Navigating autonomy: The teacher's role in developing speaking skills amidst student-led Al learning

Abstract

In the era of Al-powered language models, speaking remains a skill that cannot be mastered easily. While some argue that these technologies may soon replace language teachers, their ability to effectively teach phonological features is a significant issue. This study aims to discover the teacher's role in fostering speaking skills in students amidst the self-directed learning that happens through an Al-integrated application, "SmallTalk2Me". The study collected data from 30 English language teachers in the Colombo district of Sri Lanka through structured interviews that addressed the productivity, and the impact of teacher-led speaking activities compared to student-led Al learning. The responses were based on an administered test conducted and evaluated by the participants to compare teacher-led and Al-integrated speaking activities and subsequently analyzed using thematic analysis. The study found that Al effectively supports speaking skills, whereas the teacher's guidance complements the learning process while evaluating and giving constructive feedback. Even though the teacher's feedback was rated higher in the results, Al was also considered helpful due to its accessibility and immediacy. Furthermore, the study revealed that teachers are predominantly responsible for most phonological aspects when teaching speaking, while only selected features were addressed by Al tools. The findings highlighted students' challenges when they learn to speak using Al-integrated tools while explaining how teachers could address those limitations and encourage students to practice more. The study recommends active teacher involvement to enhance speaking skills, focusing on phonological instruction and providing regular practice and constructive feedback with Al integration.