The effect of using Google Translate and other online resources on English summaries written by Thai EFL university learners

Google Translate (GT) and other online resources play an important role in English language learning. Automatic machine translation (MT) is regarded as one of the most significant advancements in digital technology for language instruction, and during the COVID-19 pandemic this led to an increase in the use of GT by second language (L2) students attempting to overcome language barriers. This study's objectives were to research how web-based MT training in language learning affected Thai L2-English learners’ writing, and to ascertain their attitudes after the training. Forty third-year English majors were instructed to individually watch one of seven Thai short films and then write an English summary. Following the identification of the most frequent writing errors, a GT training program was created to correct the problems. After the training, the students were instructed to revise their summaries and make any necessary changes. Both versions of the summaries were compared and evaluated. Six students then participated in individual semi-structured interviews to identify the benefits and drawbacks of MT in language and translation classrooms. The results demonstrated that most students initially produced their summaries in Thai before using GT to translate them into English. The initial summaries submitted contained several kinds of inaccuracies. However, after the training, the students’ revised summaries improved significantly. The findings can assist teachers in deciding whether to prohibit the use of GT and online paraphrasing tools in the classroom or to guide students on how to utilize them effectively.