AI-powered podcast interventions for enhancing speaking skills in English Language Teaching (ELT) Adult A1 students

The global increase in the use of the English language has created new demands for accessible tools to enhance speaking skills. These resources are largely unavailable in low-resource contexts in Ecuador. Improving speaking skills is essential, as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) states that they are crucial components of communicative competence. Challenges include limited vocabulary, pronunciation difficulties, and anxiety, worsened by socio-economic and bilingual barriers (Spanish–Quechua). This work investigated the use of Google’s NotebookLM, a free podcast-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) intervention to improve speaking skills in English. The Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE) model guided the study, supported by Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development, Cognitive Load Theory, and Communicative Language Teaching. A mixed-methods design involved a general population of 305 adult learners, with a purposive sample of 20 students aged 18–30. Instruments included pre- and post-tests, the Field Observation and Conversation Analysis Protocol (FOCAP), a co-validated IELTS-based speaking analysis protocol. Results showed AI-driven real-time feedback and podcast activities improved fluency (84.8%) and reduced hesitation by Session 6. Interactional growth improved by 70%, turn management by 30%, and conversational logic by 40%. The majority of participating students who were initially at the CEFR Pre-A1 level reported having self-reported an improvement beyond that level. These outcomes suggest that free AI tools can support English proficiency in marginalized communities, providing a scalable model for English as a Foreign Language in Ecuador and similar contexts.