THE EFFICACY OF GENERATIVE AI AGENTS IN ENHANCING L2 SPEAKING FLUENCY: A 2026 CALL STUDY
Keywords:
generative AI, CALL, L2 speaking fluency, artificial intelligence in education, EFL learnersAbstract
The rapid development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), particularly in the domain of second language (L2) speaking. This 2026 quasi-experimental study investigates the efficacy of generative AI conversational agents in enhancing L2 speaking fluency among university-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Sixty undergraduate students enrolled in an English Philology program were divided into experimental and control groups. Over a 12-week intervention period, the experimental group engaged in structured AI-mediated speaking tasks using a generative AI agent, while the control group followed traditional communicative speaking instruction. Pre- and post-tests measured fluency indicators, including speech rate, mean length of run, pause frequency, and repair phenomena. Quantitative findings revealed statistically significant improvements in the experimental group across all fluency measures (p < .05). Qualitative data from learner reflections indicated increased speaking confidence, reduced anxiety, and enhanced lexical retrieval speed. The results suggest that generative AI agents can function as effective supplementary tools for improving L2 speaking fluency in university contexts. Pedagogical implications and directions for future research are discussed.
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