An Overview of Incorporating Artificial Intelligence Tools for Promoting Learners’ Reading Skills

Educators worldwide have increasingly recognized the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) and the growing range of AI-supported educational tools. Developers have responded by creating numerous AI-facilitated applications for teaching and learning. This conceptual paper, based on an exploratory study following qualitative methodology, advocates for the integration of AI tools to enhance learners’ reading aloud skills, particularly among ESL learners. It discusses various types of AI platforms suitable for promoting reading skills and explores aspects such as the implications of AI platforms on learning theories, as well as loud and silent reading. The paper also examines AI-powered reading practices at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Al Musannah (UTAS-A), Oman, focusing on Microsoft Reading Progress. Drawing from the literature review and limited qualitative data about learners’ perceptions, the paper concludes that AI-aided platforms enhance learners’ learning and proposes the need for future empirical studies to better understand the effects of utilizing AI-mediated Microsoft Reading Progress at UTASA.