Exploring EFL Students’ Needs Toward An Ai-Based Mobile Application For Speaking Practice

Abstract

Speaking remains one of the most challenging skills for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners due to speaking anxiety, lack of confidence, pronunciation difficulties, limited vocabulary, and insufficient opportunities for speaking practice. Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been widely integrated into language learning, most previous studies have focused on evaluating the effectiveness of AI-assisted tools rather than examining learners’ needs toward such technologies. Therefore, this study aims to identify EFL learners’ needs toward AI-based mobile speaking applications through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR). This study employed a qualitative approach using the SLR method. Twenty peer-reviewed studies published between 2021 and 2026 were selected from Google Scholar, Scopus, and Publish or Perish databases and analyzed using thematic analysis.The findings revealed three major themes: (1) common speaking challenges experienced by EFL learners, including anxiety, low confidence, pronunciation difficulties, and limited speaking opportunities; (2) learners’ needs for immediate feedback, personalized learning support, flexible access, autonomous practice, and anxiety-reducing learning environments; and (3) technology acceptance factors, particularly perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Based on these findings, a learner-centered conceptual framework called SpeakEZ is proposed to support future AI-based speaking applications. This study contributes to AI-assisted language learning by providing a comprehensive synthesis of learners’ needs and practical implications for developing learner-centered speaking technologies.