EFL Teachers’ Experiences with Students’ Generative AI Use in Writing: Evidence from Thailand and Indonesia

Abstract

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study explores EFL teachers’ experiences with students’ use of generative AI tools in writing instruction, based on a small, purposively selected sample of higher education teachers from Thailand and Indonesia. Quantitative data were collected from 41 participants (24 females and 17 males) through a brief survey consisting of five multiple-choice items, complemented by qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews with 18 teachers (13 females and 5 males). The findings indicate that teachers experienced several perceived instructional benefits of AI use in EFL writing, including support for sentence-level accuracy, faster feedback, and assistance for learners with lower English proficiency. At the same time, teachers reported substantial concerns related to ethical issues, plagiarism, overreliance on AI, and potential reductions in students’ independent engagement with writing tasks. In response to these concerns, participants described various management strategies, such as establishing transparent guidelines, limiting AI use to specific functions, and adapting assessment practices to maintain authenticity. Overall, this study offers context-specific, experience-based insights into how EFL teachers navigate the opportunities and challenges of integrating generative AI into writing instruction.