AI mediated scaffolding for second language academic writing in EFL composition classrooms

This empirical investigation examines the pedagogical integration of generative artificial intelligence (ChatGPT) within a sociocultural framework for second language academic writing instruction. Through a semester-long qualitative case study involving intermediate-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students ( N = 15), this research explores the efficacy of utilizing AI-generated text as cognitive scaffolding within Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The pedagogical intervention employed a dual-phase methodology: students engaged ChatGPT for initial draft generation outside the classroom environment, followed by structured offline revision activities utilizing traditional pen-and-paper techniques. Qualitative data collection encompassed student reflective journals, instructor field notes, and textual analysis of revised compositions. Findings indicate significant shifts in student agency, metalinguistic awareness, and authorial voice development. The study contributes to emerging scholarship on ethical AI integration in second language writing pedagogy by demonstrating how strategic scaffolding can preserve human creativity while leveraging technological affordances. Implications for curriculum design and teacher professional development are discussed within the broader context of digital literacies and academic integrity.