The “Conversational AI Feedback for Cultivating Interactional Fluency in Online EFL Speaking: A Mixed-Methods Study Using Real-Time Speech Recognition and Emotion-Aware Scaffolding.
“Conversational AI Feedback for Cultivating Interactional Fluency in Online EFL Speaking
Keywords:
Conversational AI; Interactional fluency; Emotion-aware feedback; Real-time speech recognition; Online EFL speaking; AI-mediated scaffolding; Affective learning in CALLAbstract
As conversational artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into language learning, its potential to enhance learners’ interactional fluency—the ability to manage turn-taking, repair breakdowns, and sustain coherent dialogue—remains underexplored. This mixed-methods study investigates the effectiveness of real-time, emotion-aware conversational AI feedback in improving online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ interactional fluency. Fifty intermediate EFL learners participated in an eight-week online speaking program employing an AI system that provided instant feedback on speech rate, pause patterns, and discourse markers, while simultaneously adapting its scaffolding based on learners’ detected emotional states through speech recognition and sentiment analysis. Quantitative analysis of pre- and post-intervention fluency measures indicated significant improvements in turn-transition smoothness, repair efficiency, and overall conversational flow (p < .001, Cohen’s d = 1.12). Qualitative interviews and interaction logs revealed increased learner confidence, reduced communication anxiety, and higher engagement attributed to emotion-responsive feedback. Learners reported that AI-mediated scaffolding created a psychologically safe environment that encouraged experimentation with spontaneous speech. Findings highlight the pedagogical promise of emotion-aware AI tutors as dynamic mediators that bridge linguistic, cognitive, and affective dimensions of fluency development. The study contributes to emerging frameworks in AI-assisted language learning by proposing an integrated model of affective and interactional feedback for online EFL speaking instruction.
References
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. Sage Publications.
Chen, Y., Sun, L., & Li, X. (2024). Emotion-aware AI feedback in second language oral production: Adaptive scaffolding for learner engagement. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 37(2), 225–247. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2024.1234567
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
Derwing, T. M., Munro, M. J., & Thomson, R. I. (2009). The role of practice in L2 pronunciation development: A longitudinal study. Language Learning, 59(1), 123–157. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9922.2009.00519.x
Dewaele, J. M., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2019). The interplay of emotions and cognition in second language learning: An affective-cognitive integration model. Language Teaching Research, 23(3), 345–364. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168818779518
Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74(1), 59–109. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543074001059
Han, J., & Xu, Q. (2023). AI-assisted speaking practice and pronunciation development in EFL learners. ReCALL, 35(1), 65–82. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344022000145
Horwitz, E. K. (2016). Foreign language anxiety: What we know and what we can do. Routledge.
Kohnke, L., MacDonald, K., & Liu, H. (2024). Conversational AI in online EFL classes: Engagement and fluency outcomes. Language Learning & Technology, 28(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.llt.2024.03.004
Lennon, P. (2000). The lexical element in spoken second language fluency. Language Learning, 50(3), 417–463. https://doi.org/10.1111/0023-8333.00123
Li, W., & Wong, T. (2023). Intelligent tutoring systems in EFL speaking: Opportunities and challenges. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 36(4), 410–431. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2023.1987654
MacIntyre, P. D., & Gregersen, T. (2021). Affect in language learning: Current insights and future directions. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 41, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190521000013
Nakano, Y., Suzuki, H., & Takahashi, R. (2023). Affective AI tutors for L2 oral practice: Enhancing engagement and fluency. Language Learning & Technology, 27(2), 45–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.llt.2023.05.006
Rahimi, M., & Fathi, J. (2022). Online EFL speaking instruction: Challenges and strategies in virtual classrooms. English Language Teaching, 15(3), 22–34. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v15n3p22
Saito, K. (2021). Fluency-focused instruction for EFL learners: Evidence from classroom studies. TESOL Quarterly, 55(1), 75–97. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.3001
Segalowitz, N. (2010). Cognitive bases of second language fluency. Routledge.
