Chatbot and AI Tutoring Tools and Their Effect on French Oral Proficiency Development
Author : Rishav Aryan
Abstract :
The growing availability of conversational artificial intelligence has introduced new possibilities for second language (L2) oral skill development outside the traditional classroom. This paper examines the potential of chatbot and AI-based tutoring tools to support the development of French oral proficiency among adult learners. Drawing on research in computer-assisted language learning (CALL), speech technology, and second language acquisition (SLA) theory, the paper considers how conversational agents affect key components of oral competence: fluency, pronunciation, listening comprehension, and communicative confidence. It proposes a mixed-methods research design suitable for testing these effects empirically, discusses expected outcomes based on related work in the field, and considers the pedagogical, technical, and ethical limitations of relying on artificial interlocutors for oral skill development. The paper concludes that AI tutoring tools show meaningful promise as a supplementary rather than a replacement resource, particularly for learners with limited access to native-speaker interaction, but that their effectiveness depends heavily on design quality, feedback specificity, and integration with human-led instruction.
Keywords :
French as a foreign language, chatbots, artificial intelligence, oral proficiency, computer-assisted language learning, speech technology.
