2025, Vol. 7, Issue 3, Part A

Author(s): Maysloon Dawood Salman

Abstract: The present research aimed at investigating the efficacy of AI-based tutors on the improvement of reading comprehension skills by Iraqi EFL college students using Duolingo as a digital tool for learning. Both the research and the participants were from the Department of English, College of Basic Education, University of Maysan, during the academic year 2024-2025. In total, 60 second-year undergraduate students were involved in the study, split into experimentation (n = 30) where students use Duolingo for reading exercises while control (n = 30) still continue in traditional classroom instructions. In assessing the reading comprehension level of students, a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests was employed. The AI-based adaptive learning system in Duolingo includes individualized exercise, real-time feedback, and game-based reading tasks. The quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS 26, with paired sample t-tests and ANOVA to measure significant differences in students' performance. Furthermore complemented by qualitative dimension, that is, semi-structured interviews with five instructors from the English department to elicit their views regarding an AI-assisted reading instruction. Experimental findings indicate that statistically significant improvements in reading speed, vocabulary retention, and inferencing skills were achieved by the experimental group relative to the control group (p<0.05). More so, instructor feedback had pointed to the ability of AI tutors to supplement traditional methods but expressed concerns about the absence of cultural adaptation of the AI generated texts. The research further revealed that AI-based tutors like Duolingo can serve effective supplementary tools for developing EFL reading comprehension in Iraqi college students. Integration, however, has to be carefully planned, aligning with curricular goals and local linguistic contexts.

DOI: 10.33545/27068919.2025.v7.i3a.1393

Pages: 50-57 | Views: 125 | Downloads: 57

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