AI Chatbots Learning Model in English Speaking Skill: Alleviating Speaking Anxiety, Boosting Enjoyment, and Fostering Critical Thinking Intan Permata Hapsari!?® and Ting-Ting Wu!) © 1 Graduate School of Technological and Vocational Education, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Yunlin 64002, Taiwan, R. 0. C ttwu@yuntech. edu. tw ? English Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia Abstract. One of the most significant barriers to English leaming for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students is a lack of practice environments. Addi- tionally, in the (EFL) classroom, emotions such as speaking anxiety and language enjoyment may influence students’ performance. It is well established that stu- dents’ achievement is harmed by foreign language anxiety. Artificial Intelligence (AD advancements present an opportunity to solve this issue. All chatbots are capa- ble of deciphering the meanings of users’ comments and responding appropriately and have been built to engage with users using natural language, Language teach- ets and researchers have recommended the use of chatbots as tools of learning that would help to facilitate the implementation of language learning by acting as a speaking partner or tutor, In this research design, AI chatbot is employed in Casual Conversation Course as self-regulated learning for facilitating students speaking performance and interactions during the learning process in a university speaking classroom. By a preceding conversation with AI chatbot, it will alleviate speaking anxiety, boost learning enjoyment, and foster students’ critical thinking. In-depth interviews were delivered to four interviewees to ascertain the designed earning model from the teachers’ viewpoint. The result indicates that the pro- posed model is expected to be able to aid the learning process and so achieve the course’s objectives more effectively than conventional models. Keywords: AI Chatbots - Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety - Learning enjoyment - Critical thinking 1 Introduction The ability to communicate in English has become nearly universal As English has become a worldwide language, speaking English has become a criti- cal skill and a challenge for people all over the world, particularly students [1]. However, © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022 Y.-M. Huang et al. (Bds.): ICITL 2022, LNCS 13449, pp. 444-453, 2022. bttps:/ldoi.org/10,1007/978-3-031-15273-3_49AI Chatbots Learning Model in English Speaking Skill 445 certain English-speaking concerns persist, such as students’ confidence, skills, perfor- mance, and views of low-improvement students’ interaction behaviors, all of which need students to reflect on their practices during peer and instructor conversations [2] Numerous English language students encounter tremendous problems when it comes to learning and using the language, particularly in terms of speaking Itis unsurprising that speaking English as a foreign language in public might be one of the most anxiety-inducing circumstances for Indonesian students. Learning anxiety refers to negative emotions experienced throughout the process of learning, such as fear, worry, and tension [3]. Learner anxiety typically emerges when students believe that their speaking or oral performance is inadequate or unintelligible. Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA) is a multifaceted psychological issue that many students encounter while studying a Foreign Language (FL). This phenomenon has been shown to have a detrimental effect on foreign language learners’ performance. Therefore, how to reduce FLSA becomes one strategy for increasing students’ English proficiency in Indonesia. Motivating students to study a foreign language is crucial and challenging. The implementation of technology-based learning activities could bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world, making English language learning more engaging, enjoyable, and relaxing while boosting motivation [4]. Therefore, it is required to pro- vide students with proper technology and scaffolding tools to aid them in organizing their information in order to improve their speaking skills. According to [5], the need of incorporating artificial intelligence into education to aid in teaching, learning, and decision-making. By integrating AI technologies to provide various learning activities such as (ool, tutor, or tutee, students may be encouraged to generate their opinions, judgements, or predictions. AI chatbots may also be viewed as a tool that is able to provide students with tailored advice, support, or feedback as they learn a language. The usage of artificial intelligence-based chatbots as a versatile tool was deemed to have the potential to increase students’ interactions and performance [6, 7] Positive emotions are now being investigated in studies examining the affective com- ponent of language learning shifting from solely conducting investigation of a negative emotions such as anxiety. A correlation between FL enjoyment and FL classroom anxi- ety, as well as the fact that positive emotions play a significant role in L2 learning as an affective factor [8, 9]. Considering (1) the relevance of cognitive and affective domains in the FL class- room and (2) the potential of Al-chatbots, the purpose of this study is to design a new pedagogical model for teaching speaking using Al-chatbots in order to investigate the cognitive effects on speaking learning and the affective effects on FL speaking anxiety and FL enjoyment that are expected to promote students’ critical thinking. We address the following research questions, hypothesizing that Al-chatbots-based practice has beneficial impacts on both cognitive and affective aspects of language learning: RQI. How is the model of AI Chatbot learning to positively impact students’ affect in EFL learning, as measured by FLSA and FLE? RQ2. How do the teachers value the model of AI Chatbot learning in English speaking class?4461, P. Hapsari