A learner who knows the words but freezes during conversation needs different practice from someone whose speech is difficult to understand.
Another learner may speak comfortably about familiar topics but struggle to ask follow-up questions or explain an unexpected problem.
Choosing an AI speaking tool starts with identifying that need.
This guide compares five options and explains which features to use, what task to assign, and how to connect AI practice to classroom communication. The activities are teaching suggestions based on documented features, not results from comparative classroom testing.
Choose the Practice, Then the Tool
| Learner’s need | Useful starting point | Suggested practice |
|---|---|---|
| A customized conversation | ChatGPT Voice | A role-play with a clear outcome |
| Support when they do not know what to say | Gliglish | Conversation with reply suggestions and adjustable pace |
| Speaking practice connected to pronunciation feedback | ELSA | A relevant scenario followed by focused review |
| More structure and guidance | Speak | Course lessons and Speak Tutor |
| An avatar-led conversation experience | Praktika | Topic-based conversation for adult learners |
A friendly interface or detailed score does not establish that a tool is the best choice. Check whether the learner can use the language more independently afterward.
1. ChatGPT Voice: For Customized Conversations
ChatGPT Voice supports spoken, back-and-forth interaction. Teachers can define the situation, roles, language level, and feedback expectations. (official voice guide)
It is useful when a prepared app scenario does not match your lesson.
What to Assign
Give the conversation a goal rather than simply telling students to “talk to AI.” For example:
Prepare useful expressions before the activity if the learner needs support.
How to Check Learning
In class, repeat the situation with different dates or an unavailable room. Listen for whether the student can adapt, ask questions, and confirm information.
Limitation
ChatGPT may misunderstand speech or give inaccurate feedback. Understanding the student does not mean every sound was pronounced accurately.
For pronunciation-focused work, use a suitable model and the teacher’s judgment rather than treating conversational success as a pronunciation score.
2. Gliglish: For Conversation With Built-In Support
Gliglish offers conversational practice with suggested responses, adjustable speaking speed, and language feedback. These features can help learners who hesitate because they cannot think of a next response. (Gliglish’s feature overview)
What to Use
Start with a familiar situation. Adjust the speaking pace if the learner cannot follow the exchange, and use reply suggestions when necessary.
For example, ask the learner to practice ordering lunch with three goals:
- Ask about an item.
- Make a choice.
- Confirm the order.
On the first attempt, suggestions can provide support. On the next attempt, encourage the learner to express their own choices before checking a suggestion.
How to Check Learning
Ask the student to complete a similar exchange with a partner. Change the menu so that repeating the same answers is not enough.
Limitation
Reading suggested replies aloud is supported practice, not independent conversation. Gradually reduce that support.
Also check whether a suggested sentence fits what the learner actually wants to say. A grammatically correct response can still be inappropriate for the situation.
3. ELSA: For Connecting Speaking Practice and Feedback
ELSA includes pronunciation practice and conversational features. ELSA AI allows learners to choose a recommended scenario or create one by describing the situation. (official ELSA AI guide)
This can be useful when a learner needs to practice communication while paying attention to a recurring speech difficulty.
What to Assign
Choose a scenario related to the lesson, such as asking for directions or introducing yourself to a colleague.
After the conversation, ask the learner to select one feedback point to review — not every correction at once. A manageable task is:
How to Check Learning
Listen to the learner in an unscripted exchange. Check whether the targeted expression is clearer and whether they can still respond naturally.
Limitation
A higher app score does not necessarily mean better communication in a new situation. Avoid making score improvement the only goal.
The personal app and institutional products also differ. Do not assume that teacher dashboards or assignment-management features are included in a student’s individual account. See ELSA Schools.
For a closer look, read ELSA Speak Review: Is It Worth It for ESL Classrooms?.
4. Speak: For Learners Who Need a Clear Practice Path
Speak combines a structured learning approach with personalized speaking activities. Speak Tutor can create lessons around a topic or need supplied by the learner. (official Speak Tutor guide)
This is useful for students who struggle to decide what to practice in an open-ended conversation.
