Students' experiences of using ChatGPT for English language learning: a qualitative study in a Malaysian higher education institution

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Synthesis: Annamalai and colleagues (2026) conducted a qualitative thematic analysis with 25 students from a Malaysian higher education institution to understand their Motivation for using ChatGPT in English language learning. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the results demonstrated that ChatGPT contributes positively to English language competence, social connections, and independent learning processes. ChatGPT emerged as a helpful resource for enhancing grammar, writing, and conversational tasks, supporting learners' autonomy, relatedness, and competence. The study suggests ChatGPT allows educators to prioritize higher-order thinking and intricate areas of language training, while flagging the tool's tendency to produce inaccurate information and its limited capacity to ensure content accuracy — underscoring the need to complement AI interactions with human interaction.

Context and method

Malaysian students often struggle with English acquisition due to rigid, traditional classroom teaching, over-reliance on instructors, weak grammar knowledge, and limited vocabulary, which frequently produces anxiety and low confidence. To understand how generative AI might help, the authors conducted a qualitative thematic inquiry guided by SDT with 25 purposively sampled undergraduates (ages 19–23, Band 2/3 on the Malaysian University English Test) who had used ChatGPT for English learning for at least five months. Semi-structured 30–45 minute interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with reflexive thematic analysis; positive themes were coded deductively into competence, relatedness, and autonomy, while negative themes were analyzed inductively. Trustworthiness was supported by member checking, peer debriefing, expert-validated questions, and researcher reflexivity given the researchers' dual instructor–investigator roles.

Competence: becoming more capable and confident

Students reported greater competence from interacting with ChatGPT: it aided essay writing by suggesting ideas, structuring content, and offering editing and proofreading; enabled conversational practice that improved speaking proficiency, fluency, and pronunciation; supported translation from Malay to English; and provided explanations and summaries that helped overcome reading barriers. Learners described themselves as becoming more fluent, articulate, and confident, with judgment-free practice building Self Efficacy. Competence was experienced not merely as access to assistance but as a growing sense of capability and mastery in navigating English challenges — Feedback that supported iterative learning and self-correction.

Autonomy and relatedness in an AI-mediated ecology

Students experienced autonomy as self-direction and control over how, when, and what they learned — selecting strategies that fit their needs, monitoring progress, and even modifying AI suggestions rather than blindly adopting them, demonstrating volition central to SDT. They also experienced a form of relatedness: although ChatGPT is not a human partner, conversational and responsive interactions created a sense of being heard and supported that reduced isolation and prepared them for real conversations. The authors frame this as an "AI-mediated motivational ecology" in which the three basic psychological needs are partly met through AI interaction rather than solely through instructors and peers — an extension of SDT from a purely human-centered model.

Obstacles and the need for human complement

The study also documented important limitations: ChatGPT sometimes produced inaccurate references, incorrect or illogical answers, and could not guarantee content accuracy, which reduced learner confidence and required extra effort to verify information. Participants also noted the lack of emotional connection and the risk of over-dependence on technology. Even so, learners recognized that ultimate responsibility for deciding how to use AI information rests with them, emphasizing critical thinking. The authors conclude that ChatGPT serves as a scaffold rather than a substitute for an instructor — educators should acknowledge its limitations, help students distinguish appropriate from inaccurate use, and pair ChatGPT interactions with human interaction and emotional comprehension.

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Citation

Annamalai, N., Nasor, M., Din Eak, A., & Alkubaisy, A. A. A. (2026). Students' experiences of using ChatGPT for English language learning: A qualitative study in a Malaysian higher education institution. Frontiers in Psychology, 17, 1875727.

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