USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS IN IMPROVING IELTS READING SKILLS AMONG INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS: A STUDY OF HYDERABAD

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming more and more popular in the field of English language teaching (ELT), but the potential of using AI in ELT classrooms for IELTS preparation in Pakistani college settings needs to be demonstrated locally. The subject of this study is the application of AI activities by teachers for the improvement of IELTS reading skills of intermediate students in Hyderabad, Pakistan. The design is a mixed-method quasi-experimental design with forty students being distributed in two groups: control and experimental. The experimental group was taught conventional IELTS reading while the experimental group was provided with structured AI-assisted reading tasks that provided feedback on the explanation of words, paraphrase recognition, passage simplification, question-type analysis, and guided feedback. Pre-test, post-test, perception questionnaire, classroom observation, and learner reflections were the methods used in the collection of data. The data collected were quantitative and qualitative; quantitative data were analysed by descriptive statistics and t-test, while qualitative data were coded thematically. The findings indicated that the students in the AI-assisted group achieved higher improvements in vocabulary recognition, accuracy of comprehension, ability to infer meaning, reading confidence, and participation in class compared to those of the traditional teaching group. Based on the study, it is concluded that although AI tools are not a replacement for teachers, textbooks, or self-study, they can complement those methods and enhance the IELTS reading preparation in Pakistan.