Ghobrini Rafik El Amine

AI-DRIVEN GAME-BASED LEARNING FOR DEVELOPING EFL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Hafsa Abbou¹; Ghobrini Rafik El Amine²; Zouar Houda²

This pedagogical action research explores the experiences of learning among master students with a particular focus on the integration of AI in oral expression module. While there is a growing awareness of the role of AI in enhancing language skills among English language university students, little is known about its use within the Algerian context to enhance students speaking skills particularly when English is becoming a primordial language in Algeria. This study was guided by sociocultural theory of Vygotsky as well as Gamification and motivation theory to explore the extent to which the learning experiences within oral expression module is mediated and supported through AI-generated games. To this end, observation and questionnaires were collected from 30 master students. The analysis of the data reported an increased students' engagement, peer collaboration and a greater willingness to participate in speaking activities. These findings suggest that integrating AI-driven gamified tools can create a more dynamic and supportive environment for developing oral proficiency in English. This study holds relevance for higher education contexts seeking to ethically integrate AI into Oral Expression classrooms, particularly in settings undergoing a linguistic shift where English is emerging as a primary language of instruction and communication.