Reducing Foreign Language Anxiety Through AI-Mediated Speaking Practice in the USA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21453536Keywords:
foreign language anxiety, AI-mediated speaking practice, adult ESL, technology-enhanced language education, USA.Abstract
Foreign language anxiety remains a major barrier to oral participation in technology-enhanced language learning, particularly when learners must speak spontaneously and fear negative evaluation. In the United States, the need for effective English-language support remains substantial: 5.3 million English learners accounted for 10.6% of public school enrollment in fall 2021, and recent university guidance on generative AI has focused primarily on writing rather than speaking. This paper reviews research published between 2022 and 2026 and argues that AI-mediated speaking practice can reduce anxiety by providing low-stakes rehearsal, self-paced repetition, implicit feedback, and psychologically safer interaction. However, the literature also shows that AI speaking assistants may increase cognitive load and anxiety when learners must multitask during communication. The paper synthesizes these findings into practical design implications for adult ESL and other U.S. language-learning contexts.
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