Exploring the integration of artificial intelligence in enhancing English speaking skills: an experimental study at Secondary school level in Punjab, Pakistan

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into education is expanding rapidly, particularly in the area of language learning. This study examined the effectiveness of Chat GPT assisted learning module in enhancing speaking skills (in terms of range, accuracy, fluency, interaction and coherence) at secondary level. True-experimental design was employed, included fifty female students of 9th grade from a public school who were randomly assigned to experimental and control group. Speaking proficiency was evaluated with the support of ChatGPT, using the Common European Framework of Reference scale. Independent t- test was employed to compare the effectiveness of both methods. The findings show that the experimental group outperformed the control group in both monologue and dialogue tasks, with notable improvements in broad lexical range, grammatical accuracy, fluent speech, interactive engagement, and coherence. These results underscore the potential of AI-driven tools like ChatGPT to improve speaking skills and help bridge the gap between existing speaking proficiency levels and international language standards.