Writing Anxiety and AI: Bangladeshi EFL Teachers' Insights and Approaches to Student Support

Abstract

The study explores the experiences of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in using Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool to alleviate writing anxiety and promote self-efficacy among the tertiary-level EFL students in Bangladesh. Utilizing a qualitative research design, the data for study were gathered through semi-structured interviews with eight EFL instructors, with varying years of teaching experience, from three private universities across the country. The findings reveal valuable insights from educators on how AI can reduce students' anxiety in academic writing tasks, as well as approaches and recommendations for integrating AI to boost learners’ self-efficacy. Moreover, the study emphasizes the significance of AI literacy in ensuring effective implementation of these tools in classroom settings as without a thorough understanding of AI capabilities and pitfalls, the technology could be misused or underutilized. The research, therefore, contributes to the broader conversation about the ethical use of AI in education and highlights the potential of AI to empower EFL learners, offering meaningful guidance for EFL educators aiming to enhance their teaching methods through responsible and informed use of AI technologies to empower students.