracy, AI interaction quality, and long-term engagement were also reported.
References
Baek, J., & Lee, C. H. (2018). University students’ perceptions and engagement in mobile-assisted blended learning in English speaking classes. Multimedia-Assisted Language Learning, 21(4), 11-36. https://doi.org/10.15702/mall.2018.21.4.11
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Canale, M. (1983). From communicative competence to communicative language pedagogy. In J. C. Richards & R. Schmidt (Eds.), Language and communication (pp. 2–27). London: Longman.
Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 1–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/applin/I.1.1
Chan, C. K. Y., & Hu, W. (2023). Students’ voices on generative AI: Perceptions, benefits, and challenges in higher education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20, Article 43. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00411-8
Chen, M. R. A., & Hwang, G. J. (2019). Effects of a concept mapping‐based flipped learning approach on EFL students’ English speaking performance, critical thinking awareness and speaking anxiety. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(3), 817-834. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12887
Chen, A., Jia, J., Li, Y., & Fu, L. (2025). Investigating the effect of role-play activity with GenAI agent on EFL students’ speaking performance. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 63(1), 99–125, https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331241299058
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: Defining “gamification.” In Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments (pp. 9–15). https://doi.org/10.1145/2181037.2181040
Du, J., & Daniel, B. K. (2024). Transforming language education: A systematic review of AI-powered chatbots for English as a foreign language speaking practice. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 6, Article 100230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100230
Duong, T., & Suppasetseree, S. (2024). The effects of an artificial intelligence voice chatbot on improving Vietnamese undergraduate students’ English speaking skills. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 23(3), 293–321. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.23.3.15
Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford University Press.
Ellis, R. (2009). Task-based language teaching: Sorting out the misunderstandings. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 19(3), 221–246. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1473-4192.2009.00231.x
Fathi, J., Rahimi, M., & Derakhshan, A. (2024). Improving EFL learners’ speaking skills and willingness to communicate via artificial intelligence-mediated interactions. System, 121, Article 103254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2024.103254
Ho, P. X. P. (2024). Using ChatGPT in English language learning: A study on I.T. students’ attitudes, habits, and perceptions. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 4(1), 55–68. https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.24414
Hymes, D. (1972). On communicative competence. In J. B. Pride & J. Holmes (Eds.), Sociolinguistics. Selected Readings (pp. 269–293). Penguin.
Kessler, G. (2010). Fluency and anxiety in self-access speaking tasks: The influence of environment. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 23(4), 361–375. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2010.512551
Kohnke, L., Moorhouse, B. L., & Zou, D. (2023). ChatGPT for language teaching and learning. RELC Journal, 54(3). 537-550. https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882231162868
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press.
Long, M. H. (1996). The role of the linguistic environment in second language acquisition. In W. C. Ritchie & T. K. Bhatia (Eds.), Handbook of second language acquisition (pp. 413–468). Academic Press.
Ngo, M. T., & Tran, L. T. (2023). Current English education in Vietnam: Policy, practices, and challenges. In English language education for graduate employability in Vietnam (pp. 49–69). Springer Nature, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4338-8_3
Ngo, T. T.-N., Chen, H. H.-J., & Lai, K. K.-W. (2024). The effectiveness of automatic speech recognition in ESL/EFL pronunciation: A meta-analysis. ReCALL, 36(1), 4–21. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344023000113
Nguyen, K. N., & Nguyen, T. M. T. (2023). Non-specialized students’ benefits and challenges in using ELSA Speak application for pronunciation learning. European Journal of Alternative Education Studies, 8(4), 185–198. http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejae.v8i4.5149
Mingyan, M., Noordin, N., & Razali, A. B. (2025). Improving EFL speaking performance among undergraduate students with an AI-powered mobile app in after-class assignments: An empirical investigation. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), Article 370. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04688-0
Park, M., Lee, S., Ma, J., & Yoon, D. (2026). AI Twin: Enhancing ESL speaking practice through AI self-clones of a better me. Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Article 78, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1145/3772318.3790266
Pham, T. S. (2025). Using task-based language teaching to improve English speaking fluency: An action research study with Vietnamese non-English-majored university students. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 5(4), 16–31. https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.25542
Rao, P. S. (2019). The importance of speaking skills in English classrooms. Alford Council of International English & Literature Journal, 2(2), 6–18.
Shan, S., Grigoryan, G., Ning, H., & Harutyunyan, H. (2024). AI Chatbots: Developing English Language Proficiency in EFL Classroom. Arab World English Journal, April 2024, 292–305. https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/ChatGPT.20
Sun, W. (2023). The impact of automatic speech recognition technology on second language pronunciation and speaking skills of EFL learners: A mixed methods investigation. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1210187. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1210187
Tai, T.-Y., & Chen, H. H.-J. (2023). The impact of Google Assistant on adolescent EFL learners’ willingness to communicate. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(3), 1485–1502. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1841801
Trinh, N. B., & Pham, D. T. T. (2021). Challenges in speaking classrooms among non-English majors. Vietnam Journal of Education, 5(2), 37–42. https://doi.org/10.52296/vje.2021.52
Vasu, K., Yunus, M. M., & Said, N. E. M. (2025). AI-enhanced interactive platforms for language learning: Examining motivation and proficiency development in primary school students. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 14(1), 1922–1946, https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v14-i1/24851
Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task-based learning. Longman.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Nguyen Le Nguyen, Pham Thi Thao Nguyen, Nguyen Nu Thuy Uyen
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The copyright of all articles published in the International Journal of TESOL & Education (ijte) remains with the Authors, i.e. Authors retain full ownership of their article. Permitted third-party reuse of the open access articles is defined by the applicable Creative Commons (CC) end-user license which is accepted by the Authors upon submission of their paper. All articles in the ijte are published under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license, meaning that end users can freely share an article (i.e. copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) and adapt it (i.e. remix, transform and build upon the material) on the condition that proper attribution is given (i.e. appropriate credit, a link to the applicable license and an indication if any changes were made; all in such a way that does not suggest that the licensor endorses the user or the use) and the material is only used for non-commercial purposes.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository, in a journal or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