and T-T. Wu 2 Literature Review 2.1. FL Classroom Anxiety and FL Enjoyment Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA) has been shown to have a detrimental effect on foreign language learners’ performance. Among the four language skills, speaking is the most anxiety-inducing skill. Elevated levels of FLSA might make it more difficult for earners to communicate effectively and appropriately in the target language. If teachers are aware of and sensitive to the presence of anxiety, they may be able to provide a comfortable and helpful language learning environment. Creating such an environment will encourage active participation and engagement on the part of all students. Also creating a stimulating learning environment will facilitate learners’ comprehension of learning materials and increase their attention and meditation [10]. FL anxiety that is particular to classroom speaking activities is referred to as FL speaking anxiety, and it is likely to hinder students’ speaking competency. In Indonesia, several researches have examined students’ anxiety levels during EFL speaking classes. According to [11], many students experience anxiety during speaking activities, which is exacerbated by the speaking tasks’ requirement that they deliver individually and spontaneously within the allotted time. Additionally, the majority of earners obsess over how to pronounce each English word accurately and how to compose ideal sentences, and even hesitate to speak out of fear of being criticised and laughed at by others when they make errors [12]. These findings are essential because they reveal that language learning occurs not only cognitively, but also emotionally. As a result, an integrated setting is essential for learners to overcome their fear of public speaking and improve their performance. Due to the high level of exposure that today’s learners have to the internet and technology, more attempts have been made to design and implement technology-based tools that assist learners in reducing their speaking fear, Studies that have been conducted relating to the use of technologies such as Podcasts [13], TedTalks [14], WhatsApp [15], Interactive Holographic Learning Support System [16], Automatic Speech Recognition [17], and Al-Chatbots [18] have found that those technologies are effective in partly reducing leamers’ speaking anxiety. The pedagogical implication, [19] postulated that FL teachers should “... strive to boost students’ enjoyment of foreign languages rather than to be overly concerned about their foreign language (classroom) anxieties” (p. 676). Therefore, itis necessary to ascertain whether learners like activities in the FL classroom, This also suggests that teachers are urged to place a higher premium on fostering fun in language acquisition, and that technology is deemed beneficial. 2.2 Al Chatbot in Language Learning Researchers have attempted to use artificial intelligence technology to the development of educational apps due to the rapid advancement of computer technology [20]. Besides, With the proliferation of mobile devices and smartphones, artificial intelligence-based. systems have been adopted to serve as “Smart Learning Partners,” “Smart Teachers,” and “Smart Students” in the educational environment [21]. Among the various interactive computer systems, chatbots can become the most recommended ones due to the factAI Chatbots Learning Model in English Speaking Skill 447 that they use natural language interfaces or even due to the buill-in speech recognition [22]. Moreover, chatbots offer great potential as a tool for language learning and can considerably boost students’ achievement [23]. Chatbots in the context of language teaching can be generally identified in three characteristics. Firstly, chatbots is available anytime in helping students 24/7 [24]. It tremendously aids language acquisition by allowing the students as users to conduct conversational exercises at any time [25] Students can train their language skill with chatbots anytime and anywhere they feel like it, where the human as the communicating partner is not available that easily. Secondly, it can give the students enriching information on their language learning where their language partners may have less or even none of it. In reality, most of their EFL/ESL language partners in communication have a similar level of language mastery, thus the students may not get extra lesson also when they become the language partners for their friends [26]. Meanwhile, a well-designed chatbot can provide more information such as a series of phrases, statements, and vocabularies. Third, chatbots can take on the character of a determined partner. This releases people from answering repeated questions as a partner, which enables continuous language training. Chatbots as a learning partner are able to communicate with the students endlessly that offers chances for the students to keep on practicing using the new language continuously. 2.3 Critical Thinking in Language Learning Critical thinking has been identified as a critical educational objective and is described as reasonable reflective thinking directed toward determining what to believe or do [27] ‘When students rationally and reflectively decide what to do in order to arrive at an acceptable solution to a challenging issue, they exercise critical thinking by evaluating the methods and presuppositions utilised to generate scientific hypotheses. Because one of the main purposes of learning and education is the development of critical thinking abilities, it is vital in today’s educational disciplines to equip students with critical thinking abilities using a variety of processes and approaches. Having appropriate content knowledge is a necessary precondition for critical thinking. If learners lack knowledge or information about the topic, they will be unable to apply critical thinking to the facts; in this situation, they will need to execute the topic in order to determine the optimal solution [28]. In language learning, by