Habesha Teferi

2 Publications in AERD

Author Publications

To be with artificial intelligence in oral test or not to be: a probe into the traces of success in speaking skill, psychological well-being, autonomy, and academic buoyancy

By Habesha Teferi

There has been a surge in employing artificial intelligence (AI) in all areas of language pedagogy, not the least among them language testing and assessment. This study investigated the effects of AI-powered tools on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners' speaking skills, psychological well-being, autonomy, and academic buoyancy. Using a concurrent mixed-methods design, the study included 28 upper-intermediate EFL students from an Ethiopian university. We gave the Michigan Language Proficiency Test to evaluate degrees of proficiency before the TOEFL iBT speaking section, which used ChatGPT for scoring and feedback. Speaking abilities were assessed using pretests, immediate posttests, and delayed posttests. Furthermore, we evaluated the impacts on psychological well-being, autonomy, and academic buoyancy using narrative frames. We used one-way repeated measurements to examine the quantitative data and thematically evaluated the qualitative data. According to the results, speaking abilities, psychological well-being, learner autonomy, and academic buoyancy showed notable increases. The results suggest that by improving skill development, offering individualized feedback, and meeting students' emotional and psychological needs, AI systems like ChatGPT have the capacity to transform language assessment and pedagogy. Encouraging the incorporation of AI technologies to enhance educational outcomes and provide a more flexible and adaptable learning environment, the study presents important implications for various stakeholders.

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Cultivating EFL learners' productive skills by employing dynamic and non-dynamic assessments: attitude in focus

By Habesha Teferi

In this study, the potential impacts of dynamic assessment (DA) and non-dynamic assessment (non-DA) on Ethiopian EFL students' productive skills were investigated. Additionally, this study examined Ethiopian EFL students' attitudes regarding using DA in their speaking and writing classes. Fifty-three Ethiopian intermediate EFL learners were selected using the convenience sampling method and separated into two groups in order to accomplish these goals. Next, both groups were pretested on two skills of writing and speaking. Then, one group received speaking and writing instruction utilizing DA, whereas the other group received instruction using non-DA. After 16 sessions of training, the groups received writing and speaking posttests, and the DA group also received an attitude questionnaire. The results indicated that there was a significant difference between the speaking and writing posttests of both groups in favor of the experimental group. In fact, the study's findings revealed that the DA group outstripped the non-DA group on the speaking and writing posttests. The outcomes also indicated that the participants of the DA group held positive attitudes toward the AD. It was concluded that using the DA in EFL classes is an effective method for advancing EFL students' English language acquisition. The implications of this research can persuade teachers to apply DA in their teaching process.

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