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Volume 13, Issue 3 (March 2026), Pages: 95-104
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Original Research Paper
Evaluating the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing vocabulary retention in foreign language acquisition
Author(s):
Nisar Ahmad Koka 1, Basim Kana’an 1, Sheeba Hassan 2, Javed Ahmad 1, Nusrat Jan 2, Mohamad A. Khasawneh 3, Mohammad A. Tashtoush 3, 4, *
Affiliation(s):
1Department of English, College of Languages and Translation, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia 2Department of Linguistics, University of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India 3Faculty of Education and Arts, Sohar University, Sohar, Oman 4Department of Basic Sciences, Al-Huson University College, Al-Balqa Applied University, Salt, Jordan
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* Corresponding Author.
Corresponding author's ORCID profile: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2436-8155
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2026.03.010
Abstract
This study examines the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools on vocabulary retention among foreign language learners in Saudi Arabia. A quasi-experimental design was used with 150 students divided into two groups: an experimental group that used AI-based learning tools and a control group that followed traditional teaching methods. The results show that students who used AI tools achieved significantly higher vocabulary retention and showed greater engagement than those in the control group. Moreover, students in the experimental group reported spending more time on learning activities and expressed higher satisfaction with their learning experience. These findings suggest that AI tools can improve traditional language education by providing personalized learning support for vocabulary acquisition. The study also highlights the potential long-term benefits of integrating AI into language learning and recommends further research to better understand its broader role in educational development.
© 2026 The Authors. Published by IASE.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Keywords
Artificial intelligence, Vocabulary retention, Language learning, Personalized learning, Student engagement
Article history
Received 13 October 2025, Received in revised form 2 March 2026, Accepted 9 March 2026
Funding
This research is supported by King Khalid University (Grant number: RGP2/681/46).
Acknowledgment
The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Research and Graduate Studies at King Khalid University for funding this work through the Large Research Project under grant number RGP2/681/46.
Compliance with ethical standards
Ethical considerations:
This study was approved by the Ethical Committee of the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia (Ref. No. RGP2/681/46). All participants provided informed consent and were informed of their right to withdraw at any time. Data were collected anonymously, kept confidential, and used solely for research purposes, with appropriate measures taken to ensure data privacy in the use of AI-based tools.
Conflict of interest: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Citation:
Koka NA, Kana’an B, Hassan S, Ahmad J, Jan N, Khasawneh MA, and Tashtoush MA (2026). Evaluating the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing vocabulary retention in foreign language acquisition. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 13(3): 95-104
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