AI-assisted speaking practice for EFL learners: effects on anxiety, enjoyment, and engagement compared to traditional teacher-led practice

Abstract Although recent studies have demonstrated the potential of AI chatbots in reducing foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA) and enhancing positive emotions, significant gaps remain in the literature. Most previous research has examined anxiety, enjoyment, and engagement in isolation, with few studies investigating their dynamic interplay within a single intervention. Moreover, speaking, the skill most susceptible to anxiety, has received comparatively less attention in AI intervention research compared to writing. To address these gaps, this quasi-experimental study compares AI-assisted and teacher-led English speaking practice in their effects on Chinese EFL learners’ foreign language speaking anxiety (FLSA), foreign language enjoyment (FLE), and L2 engagement. Seventy-one first-year undergraduates from two intact classes were nonrandomly allocated to an EG ( n = 36; AI chatbot practice) or a control group ( n = 35; teacher-led practice) and followed the same 12-week syllabus. The EG practiced speaking with an AI chatbot, whereas the control group completed parallel activities under teacher guidance. Pretest–posttest surveys assessed FLSA, FLE, and engagement. One-way ANCOVAs that controlled for baseline scores showed a significant reduction in posttest speaking anxiety for the AI group relative to the control. Both groups reported gains in FLE and engagement; however, between-group differences on these two outcomes were not statistically significant. Within-group analyses indicated a significant decline in anxiety and substantial improvements in FLE and engagement for the AI group, while the control group showed only modest gains in engagement. Overall, the results suggest that AI chatbots can meaningfully reduce FLSA and bolster positive emotional engagement, consistent with Positive Psychology perspectives. Pedagogically, integrating AI tools into speaking curricula may help create a low-pressure, interactive environment that balances anxiety reduction with enjoyment-enhancing strategies, thereby fostering more resilient and engaged EFL learners.