CHATGPT-ASSISTED FEEDBACK AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 2: A CLASSROOM-BASED STUDY

Abstract

The increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in English language education has created new opportunities for providing immediate and individualized feedback on student writing. This classroom-based study investigates the role of ChatGPT-assisted feedback in the development of IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 performance among B2-level learners. The study was conducted at the OPEN WORLD learning centre in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and involved 30 IELTS learners aged 14–18 who were studying in two groups of 15 students. The intervention lasted 15 days and consisted of six iterative writing cycles followed by a final timed writing task. During each cycle, learners first completed an IELTS Writing Task 2 essay independently in class within the IELTS time limit of 40 minutes. They then used a standardized ChatGPT prompt to identify major grammar problems, improve clarity, and receive three suggestions for improving clarity. Learners recorded and considered the feedback before rewriting the same essay at home.