Japanese English learners’ perceptions of ChatGPT for learning purposes: A preliminary study on use and guidance

The language teaching and learning landscape has been particularly turbulent over the past half decade, influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and emergence of various new technologies. The public release of ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot developed by OpenAI, in November 2022, has led to much discussion about its positive and negative consequences for language learning within the field. While the ways in which ChatGPT can be used for language learning have been noted by many scholars, there has been a dearth of studies investigating how learners are responding to the new tool and the guidance they need from their teachers. The current study therefore set out to examine English learners’ experiences with and views on the use of ChatGPT for learning purposes. A total of 37 Japanese university students enrolled in English language classes were given a short guidance session on how to use ChatGPT to assist with their self-learning, and, subsequently, were asked to fill out a questionnaire. Based on the self-reported data, insights into the realities of how some English learners in Japan are making use of ChatGPT and the importance of guidance sessions provided by teachers are highlighted.