Enhancing language learning: Design principles for building effective AI platforms to boost spoken english for matriculation

Teaching spoken English is challenging worldwide, especially in developing oral skills. AI offers personalized learning, yet there’s a gap in applying it to Israel’s oral English exam needs. The Israeli Ministry of Education’s R&D Department launched a pilot to address these challenges by collaborating with researchers, educators, students, and entrepreneurs in an iterative process of design-based research (DBR). Through mapping current needs, examining suitable AI solutions, and developing design principles from both teacher and student perspectives, we have developed a matriculation exam preparation system tailored to the exam preparation process. The study highlights the potential of AI to enhance the advancement of spoken English for school students while demonstrating how AI tools can be customized for specific educational contexts. While the study was conducted in Israel, the findings have broader implications for distance learning environments and international educational contexts, suggesting directions for future cross-cultural research in AI-assisted language learning.