Marlina Abdul Ghanie

Profile

Hi, I am Marlina Abdul Ghanie, a Doctor of Education (EdD) candidate in Language Education at the University of Leeds. My research explores the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in English language education, with a particular focus on how learner–AI interaction may support speaking fluency development in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms.

Before beginning my doctoral studies, I spent over 17 years teaching English in secondary schools in Sabah, Malaysia. Throughout my teaching career, I have always been passionate about helping students speak English with greater confidence and fluency. I constantly looked for creative ways to encourage meaningful classroom interaction through activities such as role plays, poster presentations, discussions, language games and collaborative speaking tasks. Watching students become more willing to communicate and express their ideas in English has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my teaching.

As technology became increasingly integrated into education, I became interested in how digital tools could enrich classroom speaking activities. The emergence of generative AI opened up exciting possibilities, not simply as another educational technology, but as a conversational partner that could reshape classroom interaction. This curiosity led me to ask a different question: rather than focusing only on whether AI improves speaking fluency, I became interested in understanding what happens during learner–AI interaction and what interactional mechanisms may support speaking fluency development.

I hold a Bachelor's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia, and a Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the University of Leicester, United Kingdom. I am currently pursuing my EdD at the University of Leeds under the Hadiah Latihan Persekutuan (HLP) scholarship awarded by the Ministry of Education Malaysia.

My research interests include artificial intelligence in education, learner–AI interaction, speaking fluency, technology-enhanced language learning (TELL), computer-assisted language learning (CALL), and English language education. Through my research, I hope to contribute to a deeper understanding of how AI can be integrated into language classrooms in ways that enrich classroom interaction and support meaningful speaking opportunities for learners.

Research interests

My doctoral research explores how learner–AI interaction may support speaking fluency development in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms. This research is shaped by my over 17 years of experience as an English language teacher in Malaysian secondary schools, where I became increasingly interested in how speaking activities unfold in authentic classroom settings. Throughout my teaching career, I sought to create meaningful opportunities for students to communicate in English. However, large class sizes, limited instructional time and learners with diverse language proficiency often made it challenging to engage every student in sustained speaking practice and provide timely, individualised feedback.

The rapid advancement of generative AI has created new possibilities for language learning in classrooms. As I explored this emerging field, I noticed that much of the existing research focuses on whether AI improves speaking performance or fluency. While these studies have demonstrated promising outcomes, they provide limited insight into what actually happens during learner–AI interaction and how these interactions may contribute to speaking fluency development.

My research therefore seeks to understand the interactional processes that occur when learners engage with AI during classroom speaking activities. Rather than viewing AI solely as a technological tool, I am interested in how learners interact with AI, how these interactions unfold in authentic classroom settings, and what interactional mechanisms may support speaking fluency development. Ultimately, I hope my research will contribute to a deeper understanding of how AI can be integrated into English language classrooms in pedagogically meaningful and responsible ways.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Education in Teaching English as Second Language
• Masters of Arts in TESOL