Skehan, P. (2020). Task-based language learning and teaching: Revisiting interactional fluency. Language Teaching, 53(2), 159–180. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444819000425
Sun, L., & Li, X. (2023). Emotion-adaptive feedback in AI-mediated language learning: Implications for fluency and engagement. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, 13(2), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJCALLT.20230401
Tavakoli, P., & Wright, C. (2020). Interactional fluency in second language speaking: Conceptualization, measurement, and pedagogical applications. Language Teaching Research, 24(5), 643–667. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168819881995
van Lier, L. (2004). The ecology and semiotics of language learning: A sociocultural perspective. Springer.
Yao, Q., & Lee, S. (2023). Chatbot-mediated speaking practice for EFL learners: Interactional gains and learner perceptions. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 36(5), 555–578. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2023.2034567
Yuan, R., & Kim, H. J. (2024). Conversational AI as a virtual interlocutor in EFL learning: Pedagogical opportunities and limitations. ReCALL, 36(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344024000031
Zhang, H., & Lin, F. (2022). Real-time AI feedback and oral fluency in EFL learners: An experimental study. Language Learning & Technology, 26(3), 34–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.llt.2022.04.007
Zou, W., Wang, X., & Chen, L. (2022). AI in second language oral training: A systematic review. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 35(6), 789–812. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2022.2039876
Published
Citation Check
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Mohammad Mahdi Shahrabadi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Content Licensing, Copyright, and Permissions
1. License
Journal of English as A Foreign Language Teaching and Research has CC-BY NC or an equivalent license as the optimal license for the publication, distribution, use, and reuse of scholarly work for non-commercial purpose. The non-commercial use of the article will be governed by the Creative Commons Attribution license as currently displayed on Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Creative Commons License
2. Author’s Warranties
The author warrants that the article is original, written by stated author(s), has not been published before, contains no unlawful statements, does not infringe the rights of others, is subject to copyright that is vested exclusively in the author and free of any third party rights, and that any necessary written permissions to quote from other sources have been obtained by the author(s).
3. User Rights
Journal of English as A Foreign Language Teaching and Research objective is to disseminate articles published are as free as possible. Under the Creative Commons license, this journal permits users to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work for non-commercial purposes only. Users will also need to attribute authors and this journal on distributing works in the journal.
4. Rights of Authors
Authors retain the following rights:
Copyright, and proprietary rights relating to the article, such as patent rights,
The right to use the substance of the article in future own works, including lectures and books, The right to reproduce the article for own purposes, The right to self-archive the article, the right to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the article's published version (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal (Journal of English as A Foreign Language Teaching and Research ).
The author has a non-exclusive publishing contract with a publisher and the work is published with a more restrictive lisence, the author retains all the rights to publish the work elsewhere, including commercially, because she/he is not subject to the conditions of her / his own license, regardless of the type of CC license chosen.
5. Co-Authorship
If the article was jointly prepared by other authors, the signatory of this form warrants that he/she has been authorized by all co-authors to sign this agreement on their behalf, and agrees to inform his/her co-authors of the terms of this agreement.
6. Termination
This agreement can be terminated by the author or Journal of English A Foreign Language Teaching and Research upon two months’ notice where the other party has materially breached this agreement and failed to remedy such breach within a month of being given the terminating party’s notice requesting such breach to be remedied. No breach or violation of this agreement will cause this agreement or any license granted in it to terminate automatically or affect the definition of Journal of English A Foreign Language Teaching and Research.
7. Royalties
This agreement entitles the author to no royalties or other fees. To such extent as legally permissible, the author waives his or her right to collect royalties relative to the article in respect of any use of the article by This agreement can be terminated by the author or Journal of English A Foreign Language Teaching and Research upon two months’ notice where the other party has materially breached this agreement and failed to remedy such breach within a month of being given the terminating party’s notice requesting such breach to be remedied. No breach or violation of this agreement will cause this agreement or any license granted in it to terminate automatically or affect the definition of Journal of English A Foreign Language Teaching Research .
8. Miscellaneous
Journal of English A Foreign Language Teaching Research will publish the article (or have it published) in the journal if the article’s editorial process is successfully completed and Journal of English A Foreign Language Teaching Researcht or its sublicensee has become obligated to have the article published. Journal of English A Foreign Language Teaching Research may conform the article to a style of punctuation, spelling, capitalization, referencing and usage that it deems appropriate. The author acknowledges that the article may be published so that it will be publicly accessible and such access will be free of charge for the readers.
