Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) for Feedback in School Writing: Friend or Foe?

Effective writing instruction depends on quality feedback, yet teachers often face barriers such as heavy marking workloads and limited feedback literacy (Lee, 2021), leaving students without adequate support. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is emerging as a promising tool to address these challenges and offers automated writing evaluation for timely feedback. While existing scholarship on GenAI has largely focused on older learners in tertiary contexts, its potential for school writing remains underexplored (Tseng & Warschauer, 2023). Concerns persist that younger students may lack the maturity and language proficiency to use GenAI effectively, and that misuse could hinder their development. Although many schools restrict independent use of GenAI by children under 13, young learners increasingly encounter these tools beyond the classroom. Yet, literature on GenAI’s application in school writing contexts remains scarce. This article explores the benefits, limitations, and challenges of GenAI as a feedback tool in schools. It offers guidelines for teachers to leverage GenAI at different stages of the writing process to support students’ development in school. The discussion emphasizes balancing GenAI integration with human intervention to ensure ethical and effective instruction, contributing to the growing scholarship on GenAI with a focus on supporting teachers and students in school contexts.