This work is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution/NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
International Public License - CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-
sa/4.0/legalcode.es
Sinergias educativas
July - Septiembre Vol. 9 - 3 - 2024
http://sinergiaseducativas.mx/index.php/revista/
eISSN: 2661-6661
revistasinergias@soyuo.mx
Page 107-118
Received: June 3 , 2024
Approved: July 19, 2024
Artificial Intelligence as a digital tool to
improve Listening Skills in English as
Foreign Language
La inteligencia artificial como herramienta digital
para mejorar la comprensión oral en inglés como
lengua extranjera
Brayan Gerónimo Quistial Erazo
*
Andrea Karelys Jiménez Cuello
*
Mayra Lupe Carrión Jiménez
*
Sara Lorena Anaguano Pérez
*
Abstract
The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of the use
of artificial intelligence applications in the English language learning
process to improve listening skills. For this purpose, the application
Lyricstraining was chosen, which offers activities with songs to
listen to and complete the lyrics of the chosen song. The levels range
from basic to advanced, and the ease and flexibility of the application
allows for personalised practice. For data collection, the sample was
taken from 16 first year students of the Instituto ‘Universitario 17 de
julio’ who were given a diagnostic evaluation and in 3 weeks a
second evaluation which proved the hypothesis that the use of the
application improved listening skills. In addition, the use of the
songs also changed the students' attitudes towards language
acquisition. With this we conclude that our study yielded a
* MSc. Universidad Estatal de Milagro (ECUADOR)
Correo: bquistiale@unemi.edu.ec, https://orcid.org/0009-
0008-2327-2144
* MSc. Universidad Estatal de Milagro (ECUADOR)
Correo: ajimenezc13@unemi.edu.ec,
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4596-0753
* MSc. Universidad Estatal de Milagro (ECUADOR)
Correo: mcarrionj3@unemi.edu.ec,
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2607-086X
* MSc. Universidad de Guayaquil (ECUADOR)
Correo: sara.anaguanop@ug.edu.ec,
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4473-2719
Article
Sinergias educativas
July - September Vol. 9 – 3 - 2024
http://sinergiaseducativas.mx/index.php/revista/
108
favourable result regarding the benefits of using technology with
artificial intelligence.
Keywords: songs, Lyricstraining app, artificial intelligence,
listening skills, learning English.
Resumen
El propósito de este trabajo fue evaluar la efectividad del uso de las
aplicaciones con inteligencia artificial en el proceso de aprendizaje
del idioma inglés para mejorar la habilidad de escuchar. Para ello se
escogió la aplicación llamada Lyricstraining que ofrece actividades
con canciones para escuchar y completar la letra de la canción
escogida. Los niveles van desde un nivel básico hasta un avanzado,
la facilidad y flexibilidad de la aplicación permite personalizar la
práctica. Para la recolección de datos, la muestra fue tomada de 16
estudiantes del primer año del Instituto “Universitario 17 de julio” a
quienes se les aplicó una evaluación diagnóstica y en 3 semanas una
segunda evaluación la que comprobó la hipótesis de que el uso de la
aplicación mejoró la habilidad de escuchar. Además, el uso de las
canciones también cambió la actitud de los estudiantes frente a la
adquisición del idioma. Con esto concluimos que nuestro estudio
arrojó un resultado favorable con respecto a los beneficios de usar
tecnología con inteligencia artificial.
Palabras claves: canciones, aplicación Lyricstraining, inteligencia
artificial, habilidad de escucha, aprendizaje del inglés.
Introduction
In today's interconnected world, English proficiency is critical to
academic, career, and social success. Of the four most important
language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), listening
is the foundation of effective communication. However, many EFL
learners struggle to develop listening skills due to factors such as
limited exposure to authentic English input and lack of interactive
learning opportunities.
The purpose of the proposed study is to assess the application of
interactive activities (AI) can be used as an effective teaching
method to improve English language learners' listening skills. AI
includes teaching methods that actively engage students in the
Sinergias educativas
July - September Vol. 9 – 3 - 2024
http://sinergiaseducativas.mx/index.php/revista/
109
learning process through hands-on activities and interaction with
authentic audiovisual materials.
