Innovation in Language Learning
Investigating Young Learners' Responses to AI-Generated Feedback in an EFL Writing Classroom
Turgay Han, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkiye (Turkey)
Utku Mecit, MA student, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkiye (Turkey)
Abstract
While the growing use of generative AI in classrooms makes the source of feedback a significant consideration, most research has focused on adult and university-level learners, leaving a gap in how younger learners respond to such technology. This twelve-week study investigated twenty-seven fourth-grade students at a private primary school in Türkiye (Ethics Committee Decision No: 2026-34, 23.02.2026). Data collection occurred in two stages: first, students wrote short English passages (eight to ten sentences) and received immediate feedback via Gemini, while their behavioral responses were recorded using semi-structured classroom observation forms. Second, focus group interviews were conducted after the sixth and twelfth weeks. The observational data were examined through descriptive analysis, and the interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Five distinct themes emerged: (a) from novelty to routine: the shifting affective charge of AI feedback, (b) “It is not a person”: the affective and relational deficit, (c) over-response and the erosion of credibility, (d) the enduring authority of the teacher, and (e) bounded linguistic gains: surface correction and fragile internalization. While learners initially found AI helpful, the novelty faded, and they began to perceive it as an impersonal tool incapable of understanding emotional nuances. Although the AI improved spelling and word-level accuracy, its credibility was undermined by excessive praise and minor overcorrections, leading an overwhelming majority to prefer teacher feedback. The study offers practical insights for educators seeking to blend AI tools with essential teacher guidance in young-learner L2 writing contexts.
Keywords: L2 writing, generative AI, written corrective feedback, young learners, affective and behavioral responses, teacher vs AI as a feedback source
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