Ask the Assistant: Using Google Assistant in Classroom Reading Comprehension Activities

Peterus Balan Sing, Mohamad Amin Embi, Harwati Hashim

Language education is ever evolving to accommodate changes brought about by time and the development and breakthroughs in the education sector in general, and to rectify or improve non-effective approaches to suit unique language learning needs that may arise. This research was carried out to investigate the use of Google Assistant to help a group of rural primary learners in Baram, Sarawak, Malaysia who struggled with reading comprehension activities. There are two main objectives outlined for this study. First, the research sought to explore the effectiveness of using new emerging technologies such as AI-enabled virtual assistants such as Google Assistant, and to determine its usefulness in language teaching and learning under the technology-assisted language learning (TALL) paradigm. The research also sought to investigate the positive impacts brought by the usage of Google Assistant in classroom practices, namely in reading comprehension activities, and to an extent other language learning process as well. It was found that Google Assistant is an effective language learning facilitator in reading comprehension activities and brought notable positive impacts in reading comprehension activities.

https://doi.org/10.31871/IJNTR.5.7.6