Revolutionizing Vocabulary Acquisition through AI Chatbots

The present research aimed to investigate the impact of using an interactive chatbot on learning receptive and productive vocabulary. Sixty Omani learners with intermediate English proficiency levels were randomly divided into experimental and control groups, with 30 students in each group. Initially, a pretest was conducted to ensure the homogeneity of learners in terms of their vocabulary knowledge. Then, both groups of students followed their normal face-to-face classes, but the experimental group received extra practice through an interactive chatbot using the WhatsApp platform. The study lasted four weeks, and after the treatment, posttests and delayed posttests were also conducted. The study's results showed that both groups progressed in receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge, but the experimental group performed significantly better. In addition, the findings showed that the control group performed better in productive tasks, while the experimental group performed better in the receptive section of the exams. The study's findings are helpful for teachers, curriculum developers, students, and institutions.