Presentation Speaking Without Fear: Action Research on Using AI Speak-Mode to Lower Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety more

Foreign language anxiety (FLA), particularly related to speaking, remains a persistent challenge among Asian learners of foreign languages. With the rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (AI), language education is undergoing substantial transformation. Among emerging tools like ChatGPT, especially its Speak Mode, provides real-time, low-stakes, and judgment-free interaction, offering learners opportunities for spontaneous oral practice that may relieve speaking-related anxiety. This study examines the effects of ChatGPT Speak Mode on FLA among beginner-level Japanese as a Foreign Language (JFL) learners. Two research questions guide the inquiry: (1) Does sustained AI-mediated speaking practice reduce learners’ FLA? and (2) How do learners perceive the affordances and limitations of AI-based speaking practice? Employing a quasi-experimental design, the study involves approximately 55 first-year students enrolled in beginner Japanese conversation courses at a private university in northern Taiwan. Over two semesters (32 weeks), participants engage in regular dialogue practice using ChatGPT Speak Mode. Quantitative data are collected through pre- and post-intervention FLA questionnaires and analyzed using paired-samples t-tests, while qualitative data are examined through thematic analysis. The findings aim to contribute empirical evidence to the underexplored area of long-term AI integration in JFL instruction and offer pedagogical implications for reducing speaking anxiety in foreign language classrooms.