Study: Microsoft Teams Reading Progress Tool Improves Oral Reading Fluency of Grade 6 EFL Students in Jordan

An empirical study published in the International Journal of Language Education (Vol. 9, No. 4, 2025) examined the impact of AI language learning tools on EFL students' oral reading fluency. Conducted in Jordan with 40 Grade 6 students randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group, the experimental group received instruction and assessment through the Reading Progress features embedded in Microsoft Teams, while the control group used traditional methods. The experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in reading fluency, and its participants expressed positive perceptions of the AI tool.

This study tests the effects of an AI language learning tool in a randomized classroom experiment rather than relying only on usage descriptions, offering a verifiable reference for schools considering AI tools in oral reading fluency instruction and assessment. For teachers, the findings point to a need for dedicated training in designing language learning activities and evaluating oral reading fluency with AI tools; for education product practitioners, the use of Microsoft Teams Reading Progress as the experimental intervention shows that reading assessment features built into general collaboration platforms have entered teaching research. The sample of 40 Grade 6 students in Jordan is limited, so the conclusions should not be directly extrapolated to other grades, languages, or regions. Schools and teachers can use the findings to assess the feasibility of adopting AI tools and supporting training for oral reading fluency instruction and assessment. Education product practitioners can reference the experimental design to test how reading assessment features perform in classroom settings.