What to Use
Choose a relevant course lesson or ask Speak Tutor for a Personalized Lesson connected to your classroom goal. For example:
Keep the request narrow. A focused lesson is easier to connect to classroom work than a broad request to improve fluency.
How to Check Learning
After the app practice, give the student a partner with different preferences or availability. Ask them to reach an agreement.
Limitation
Completing a guided lesson is not the same as transferring the language to a new conversation.
Available courses and features can differ, so check that the learner’s version supports the language and practice you intend to assign.
5. Praktika: For Adult Learners Who Prefer Avatar-Led Practice
Praktika offers AI-avatar tutors and open-topic conversation. The format may appeal to adults who prefer interacting with a visual character rather than a plain chat interface. (Praktika’s official overview)
What to Assign
Choose a tutor and begin a conversation connected to a specific goal. For example:
For learners who need more support, begin with a familiar topic such as a daily routine or travel plan.
How to Check Learning
Ask the learner to explain the same situation to a classmate or teacher, then answer a new follow-up question.
Important Age Restriction
Limitation
An engaging avatar does not guarantee that the task is appropriate or that feedback is accurate. Keep the learning goal separate from how much the student enjoys the interface.
Conversation Practice Is Not the Same as Pronunciation Practice
Speaking involves choosing language, responding to another person, taking turns, clarifying meaning, and making yourself understood.
Pronunciation practice may focus more narrowly on sounds, stress, rhythm, or a particular expression.
Both matter, but they need different tasks.
A student may pronounce a rehearsed sentence clearly yet struggle to answer a question. Another may communicate successfully despite noticeable pronunciation differences.
For tools focused on hearing a model, recording speech, and reviewing pronunciation, see Best AI Pronunciation Tools for ESL Teachers.
Use a Rehearse, Perform, Reflect Sequence
A simple sequence keeps AI practice connected to real communication.
1. Prepare
Introduce the situation and model a few useful expressions. Let students hear the language before expecting them to produce it.
2. Rehearse With AI
Assign one outcome, such as resolving a booking problem or agreeing on a plan.
Decide when feedback should happen. Frequent corrections can interrupt a fluency task; delayed feedback may be more appropriate.
3. Perform With a Person
Use a similar task with changed details. The learner should need to listen and respond, not recite a memorized exchange.
4. Reflect and Repeat
Ask:
- What could you do independently?
- Where did communication become difficult?
- What expression or strategy helped?
- What will you try differently next time?
Choose one or two improvements and repeat the task.
Match the Tool to the Teaching Context
For private tutoring, assign short practice between lessons and check it through a new conversation.
For small groups, provide individual rehearsal where practical, then move into pair work.
For larger classes, consider device access, headphones, background noise, and how you will review learning. AI practice can also be optional homework rather than a requirement.
For young learners, do not assume a consumer AI app is appropriate. Teacher-led modeling and partner activities may be a better fit. Check each product’s age requirements, parental-permission conditions, and school policies before student use.
Privacy and Access Matter
Before assigning an app:
- Confirm that the required feature is available to the learner.
- Check account, age, and microphone requirements.
- Use fictional details for sensitive situations.
- Avoid asking students to disclose personal or workplace information.
- Offer an alternative when access or permission is unavailable.
Ask students for a short reflection or selected example rather than requiring their complete private conversation history.
Final Recommendation
Choose ChatGPT Voice for customized conversations, Gliglish for supported exchanges, ELSA for speaking practice connected to feedback, and Speak for a more structured learning path.
Consider Praktika for adults who prefer avatar-led conversation.
Check current access and subscription details through ChatGPT’s pricing page and the official sites for Gliglish, ELSA, Speak, and Praktika.
The most useful tool is not the one that keeps students talking longest. It is the one that helps them communicate more independently with another person.