Hello everyone.
I would like to introduce a paper we read at the recent English seminar.
Paper Title: Interacting with ChatGPT in essay writing: A study of L2 learnersʼ task motivation
(Interacting with ChatGPT in essay writing: A study of L2 learnersʼ task motivation)
Journal: ReCALL
Year of Publication: 2025
Authors: Javad Zare, Ahmad Al-Issa, and Fatemeh Ranjbaran Madiseh
1. Introduction
Motivation is one of the key research themes in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). In particular, “task motivation” refers to motivation that arises from the dynamic interaction of multiple factors, such as learner characteristics, the learning environment, and the nature of the task.
English essay writing places a heavy cognitive, linguistic, and motivational burden on learners, making individualized instruction and feedback essential. However, due to class sizes and diverse needs, it is currently difficult to provide these sufficiently. While ChatGPT is considered to be consistent with learner-centered instruction by providing immediate, interactive feedback, empirical research on its use in L2 learners’ essays is still lacking.
This study uses a mixed-methods approach to examine the impact of interaction with ChatGPT on L2 learners’ motivation for English essay writing.
2. Literature Review
2.1 Task Motivation in SLA
Motivation is a critical factor determining the success of SLA and is the psychological driving force that directs learner behavior. Task motivation arises from the interaction of learner characteristics, the learning context, and task structure, and is understood through the following three theoretical frameworks:
① Self-Determination Theory (SDT): Intrinsic motivation is enhanced when the three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness are met.
② Self-Regulated Learning (SRL): This involves learners setting their own goals and actively engaging in learning while monitoring their progress. Tasks that promote SRL enhance learner agency and support sustained motivation.
③ Learner-centered instruction: An educational philosophy that respects the diverse needs of learners and promotes individualized and meaningful learning experiences.
2.2 Argumentative Essay Writing, ChatGPT, and Task Motivation
English argumentative essay writing requires higher-order cognitive skills such as reasoning, analysis, and the integration of ideas, which places a significant burden on L2 learners. Therefore, individualized instruction is important for learners to develop their writing skills with confidence. AI chatbots like ChatGPT are expected to be tools that support learner-centered learning, as they can provide immediate and context-aware feedback based on deep learning.
This study explores how interaction with ChatGPT affects L2 learners’ motivation for English essay writing and how learners experience their interactions with the AI.
Research Questions:
RQ1: To what extent does interaction with ChatGPT affect L2 learners’ motivation for English essay writing?
RQ2: How do learners perceive their writing experience using ChatGPT?
3. Methodology
This study was conducted as an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study in the English department of a public university in Iran.
• Participants: 69 intermediate-level English learners (native Persian speakers) participated.
• Design: A control group design with measurements at three points—pre-test, post-test immediately after the intervention, and a delayed post-test one month later—was adopted.
• Intervention: Instruction was conducted over 12 sessions of English argumentative essay writing. The intervention group used smartphones to interact with ChatGPT during the writing phase. They were only permitted to receive support for refining ideas, comments, and suggestions for vocabulary, grammar, and revisions. The comparison group engaged in peer work.
• Measurement: Task motivation was measured using a 24-item, 6-point Likert scale questionnaire by Ma (2009), and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 students from each group.
4. Results
4.1 Quantitative Analysis Results
The motivation questionnaire was administered at three points in time.
1. Pre-test stage: The mean score for the intervention group was 91.67, and 90.73 for the comparison group, with no significant difference between the two groups (p= 0.850).
2. Immediate post-test stage: Immediately after the intervention, the mean score for the intervention group reached 107.38, which was statistically significantly higher than that of the comparison group (94.89) (p= 0.004). The effect size (Cohen’s d= 0.722) indicates a moderate effect.
3. Changes over time (Repeated measures ANOVA): In the intervention group, a significant increase in motivation was confirmed in both the immediate post-test (p= 0.028) and the delayed post-test (p= 0.015) compared to the pre-intervention stage. This suggests that the effect was sustained after one month.
4. Issues: The intervention group’s score decreased slightly in the delayed post-test, suggesting the influence of the novelty effect of ChatGPT or temporary reliance on technical assistance.
4.2 Qualitative Analysis Results
Analysis of the interviews identified the following four main themes as factors for improved motivation:
1. Progress (38.89%): This was mentioned most frequently. Learners felt their essay structure skills and vocabulary had improved, which increased their sense of competence.
2. Support (22.22%): Learners perceived ChatGPT as an “always-available tutor,” and it was emphasized that immediate feedback created a supportive learning environment.
3. Enjoyment (22.22%): Writing tasks turned into “a kind of fun” thanks to the interactive and responsive nature of ChatGPT, which increased intrinsic motivation.
4. Individualized feedback (16.67%): By receiving feedback specific to their own concrete issues, learners felt their metacognitive awareness increased, leading to improvements.
5. Discussion
While interaction with ChatGPT significantly increased L2 learners’ task motivation, the decline in the delayed measurement may reflect the novelty effect or temporary reliance on support. These results are consistent with the theoretical frameworks of SDT and SRL. However, for long-term maintenance of motivation, it is essential to maintain a balance between utilizing AI support and fostering the learner’s autonomous writing ability.
In terms of lesson design, it is recommended to (1) teach critical evaluation criteria for suggestions from AI, and (2) promote the explicit use of autonomous strategies through reasoning for feedback and the fading of support.
6. Conclusion
Interaction with ChatGPT had a positive and sustained impact on L2 learners’ motivation, highlighting the potential for AI-based tools to create a supportive and adaptive learning environment. However, the decline in motivation in the delayed post-test strongly suggests the need to maintain a balance with fostering learners’ independent writing ability. Limitations of the study include (1) the limited population of B1-level EFL learners in Iran, and (2) the fact that the measurement of motivation relied primarily on self-reporting.
7. Reflections
I chose this study because it is highly relevant to my own research theme, and the explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach adopted aligns with my own methodology. The process of quantitatively tracking changes in motivation at three points and qualitatively deepening the background through interviews was very informative.
On the other hand, I feel that the intervention (use of ChatGPT) is somewhat unclear. I believe that by specifying the frequency of use, timing of use, number of interactions, and types of feedback received, individual differences among learners could be captured more precisely. Furthermore, regarding learner “progress,” I believe that using essay evaluations in addition to self-reporting would yield more objective and practical insights. Based on these suggestions, I will further develop my own research.
Written by Sayo Tanaka
