EFL Learners' IELTS Writing Task 2: The Benefits and Lessons Learned from Teachers’ and Artificial Intelligence’s Feedback

Abstract

Assessing language proficiency is a challenging task for students preparing for the IELTS exam, particularly in Writing Task 2. This task demands adherence to specific assessment criteria, including Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy, making it a significant hurdle for learners. This study, conducted at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University, involved eight final-year English Language students in the high-quality program. The research employed mock tests, feedback from IELTS teachers and AI tools, and in-depth interviews with participants to evaluate the effectiveness of both feedback types. By analyzing students' perceptions and experiences, the study highlights key benefits of feedback, such as structured evaluation, error detection, and actionable improvement strategies. The findings reveal that AI-generated feedback offers systematic, immediate, and objective assessments, particularly in grammar and vocabulary, while teacher feedback provides deeper insights into content development, coherence, and logical reasoning. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the value of active engagement with feedback, showing that students who critically reflect on their mistakes can refine their writing strategies and enhance their performance. Ultimately, the study concludes that integrating AI and teacher feedback is an effective approach to overcoming writing challenges, improving clarity and coherence, and achieving higher scores in IELTS Writing Task 2. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of feedback’s role in academic writing and offer practical implications for language learners and educators aiming to optimize writing instruction.