By assessing the impact of AI on the development of listening skills,
this study aims to provide valuable insights into improving current
teaching practices and curriculum development in English language
education. The following reasons emphasize the importance of in-
depth research on this topic:
Importance of teaching:
By examining how AI can effectively improve listening skills,
educators and curriculum developers can adopt evidence-based
strategies that increase student engagement and promote active
learning. This study can make a significant contribution to teaching
practices that prioritize the development of effective communication
skills.
A teacher-centered approach:
By focusing on interactive activities specifically designed to
improve listening skills, this study recognizes students' needs by
providing opportunities for active participation rather than limiting
instruction to passive comprehension tasks or traditional lectures.
Real World Applicability:
Listening is an essential skill not only in educational institutions, but
also in real-life situations such as the professional workplace or
social interaction. By improving students' ability to understand
spoken English through interactive activities, they can gain
important practical communication skills needed for future success.
This study will use quantitative and empirical research methods such
as pre-test, post-test or control groups to ensure methodological rigor
and provide robust evidence. Using these research designs, we aimed
to accurately measure the impact of Lyricstraining applications on
students' listening skills at the Universitario 17 de Julio. In addition,
this approach will allow us to collect reliable data that can support
meaningful conclusions about the effectiveness of using
Lyricstraining to improve listening skills.
English teaching in Ecuador.
It has become indispensable to have a second language or at least to
possess an intermediate level at it. The English language in Ecuador
is fundamental within the educational system and not only in this
country. It has turned into an important language worldwide to the
Sinergias educativas
July - September Vol. 9 – 3 - 2024
http://sinergiaseducativas.mx/index.php/revista/
110
point of currently being known as the so-called “universal
language”. According to Smitha N. y John P. (2020) The Old,
Middle and Modern English has the influence of language families
such as the Germanic where the modern English was formed from
the dialect spoken by their tributes (p 6.)
The research made by the “El Comercio” diary (El déficit de
profesores de inglés es un problema que viene desde 1950, 2014) the
history of the English Language in Ecuador data since the 90s. In
1912 for the first time it was brought into a classroom as a signature,
yet it was not until almost 40 years later that it was included in the
National curriculum. In response to this situation, an innovative and
challenging Curriculum Reform was launched by the Ministry of
Education of Ecuador; it will also contribute to the development of
the learning process of English which was labeled as CRADLE in
July 1992. The campaign was addressed to secondary schools
throughout the country. With the objective to develop students'
knowledge of English. and ensure that they achieve a B2 level in
English upon graduation.
Listening Skills
Regardless of the subject or field of study, listening skills are crucial
to communicate. Good listening skills enable students to understand
and follow instructions effectively. Whether it is homework
instructions, lectures, or teacher explanations and other spoken texts,
being able to listen carefully helps students understand information
accurately.
Active listening allows students to absorb information from a variety
of sources, such as teachers, classmates, guest speakers, or audio-
visual materials. It helps to acquire new knowledge and deepen
understanding of various subjects. Moreover, effective listening
allows students to analyze and evaluate the information presented in
a discussion or debate, thereby promoting critical thinking. This
allows them to build a reasoned argument based on what they hear.
Listening is essential when interacting in the real world, whether in
our mother tongue or in a second language. Listening is a
fundamental aspect of effective communication (Creswell, 2014). It
allows individuals to understand and respond to verbal messages
accurately, leading to successful interactions and relationships.
Effective communication involves not only expressing oneself
clearly but also understanding others' perspectives, ideas, and
emotions. Listening allows individuals to process information
Sinergias educativas
July - September Vol. 9 – 3 - 2024
http://sinergiaseducativas.mx/index.php/revista/
111
accurately and respond thoughtfully, leading to successful
interactions and relationships.
Listening is necessary when resolving conflicts, both in the
educational setting and in the real world. For this, it is important that
students have a good understanding. Active listening plays a crucial
role in problem-solving by ensuring that all relevant information is
gathered before making decisions or finding solutions (Thompson &
Phillips-Jones, 2017). When individuals engage in active listening,
they are better able to understand the perspectives, concerns, and
ideas of others, which is essential for gathering all relevant
information before making decisions or finding solutions.
Artificial intelligence
For several decades, we have been experiencing the impact of
technology in different areas of human life. Of course, the field of
education is one of the most influential. “The technology is
concerned with building intelligent entities, capable of computing
how to act effectively in a wide variety of novel situations, by
perceiving, understanding, predicting and manipulating a complex
external world (Russell & Norvig, 2022: 19).
