Abstract
Recent surveys suggest that generative AI (GenAI) has become part of many students' everyday learning environments. While its role in writing has received growing attention, its influence on reading remains underexamined. This study examined pre-class preparation for university English reading classes under non-AI- and AI-permitted conditions and explored students’ GenAI use. Participants were 83 non-English-major undergraduates at a private Japanese university. The study employed a classroom-based within-participant design. Quantitative comparisons revealed no statistically significant differences in quiz and final exam performance. Preparation time and perceived understanding also did not differ significantly. Questionnaire responses, usage logs, and reflection data showed that students used GenAI primarily for local comprehension support, including vocabulary checking, sentence-level meaning confirmation, and structural explanations. Uses involving metacognitive reflection were less common. These findings suggest that, in the short term, GenAI functioned mainly as a supplementary comprehension aid; its benefits may depend on learners' strategic and critical engagement.
