Lower-proficiency EFL students’ use of Grammarly in writing: Behavior, cognition, and affect

Abstract

This multiple case study examines lower-proficiency EFL students’ attitudes toward the use of Grammarly’s free version in writing. It explores the participants’ behavior, cognition, and affect, aiming to provide detailed insights into their experiences and perspectives. Utilizing Zoom recordings, stimulated recall, and semi-structured interviews, the investigation revealed that the lower-proficiency learners were product-oriented in revising their writing, showing low cognitive engagement with automated written corrective feedback (AWCF). Although one participant did not fully trust Grammarly’s accuracy, all of them accepted its suggestions quickly and uncritically. The desire to increase the scores seemed to play a significant role in their engagement with AWCF. Despite this, the research primarily demonstrated how inadequate linguistic knowledge posed challenges for the students in effectively utilizing the technology. Nonetheless, the students expressed overall satisfaction with Grammarly’s assistance, recognizing its ability to improve their drafts. To optimize the technology’s benefits for EFL students with lower proficiencies, the study highlights the need for providing metalinguistic knowledge and user training to enhance their language learning through its feedback.