A study on the Usage of ChatGPT as a English Learning Tool of English Idioms – The Analysis of Functions and Effectiveness

Abstract

In language learning, vocabulary acquisition plays an essential role for learners to acquire the language. Among the different categories of vocabulary, multiword items, especially idioms, turned out to be the most difficult section for second language learners. Due to the development of technology, multimodality, and artificial intelligence, different types of language learning methods were introduced and applied. This study intends to focus on the analysis of the usage of ChatGPT as an English learning tools to learn English idioms. The study will focus on the freshman of English major students, aiming to analyze the effectiveness and the functions of ChatGPT as a learning tool. The participants are divided into two different groups, with one group using ChatGPT and the other using the traditional definition methods. For the ChatGPT group, a list of questions that can be used in the system are given to the participants to reduce the technical problems. The idioms are selected based on the complexity level. The findings show that the group applied with the usage of ChatGPT has a significant enhancement in the retention of the idioms. On the other hand, based on the interview, the group with ChatGPT shows a higher engagement in the process. Detailed analyses and pedagogical implication will be further discussed in the paper.

Keywords

language learning, multiword item, idioms, ChatGPT