ChatGPT-assisted EFL learning beyond the classroom: impact on oral proficiency, enjoyment, and grit

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools offer novel avenues to enhance English as a foreign language (EFL) learning, yet most applications have emphasized text-based tasks, leaving the potential of voice interaction for oral proficiency development underexplored. Oral proficiency, one of the most challenging skills for EFL learners, requires real-time processing and is often hindered by anxiety and limited opportunities for authentic practice. Sustaining oral practice depends not only on linguistic input but also on affective-motivational factors: enjoyment, which reduces anxiety and fosters willingness to communicate, and grit, which supports persistence despite challenges. This mixed-methods study investigated the impact of ChatGPT on oral proficiency, enjoyment, and grit in senior high-school EFL learners. Thirty-three learners participated in voice-based interactions with ChatGPT twice weekly for a semester. Data collection involved pre- and post-tests assessing oral proficiency, surveys measuring foreign language enjoyment and grit, and semi-structured interviews. The results indicated significant improvements in oral proficiency, particularly in fluency and content. Vocabulary and grammar showed moderate improvements, whereas pronunciation gains were limited. Learners also reported higher enjoyment, attributed to ChatGPT’s personalized, responsive, and nonjudgmental interaction style, and increased grit, fostered by their perseverance in refining prompts and resolving misunderstandings. Challenges included overly complex vocabulary, lengthy responses, and the need for learner initiative, which particularly affected lower-proficiency learners. These findings suggest that optimizing the role of ChatGPT in supporting oral proficiency development requires its thoughtful curricular integration, along with educator guidance focused on effective prompt crafting and strategies for overcoming the identified challenges.