Siri As a Tool for Speaking Practice: A Case Study of EFL Learner Interaction with Intelligent Assistants
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26418/jeep.v6i2.89121Keywords:
Intelligent personal assistant, autonomous learning, Siri, speaking skillsAbstract
This study explored the experience of an EFL learner, Emily, a non-native English Speaker who has utilized Apple"™s Siri since 2015 for a wide range of daily talks as a complementary language learning tool for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and log conversations with Siri. The findings show Emily"™s experience with Siri. The study found that Emily frequently used Siri with a wide range of utilization such as basic voice commands to aid her in writing and sending text messages, searching for learning resources, and setting her schedule. In addition, the study also revealed that Siri has facilitated Emily through its voice control abilities in providing a feedback mechanism. Emily often clarified, rephrased, or repeated the command when Siri could not understand it. Emily can see the voice control display screen on her Apple device, which provides a visual transcript of the performance flow alongside audible responses from Siri. However, the study also identified challenges associated with using Siri, such as the misunderstandings of requests due to pronunciation issues and Siri"™s limitations in handling complex requests. Overall, this research contributes valuable insights into the benefits and limitations of using general-purpose AI tools like Siri to support language learning.References
Alaeifard, M., Safaei, M., & Zadeh, E. K. (2024). Advancing human-agent interaction: Bridging the gap between vision and reality. International Journal of Advanced Human-Computer Interaction, 1(1).
Alonto, A. (2024). Prospects of the use of Mobile-Assisted LanguageLearning (MALL) applications in public speaking courses. Journal of English Education Program, 5(1), 121–131. http://dx.doi.org/10.26418/jeep.v5i1.72334
Arend, B. (2018). Hey Siri, what can I tell about Sancho Panza in my presentation? Investigating Siri as a virtual assistant in a learning context. INTED2018 Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2018.1874
Arend, B., & Fixmer, P. (2018). Hey Siri, you are challenging the interface between the oral and the written. Some basic reflections on voice-controlled natural language human-Siri talk. In EDULEARN18 Proceedings (pp. 4498-4504). IATED.
Bueno Alastuey, M. C. (2011). Perceived benefits and drawbacks of synchronous voice-based computer-mediated communication in the foreign language classroom. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 24(5), 419-432. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2011.574639
Chujo, J. (2021). The affective benefits of speech recognition systems on pronunciation monitoring. CALL and professionalisation: short papers from EUROCALL 2021, 57. https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2021.54.1309
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications.
Daley, S., & Pennington, J. (2020). Alexa the teacher's pet? a review of research on virtual assistants in education. EdMedia+ innovate learning, 138-146.
Daniels, P., & Iwago, K. (2017). The suitability of cloudbased speech recognition engines for language learning. The JALT CALL Journal, 13(3), 229-239. https://doi.org/10.29140/jaltcall.v13n3.220
Dewi, R. F., Fajriyah, L., & Abidah, D. Y. (2024). EFL students’ perceptions on the use of Instagram to foster learner autonomy in speaking. Journal of English Education Program, 5(2), 192-203. https://doi.org/10.26418/jeep.v5i2.72217
Dizon, G., & Tang, D. (2020). Intelligent personal assistants for autonomous second language learning: An investigation of Alexa. The JALT Call Journal, 16(2), 107-120. https://doi.org/10.29140/jaltcall.v16n2.273
Dizon, G. (2023). Affordances and constraints of intelligent personal assistants for second-language learning. RELC journal, 54(3), 848-855. https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882211020548
Duff, P. A. (2014). Case study research on language learning and use. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 34, 233-255. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0267190514000051
Flick, U. (2022). An introduction to qualitative research. SAGE Publications.
Galvan-Romero, W. (2022, April). The role of intelligent personal assistants in migrant learners’ willingness to communicate in English as a second language. In CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Extended Abstracts (pp. 1-4). https://doi.org/10.1145/3491101.3503818
Katsarou, E., Wild, F., Sougari, A. M., & Chatzipanagiotou, P. (2023). A systematic review of voice-based intelligent virtual agents in EFL education. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 18(10), 65-85. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v18i10.37723
McMullin, C. (2023). Transcription and qualitative methods: Implications for third sector research. VOLUNTAS: International journal of voluntary and nonprofit organizations, 34(1), 140-153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-021-00400-3
Morgan, H. (2022). Conducting a qualitative document analysis. The qualitative report, 27(1), 64-77. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5044
Moussalli, S., & Cardoso, W. (2020). Intelligent personal assistants: Can they understand and be understood by accented L2 learners?. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 33(8), 865-890. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2019.1595664
Lai, C., & Gu, M. (2011). Self-regulated out-of-class language learning with technology. Computer assisted language learning, 24(4), 317-335.
Ruslin, R., Mashuri, S., Rasak, M. S. A., Alhabsyi, F., & Syam, H. (2022). Semi-structured Interview: A methodological reflection on the development of a qualitative research instrument in educational studies. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education (IOSR-JRME), 12(1), 22-29. https://doi.org/10.9790/7388-1201052229
Utari, L. W., Salam, U., Ikhsanudin, I., & Rosnija, E. (2022). Speaking anxiety in oral presentation of EFL students. Journal of English as a Foreign Language Education, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.26418/jefle.v3i2.61253
Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and application. Sage Publications.
Zhang, X., & Lee, S. K. (2024). “Sorry, I Don’t Understand…â€: effects of task type, personality presentation and performance error on user trust of a personal digital assistant. Information Technology & People, 37(8), 154-174. https://doi.org/10.1108/itp-01-2022-0058
Downloads
Additional Files
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of English Education Program
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright aims to protect the specific way the article has been written to describe an experiment and the results. Journal of English Education Program (JEEP) is committed to its authors to protect and defend their work and their reputation and takes allegations of infringement, plagiarism, ethical disputes, and fraud very seriously. Under the terms of the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), author(s) retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication (online and print) with the work simultaneously. We use the ShareAlike (SA) component in addition to the Attribution (BY) and NonCommercial (NC) components, as follows:
BY (attribution): Users are allowed to share, distribute, and redistribute the published article in any medium or format, with identification of the authors and its initial publication in this journal. Authors are encouraged to post and distribute their articles immediately after publication (e.g., institutional or public repositories, personal websites). Authors are allowed to enter into additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the published article and an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
NC (non-commercial): Users are not allowed to use the article commercially without the permission of the authors. Authors agree explicitly that the published article is indexed worldwide in databases, repositories, and indexation services, even if these services operate on a commercial basis. Authors grant Journal of English Education Program (JEEP) explicit the right to include the published articles in databases, repositories, and indexation services.
SA (ShareAlike): If user(s) remix, transform, or build upon the material, they must distribute their contributions under the same license as the original (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).
