A persistent obstacle for Japanese EFL learners is the lack of real-world speaking opportunities, while instructors face challenges providing personalized feedback for spoken language tasks. This presentation introduces Tevo, a web-based AI chatbot app designed to facilitate role-based conversation and generate automatic feedback.

We report on a two-week pilot study conducted in a Japanese university speaking course, exploring how students engaged with Tevo, and what they perceived as its strengths and limitations. We’ll share qualitative and quantitative insights, including how the app impacted confidence, fluency, and classroom participation. The talk concludes with reflections on how generative AI can support—not replace—teachers by freeing up time for lesson design and targeted support.