This entire technological revolution has been in constant change,
creating increasingly sophisticated tools every day. The objective of
this article is to look at the existing literature on the use of artificial
intelligence that supports it. “Artificial intelligence is one of the
branches of computer science that has aroused the most interest
today, due to its enormous field of application” (Ponce J. and others.
2014: p. 15)
Artificial intelligence has led to the emergence of new tools such as
innovative applications that, despite having existed for a few years,
have been shown to enhance many aspects of education. Artificial
intelligence offers the potential for an adaptive and personalized
learning process so the integration of AI makes available many
possibilities for fostering the skills when they are not exposed to the
environment where they can practice. Additionally, the use of AI and
its effectiveness with the skills promotes learners’ autonomy because
learners can access the resources and receive feedback as a result,
the learners can acquire long term language proficiency. Feedback
personalization based on student profiles also makes the message
more relatable to students (Pechenizkiy et al., 2008; Ray & Saeed,
2018).
Sinergias educativas
July - September Vol. 9 – 3 - 2024
http://sinergiaseducativas.mx/index.php/revista/
112
Finally, a comprehensive exploration of the role of AI in developing
English language learners’ communication skills contribute to the
educators and researchers about the potential benefits associated
with the integration of AI tools.
Language Exposure.
When a student is learning a new language, exposure to the language
plays a very important role. People learn a language because of the
communicative need. “When learners are more exposed to spoken
English, they can more know and get used to its pitch, intonation,
stress, redundancy, and clusters” (Gilakani, 2016, p.1971). For
example, when a person moves to a country where a different
language is spoken, he or she learns to speak that language out of
necessity and exposure to it. However, to speak a foreign language
wouldn't be possible if listening skills hadn't been acquired first.
Language acquisition
According to Krashen (2022) “the language acquisition happens
automatically by listening”. Hence, listening skills are considered
extremely important to acquire a language because it is the receptive
ability that the learners use when their learning process is beginning.
Comprehension
It is very important that students learn to acquire and analyze
information, instead of storing it. “Comprehension includes
perception, analysis and use. Perceptual processing is the encoding
of auditory or written messages, including phoneme fragments, into
continuous speech. A person pays special attention to the input, and
the sound is stored in memory” (Gilakani, 2016, p.1971). In this
way, students will be able to communicate effectively inside and
outside of the classroom. To achieve this goal, tools must be
implemented that help develop the learner's listening skills.
Input hypothesis
“The integrated input hypothesis states that acquirers must
understand input language that contains structures beyond their
current level of ability” (Krashen, 1982, p 10-32). Krashen's input
hypothesis states that language acquisition occurs when learners are
exposed to meaningful language input slightly above their current
level of proficiency, leading to the natural development of speaking
skills. Krashen believes that this type of input can help students
internalize language rules and patterns without explicit instructions,
ultimately improving their speaking skills.
Sinergias educativas
July - September Vol. 9 – 3 - 2024
http://sinergiaseducativas.mx/index.php/revista/
113
Lyrics-training Application
Lyric Training is an engaging free educational technology resource
that includes music videos in multiple languages, along with lyrics
and advanced technology that tracks every word. The lyrics are
written into the music video, which means that each user can find
individual lines of lyrics on the 21 mobile screen, which will
gradually scroll up from the bottom as the video plays (Quisnia,
2020, p.20).
Instructions of the game.
There are four levels of difficulty on this platform: beginner,
intermediate, advanced and expert. For better performance, it is
recommended that the student starts playing at the beginner level.
Once the student has passed the intermediate level and has become
familiar with the lyrics of the song, he or she can move on to the next
level.
Beginner level:
“Users with less advanced vocabulary can choose the beginner level
and start filling in the missing 39 words out of the 385 words in each
music video” (Quisnia, 2020, p.21).
Intermediate level:
“Users with sufficient vocabulary and listening skills can choose the
medium level to complete the missing 75 words out of the total 385
words in the lyrics” (Quisnia, 2020, p.21).
Advanced level:
“People with sufficient listening, vocabulary and writing skills can
choose the highest level of the game to fill in the missing 148 words
from the movie's 385 words” (Quisnia, 2020, p.21).
