Speaker
Description
As the world undergoes a transformation driven by the 4th industrial revolution, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), is exerting a profound impact on all aspects of human lives. AI is now becoming a trend in education in general and foreign languages in particular, especially English. When researching trends and new challenges from AI for English teaching and learning, scientists have specifically identified 7 trends, among which the exploitation of digital resources related to the 4 skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) are the first ones listed. Among the four English language skills, writing stands out as the cornerstone for lifelong learning. Researchers have consistently emphasized writing's role as a tool for self-expression, communication, information interpretation, experience documentation, and effective learning. Studies have demonstrated AI's potential to enhance learners' writing proficiency, elevate the quality of written work, foster learner engagement, and enrich the overall learning experience. Kose and Alan's (2015) research findings further corroborate the positive impact of AI in writing classes, highlighting a significant boost in students' performance during academic writing tasks. Despite the apparent benefits, teachers and students must also consider the potential risks associated with implementing AI in teaching and learning English writing skills. Overdependence on AI can potentially hinder learners’ critical thinking and creativity, impeding their grasp of the true essence of English writing. This study aims at investigating both benefits and drawbacks of applying AI in teaching and learning English writing skills for students at tertiarry level, then proposing some solutions to enhance this work in the future.