allowing learners to learn from the chatbot through their interactions, a chatbot has been utilized to develop critical thinking and aid the user in earning a new language [29]. To assist learners in language learning, a combination of an intelligent tutoring system and learner modelling was used to develop an educational bot [30] As discussed earlier, AI chatbot is a proposed model for instructional approaches that aim to alleviate students’ speaking anxiety and increase their enjoyment, hence promoting students’ critical thinking in English speaking classes. Students’ ideas will be organized, and they will be prepared to create complicated arguments, as in-depth discussions require critical thinking, which increases the quality of interactions and promotes necessary cognitive growth.4481. P. Hapsari and T-T. Wu 3 Conceptual Model 3.1 Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study is to investigate the number of conversations and the effects of conversing with an AI chatbot on speaking anxiety, enjoyment, and critical thinking in EFL speaking class. The shift in students’ critical thinking following their discussion with their friend will be examined to determine the effect of the AI chatbot in their pre-discussion 3.2. A Conceptual Model Using AI Chatbot in Speaking Class The proposed instructional design with AI Chatbot in EFL speaking class (Casual Conversation Course) will be analyzed through the following conceptual model. benno a mmm Pr Vai Arenas] Canal Comeon ‘come Speaking Any erg Enepmnt Chal Tang Fig. 1. The proposed AI chatbots learning model and course outcomes correlation The overall design of the course is intended to support the learning process to meet the course’s objectives or outcomes. As illustrated in Fig. 1, there is a correlation between the proposed learning model’s benefits and the goals or outcomes of the Casual Conversation Course, which contributes to alleviate speaking anxiety, boost learning enjoyment, and foster students’ critical thinking. For the instructional design, topics to discuss will be shared to students by the teacher through the LMS before class. Students are asked to do an online search for information relevant to the discussion topic in preparation for their conversation with a friend. In this stage, students will have a self-regulated learning environment. Having prepared materials to discuss, students are then required to have speaking practice with Al chatbot. Itis expected that by having enjoyment practice with AI chatbot, students will have self-confidence, less speaking anxiety, and more critical thinking when it comes speaking face-to-face with their friend in class, Having students experience speaking face-to-face with a classmate can be utilized to follow up on their thoughts and discussions as they arrive in class by having pre-materials discussed with an AI chatbot. In this session, the term “teacher-centered learning” has been substituted by “student-centered learning,” and teachers’ roles have shifted from “sage on the stage” to “guide on the side." Face-to-face instruction fosters critical think- ing, social learning, and the cultivation of 21st-century skills. Additionally, by incorpo- rating learning activities into the classroom, students develop an awareness of group and individual tasks. Finally, in each class meeting, the AI Chatbot model is intended to be deployed in a real-world class of speakingAI Chatbots Learning Model in English Speaking Skill 449 4 Course Design with AI Chatbot in Speaking Class 4.1 Proposed Participants The model of AI Chatbot is designed to be implemented in the actual class of speaking (Casual Conversation Course). The planned participant will be one to two two-semester period courses in the English Department at a university, each of which will have a single teacher and a small number of students. As university sophomores, all of students have taken Intensive Course Speaking as freshmen, so they are assumed to have the minimum English-speaking skill required for this study. In these two classes, an AI chatbot will be used to assist students with speaking exercises while the teacher teaches the Casual Conversation Course. Before having face-to-face conversation with their friend, students search online information related to the given topic to discuss and then converse with Al chatbot for practice. 4.2. Overall Design Procedure Sal Regulated Learning / Autonomous | Student Centered Leaming at School ‘Assessment ‘Related to the Discussion Topi Fig. 2. Overall design procedure The proposed AI Chatbot learning model in speaking class is illustrated in Fig. 2. Casual Conversation Course will be taught over a one-semester period, which means there will be sixteen meetings (including a mid-term and final test) during which the lecturers will cover a variety of topics. The scenario from the proposed model will be implemented once every sixteen weeks The topics that are selected will be discussed with the English teacher, In the implementation of learning activities, the very first process is self-regulated Jearning/self-autonomous learning. Students who have already obtained the topics through LMS are requested to search online information related to the discussion topic. After having completed information to discuss, each student is required to discuss the topic with AI chatbot. The next phase is in the class in which students will engage in a face-to-face dis- cussion with their friend about the specified topic. This learning activity will focus on a4501. P. Hapsari and TT. Wu student-centered learning environment. Students will share their opinions and ideas and perform discussions to make the discussed topic more understandable. The results of their discussion with AI chatbot added by the discussion in class are expected to foster students’ critical thinking. In the end of learning activities, the teacher will give feed- back to students, During the process of face-to-face discussion in class, the teacher gives evaluation and grade supported by designed assessment tools. In measuring students’ critical thinking, this study will use two instruments: the critical thinking inventory (31) and critical thinking skill test [32]. Meanwhile questionnaire on Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA) modified from [33] and [34] and Foreign Language Enjoy- ment (FLE) based on [8] will also be given to students to measure students’ speaking anxiety and enjoyment while they are using AI chatbot as their partner of discussion in self-autonomous learning environment. 