Expert level:
“People who excel in foreign languages and have developed skills in
their chosen language can choose the Expert level to fill in the 385
missing words in the 385 song lyrics” (Quisnia, 2020, p.21).
Each time the student tries to play the game again, the missing words
change randomly. To complete the missing words, the device's
cursor is automatically positioned where the student needs to write
each word, without the need to type spaces. If the student misspells
a letter, the song stops until the player guesses correctly. There is a
limit of misspells allowed to commit, the same one shown above.
Sinergias educativas
July - September Vol. 9 – 3 - 2024
http://sinergiaseducativas.mx/index.php/revista/
114
Each time the student makes a mistake, the number of errors allowed
decreases.
Materials and methods
As the topic of this research work contains two variables, the
authors conducted an experimental research which is a study
conducted with a scientific approach using two sets of variables. In
this kind of research work, researchers can also collect detailed
information about the participants by doing pre-tests and post-tests
to learn even more information about the process.
Experimental research can be both qualitative and quantitative
according to the nature of the study. According to this research
study, the authors applied AI tools, so it is considered to be an
experimental-quantitative research work.
Quantitative research allows researchers to measure and analyze
numerical data using statistical techniques, allowing them to identify
patterns and relationships in large data sets. "In quantitative research,
statistical methods are used to measure and analyze numerical data,
allowing us to identify patterns and relationships within large
datasets" (Creswell 2011, p.101). This approach also facilitates the
use of structured tools such as surveys or experiments to identify
variables and test hypotheses. In this research, the quantitative
analysis of the results can be carried out by applying the final
evaluation after the students used the Lyricstraining application.
For this study, qualitative, descriptive, documentary and field
research was considered. According to Guevara, (2020) descriptive
research aims to describe the fundamental characteristics of
homogeneous sets of phenomena. To do so, it uses systematic
criteria that allow the structure or behaviour of the phenomena under
study to be established, providing information that is systematic and
comparable with that from other sources. For his part, Mata, (2019)
mentions that the qualitative approach assumes a subjective,
dynamic reality composed of a multiplicity of contexts that
Sinergias educativas
July - September Vol. 9 – 3 - 2024
http://sinergiaseducativas.mx/index.php/revista/
115
prioritises the deep and reflexive analysis of the subjective and
intersubjective meanings that are part of the realities studied.
As for documentary research, Rus (2023) indicates that it consists of
collecting data from different media such as newspapers,
bibliographies, videos, audios and any other type of document with
the aim of analysing them in order to provide new knowledge on the
topic to be investigated. Also field research deals with the collection
of data in real, uncontrolled environments outside the workplace
(Cajal, 2023).
For the application of the assessment, a checklist was used as an
instrument. This instrument is one of the most prominent in
observation and data collection, due to its ability to structure the
assessment with established criteria. The checklist is ideal for
evaluating a variety of aspects such as tasks, actions, processes,
learning products, or behaviours (Universidad Autonoma del Estado
de Hidalgo, 2019). In this case, the checklist was designed using
specific indicators. These indicators allow for a detailed assessment
of the skills of the infants to whom the Pedagogical Kit was applied
to improve fine motor skills and learning in children aged 1 to 3
years, the indicators help to identify and measure precisely how
children's skills are developed in different areas. This methodology
not only facilitates a comprehensive and systematic assessment of
infants' abilities, but also provides valuable information to adapt and
improve the pedagogical strategies used in their teaching and
development.
For the population of this study, children from 1 to 3 years of age
from 16 different child care centres belonging to the MIES were
considered for the application of the Pedagogical Kit to improve fine
motor skills with a sample of 160 infants with a reliability of 90%
and a margin of error of 10%.
Results
Firstly, we have chosen a population of 16 students of the beginning
English level who rolled in the first academic year of the
“Universitario 17 de Julio” Institute. Of the 16 students, we do not
have any who got an “excellent” score in the listening skill activity.
Next, we have 1 student who is in the “very good” range. Then, there
are 10 students with “good” results. Then, 5 students have “regular”
results and finally, there are no students with an “insufficient” result.
Sinergias educativas
July - September Vol. 9 – 3 - 2024
http://sinergiaseducativas.mx/index.php/revista/
116
Above results let us know the current level using the Lyricstraining
app to develop the listening skills. These initial results will be useful
to compare with the results after using the Lyricstraining app for 3
weeks. This study looks for demonstrating how useful the
applications to develop and improve the listening skills are.
