EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) ON THE LISTENING SKILLS OF ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) LEARNERS

Abstract

The introduction of Artificial Intelligence has profoundly influenced language education by improving the listening practice of students who learn English as a second language. The research explores how AI-enabled tools affect ESL students' listening skill development with a special focus on speech recognition software and two additional tools that include virtual tutors and TTS systems. The research applied a quasi-experimental setup through which students in the experimental group worked with AI tools during their instruction yet students in the control group practiced standard listening techniques. The experimental group participants outperformed controls by exhibiting enhanced listening comprehension scores that increased by 26.15 points rather than the 8.30-point rise of controls during post-testing. Research data verifies that AI tools generate customized learning environments that combine immediate feedback with interactive sessions which boost listening abilities significantly. The evaluators encountered issues in AI's dependency on algorithms and problems with automatic speech recognition during the analysis. The research findings demonstrate that ESL listening instruction will achieve maximum optimization when AI technology unites with established instructional methods. AI language acquisition research has significant implications for education professionals and government officials and academic researchers who need to utilize balanced advising approaches to maximize the benefits of AI systems. Researchers should investigate over time how AI interventions affect students' listening skills and their progress toward fluency through future studies.