4.3 Assessment Design The study's proposed model focuses on the shift in students’ critical thinking following a discussion with a friend as a result of the AI chatbot’s pre-discussion. The assessment will be based on the following factors for critical thinking: (1) awareness of critical thinking, (2) inquiring mindset, (3) objectivity, and (4) importance of evidence [31] After students are assigned discussion subjects, they are instructed to write down their views and ideas and to conduct an internet search for related information, The students are then demanded to speak with an AI chatbot in order to develop their opinions and thoughts, determine what they already know and what they need to learn, and practice expressing their ideas and thoughts in English. The teacher will observe students’ speaking practices with AI chatbot from the log activity available in the chatbot. After the pre-discussion activities with AI chatbot, later students will have face-to-face discussion with their friend in class, The duration of discussion will last 15 min. The students will be assessed by the teacher for their critical thinking. 5 Result and Discussion In depth-interview was conducted to validate the suggested model of AI Chatbot in the speaking class. As shown in Table 1, the interview included four interviewees. Four lecturers as interviewees teach EFL speaking in their faculties. Prior to the interview, they were informed about the design model for English-language learning via an Al chatbot. Then, they were questioned during a three-part interview. The first session of the interview was intended to elicit general information from the interviewees. Meanwhile, the second and third sessions were used to find out the interviewees’ opinions towards Al chatbot, teaching speaking using AI chatbot, and the proposed learning model. The interview findings indicate that four interviewees believed that AI chatbots are both entertaining and effective teaching tools that are ideal for use in speaking classes. They believe that incorporating an AI chatbot into classroom activities will assist not only teachers but also students in accomodating the process of speaking learning, promoting students’ critical thinking, reducing speaking anxiety, and boosting students’ enjoyment. Moreover, they have the intention to apply AI chatbot to vary their technologies whileAI Chatbots Learning Model in English Speaking Skill 451 ‘Table 1. Interviewee’s information No Participant English Lecturer Teaching chnology Used in Placement Posiod “Teaching Speaking 1 Lecturer A Faculty of Languages 4 years IMS, YouTube and Arts Zoom 2 Lecturer B Faculty of Economics 7 years LMS, Google Classroom, YouTube Zoom Lecturer € Faculty of Sport Sciences 8 years LMS, Zoom 4 LecturerD Faculty of Engineering 9 years Zoom they are teaching speaking class. Since AI chatbot is new technology for them, they need to learn and get accustomed to use it, so it will be effective and improve students’ speaking proficiency. 6 Conclusions The Al chatbot leaning model for English speaking ability is designed to facilitate the learning process and help students achieve the course’s objectives or outcomes more effectively than the conventional learning model. For EFL students, situations involving learning English as a foreign language are prone to arouse anxiety, and ‘speaking’ is regarded as one of the most anxiety-inducing skills. The development of communica- tive language teaching techniques in English classroom and the widespread usage of the English language have raised the demand for effective communication skills, how- ever anxiety among students may block their progress. As a result, language teachers must be aware of their students’ anxiety when learning to speak English to aid them in performing well in the target language. Teachers can use AI chatbots to help students overcome their speaking anxiety. For students who experience severe speaking anxiety, practising English speaking with AI chatbots may be more comfortable and stress-free than speaking in front of a group of individuals. The purpose of this study is to investigate how learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) engage in a discussion in a speaking class (Casual Conversation Course) and how their discussion is influenced by a preceding conversation with an AI chatbot, Preparation through the use of an AI chatbot may result in an increase in conversation during discussions. The first step toward improved interactions and critical thinking is to enhance dialogue. Teachers can assist the uncritical thinkers by introducing AI chatbots as their tutor, tutee, or tool to stimulate them to form opinions, judgments, or predictions, Critical thinking enables learners to go deeper than the surface and information provided by AI chatbots during the pre-discussion There is a connection between the proposed AI chatbot learning model’s benefits and the goals or outcomes of speaking skill in Casual Conversation Course that contributes to alleviate speaking anxiety, to boost learning enjoyment, and to foster critical thinking452.1. P. Hapsari and T-T. Wu to be mastered by the learners. Nonetheless, the teacher's and students’ eagerness and readiness to use AI chatbots as a learning aid would contribute to the proposed model's sucess. The teacher and students are encouraged to undertake works and to be concerned about issues of technology and computer literacy. Acknowledgements. 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