Content area
This study investigates Saudi female EFL university students' perceptions of ChatGPT as a tool for enhancing reading fluency, a persistent challenge in Saudi EFL education. A quantitative survey of 61 participants assessed ChatGPT across five domains: usability, fluency support, word recognition, engagement, and feedback. Results indicated strong positive perceptions overall (M = 4.53), with the highest ratings for word recognition/comprehension (M = 4.59) and usability (M = 4.56). Feedback (M = 4.54) and engagement (M = 4.50) were also highly valued, though fluency-specific impacts were slightly lower (M = 4.43), implying ChatGPT’s indirect benefits via vocabulary and motivation. The study concludes that ChatGPT effectively complements traditional instruction but recommends structured fluency exercises for optimal outcomes. These findings offer practical insights for EFL educators and underscore the need for longitudinal research on AI’s role in fluency and digital literacy development in reading contexts.
Details
Comprehension;
Fluency;
College students;
Digital literacy;
Artificial intelligence;
Human-computer interaction;
Perceptions;
Second language reading;
Word recognition;
Computer assisted language learning;
Females;
English as a second language instruction;
Reading instruction;
Usability;
Language acquisition;
English as a second language;
University students;
Foreign language learning;
Influence;
Chatbots;
Motivation;
Hypotheses;
Vocabulary development;
Literature reviews;
Education;
Internet;
Teachers;
Teaching;
Acknowledgment;
Vocabulary