AI-Powered Writing in the EFL Classroom: The Pedagogical Role of ChatGPT

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, such as ChatGPT, hold significant potential to reshape. This study compared the impact of ChatGPT-supported writing activities with intentional instruction on the writing performance of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. Fifty-six learners from Zaban Iran English Language Institute in Rasht, Iran, were selected via the Solutions Placement Test and assigned to one experimental and one control group, each with ۲۸ participants. After establishing homogeneity with a pretest, the experimental group engaged in writing tasks facilitated by ChatGPT, while the control group received traditional writing instruction. An immediate posttest and a delayed posttest two weeks later measured both immediate performance and retention. Analyses using independent and paired-samples t-tests revealed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in writing proficiency and retention, indicating that AI-supported instruction can enhance L۲ writing outcomes. The results highlight the pedagogical value of integrating ChatGPT into writing pedagogy and suggest that conventional methods can be strengthened through AI-assisted approaches. Nonetheless, effective implementation requires careful planning, ongoing teacher training, and robust professional support to address challenges such as tool reliability, alignment with learning objectives, and data privacy considerations.

کلیدواژه ها:

AI integration in EFL classrooms ، ChatGPT-assisted writing pedagogy ، generative AI in L۲ writing ، Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners ، writing proficiency learning and retention