Final results after 3 weeks of contact of students with the
Lyricstraining application:
The data collected after applying an evaluation to know the
effectiveness of the Lyricstraining Application to the control group
after 3 weeks of practice using it. In first instance, the data collected
reflects that the student’s listening skills have improved
significantly. In regards to the level excellent, the twelve percent of
the participants show that have increased their listening skills. On
the other hand, the 44 percent have reached a very good level. In the
same way, the 44 percent remaining have acquired a good level in
terms of listening skills.
Discussion
The present research aimed to demonstrate the use of IA tools to
improve the listening skills in the 16 students of the “Universitario
17 de Julio” Institute with the results of the pre-test we could prove
the need for these students to improve their listening skills. Our
research findings imply that applying this app with the classroom
improves the listening skills of the students.
These results were collected through a pre-test assessment which
gave us a better understanding not only of the lack of the listening
skills yet all the others skills. According to Lane, Grover, &
Roschelle (2008) Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly
integrated into people's daily lives, including in the education sector,
both in educational institutions and in the education sector in
general. With our result there was an improvement in the results
after using the app Lyricstraining with the students.
Besides our positive results, it is important to mention some
limitations we faced while applying the app. The lack of motivation
in some students is linked to some of the final results since we had a
difficult time making them use the app frequently. Also, the short
time, we just had 3 weeks with the students. Therefore, it will be
planned for future research studies to extend the time of use of tools.
Despite the time factor, there was a good response from the majority
Sinergias educativas
July - September Vol. 9 – 3 - 2024
http://sinergiaseducativas.mx/index.php/revista/
117
of the students. It is considered that with a better schedule and
working plan, we can obtain better results
References
Creswell,J.W.(2014).Research design(4th ed.).SAGE Publications.
Creswell, J. W. (2011). Controversies in mixed methods research.
The SAGE
El déficit de profesores de inglés es un problema que viene desde
1950 (2014, March 26). El Comercio
https://www.elcomercio.com/tendencias/deficit-de-
profesores-de-ingles.html
Gilakjani, A. (2016). The significance of listening comprehension in
English language teaching. . Theory and Practice in Language
Studies, 1671..
Krashen, Stephen, (1982). Principles and practice in second
language acquisition (pp.10-32). Oxford: Pergamon Press.
Pechenizkiy, M., Calders, T., Vasilyeva, E., & De Bra, P.
(2008). Mining the student assessment data: Lessons drawn
from a small scale case study. Educational Data
Ponce J. C; Torres A., Quezada F., Silva A., Martínez E., Cadali A.,
Scheihing E., Túpac Y., Torres Ma., Ornelas F., Hernández J.,
Zavala C., Vakhnia C. & Pedreño O. (2014). Inteligencia
artificial. Iniciativa Latinoamericana de Libros de Texto
Abiertos (LATIn), 1a. Ed. p. 16 (222).
Quisnia, J. (2020). Lyrics Training and the pronunciation of the
English language. Universidad Técnica de Ambato., 20.
Russell, S., & Norvig, P. R., (2022). Artificial Intelligence: A
modern approach, 4th edition. Harlow: Pearson.
www.pmworldjournal.com
SUNY Westchester Community College. (2022, Junio 22) Second
Language Acquisition and the Power of Pleasure Reading with
Dr. Stephen Krashen [video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6HuAlHpERA&ab_ch
annel=SUNYWestchesterCommunityCollege
Sinergias educativas
July - September Vol. 9 – 3 - 2024
http://sinergiaseducativas.mx/index.php/revista/
118
Smitha, N., & John, P., (2020) I-History of English Language
https://sde.uoc.ac.in/sites/default/files/sde_videos/I-
History%20of%20English%20Language.pdf p. 6
Thompson,L.&Phillips-Jones,L.E.,Facilitating Dialogue for
Interpersonal Relationships Back Channels Communication
Journal Of Social And Personal Relationships Vol23(Issue2).
https://rephip.unr.edu.ar/bitstream/handle/2133/17686/15202
50496_Inteligencia-Artificial-CC-BY-SA-3.0-86.pdf?se
