Mobile-Assisted English-Speaking Practice and Speaking Fluency among Malaysian University Students: The Mediating Role of Speaking Anxiety Reduction and the Moderating Role of Trust in AI Feedback
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66581/r8pfec95Keywords:
Mobile-assisted English-speaking practice, Speaking fluency, Speaking anxiety reduction, Trust in AI feedback, Malaysian university students, PLS-SEMAbstract
Objective: To examine the relationship between mobile-assisted English-speaking practice and self-perceived speaking fluency among Malaysian university students, with speaking anxiety reduction as a mediator and trust in AI feedback as a moderator. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted among 428 undergraduate students from Malaysian higher education institutions who used smartphones or mobile applications to practice English speaking at least once a week during the semester. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to assess the measurement model, direct effects, mediation effects, moderation effects, and conditional indirect effects. Results: Mobile-assisted English-speaking practice was positively associated with self-perceived speaking fluency and speaking anxiety reduction. Speaking anxiety reduction was also positively related to speaking fluency and partially mediated the relationship between mobile-assisted English-speaking practice and speaking fluency. Trust in AI feedback positively moderated the relationship between mobile-assisted English-speaking practice and speaking anxiety reduction, indicating that the relationship was stronger among students with higher levels of trust in AI feedback. The indirect effect of mobile-assisted English-speaking practice on speaking fluency through speaking anxiety reduction was also stronger at higher levels of trust in AI feedback. Conclusion: Mobile-assisted English-speaking practice can improve students perceived speaking fluency partly by reducing speaking anxiety. Trust in AI feedback strengthens this affective mechanism. The study contributes to the technology-assisted language learning literature by explaining how mobile and AI-supported speaking practice can enhance English-speaking outcomes in Malaysian higher education.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Sathis Reddy Bahureddy, Sumaira Zulqarnain, Saralah Devi Mariamdaran Chethiyar, Rajoo Ramanchandram, Revathi Munirathinam (Author)
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