Chatgpt para la práctica oral del idioma inglés en estudiantes de pedagogía de los idiomas nacionales y extranjeros

Resumen

The growing use of artificial intelligence among English language students raised the need to understand how they viewed the tool as support for speaking practice. The study aimed to describe prior use and perceptions of ChatGPT among students enrolled in the Pedagogy of National and Foreign Languages program. In December 2025, a quantitative, nonexperimental, cross-sectional, and descriptive study was conducted with 30 fourth-semester students at Universidad Estatal del Sur de Manabí. A structured digital questionnaire consisting of seven closed-ended items examined prior use, acceptance, perceived usefulness, and self-assessments related to speaking practice. Twenty-four students (80.0%) reported previous use of ChatGPT; 26 (86.7%) expressed a favorable view of the tool, indicated that they would recommend it, and perceived the feedback it can provide as clear and useful. In addition, 20 participants (66.7%) believed it could support greater fluency and fewer pauses, 24 (80.0%) perceived support for better organization of ideas, and all 30 stated that they could maintain basic conversations. The findings reflect favorable perceptions rather than demonstrated effects or an objective assessment of speaking competence. ChatGPT may be considered a complementary resource when its use is guided by communicative purposes and teacher mediation.