Reimagining the Writer’s Workshop: How GenAI Can Transform ESOL Writing Instruction

As an ESOL educator, I've spent years exploring how technology can enhance writing instruction, particularly for English Language Learners (ELLs). When I first integrated tools like word processors and online platforms into the Writer’s Workshop model, it became clear that technology could reshape how students approach the writing process (Barboza, 2011). Later, when I used Google Docs with my undergraduate students to replicate this research, I was able to witness firsthand how the collaborative aspects of the workshop became even more dynamic and accessible.

Now, with the rise of Generative AI (GenAI), such as ChatGPT, we have a chance to push these advancements even further. One of the key ways AI can enhance the workshop is through adaptive writing prompts that evolve based on student needs, providing tailored scaffolding and immediate feedback. According to UNESCO’s Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research (2023), the use of AI in education must prioritize ethical considerations, ensuring that AI serves to support human agency, protect data privacy, and foster inclusivity. Teachers should introduce AI tools in ways that enhance learning, rather than replace the critical, reflective processes at the heart of education.

Moreover, ISTE’s (2024) report emphasizes that educators need to develop skills that enable them to effectively integrate AI into their teaching. These skills are crucial for making sure AI enhances rather than disrupts traditional teaching models, with GenAI offering teachers the ability to automate routine tasks and focus on more personalized student learning.

The Writer’s Workshop: A Tried-and-True Method

The traditional Writer’s Workshop approach focuses on process, feedback, and self-reflection. It’s a model I’ve found incredibly effective. In my research (Barboza, 2011), I explored how digital tools—like word processors—allow students to engage more deeply with revision, collaboration, and expression. Using Google Docs with my undergraduates reinforced these findings: the ability to co-edit in real-time and track changes made the workshop even more interactive and efficient. Writing is a process, not a one-shot effort, and technology makes that process more fluid and accessible (Graves, 1983; Atwell, 1998).

Enter GenAI: A New Kind of Writing Partner with Adaptive Prompts

What GenAI adds to the equation is immediacy and adaptability. Imagine having a personal writing assistant that not only provides real-time feedback on grammar, style, and coherence but also offers dynamic, evolving prompts that meet students where they are in their learning journey.

Students can now prompt the AI directly to get writing support tailored to their needs. For instance, a learner might ask:

Narrative Prompt

Student Prompt: "Can you give me a prompt to write a personal narrative about overcoming a challenge?"

AI Response: "Sure! Write about a time when you faced a difficult situation and how you overcame it. How did it feel when you first encountered the challenge? What did you learn from the experience?"

For ELLs, who often struggle with generating ideas or expanding on details, these adaptive prompts give them the extra push they need to take their writing to the next level. In this enhanced Writer’s Workshop, students can receive tailored guidance at every stage—whether they’re drafting their first sentence or refining a final paragraph.

Reinventing Peer Collaboration

Peer feedback has always been a cornerstone of the Writer’s Workshop, but it’s not without its challenges, especially for ELLs. In my earlier research, I found that language barriers often limit the effectiveness of peer review (Barboza, 2011). Using Google Docs with undergraduates showed how digital collaboration can ease some of these difficulties, with real-time commenting and revision history allowing students to give clearer, more structured feedback. AI can further assist by rephrasing feedback in clearer, more accessible language or offering suggestions when students struggle to articulate their thoughts (Kroll, 2001). According to ISTE (2024), teachers should focus on guiding students to critically evaluate AI-generated content, ensuring they understand its role as a tool rather than a solution.

The result? Peer collaboration that is smoother and more effective, allowing students to fully engage in the process, regardless of their language proficiency.

While collaboration is key, AI can also enhance learning by facilitating multimodal approaches.

Moving Beyond Text: Multimodal Learning with AI

In the past, I emphasized how web tools like VoiceThread enabled students to engage with written work in multiple formats (Barboza, 2011). Today, GenAI takes that idea even further. AI-powered tools can help students work across different media, whether it’s writing essays, transcribing spoken word, or responding to multimedia content.

For ELLs, this is particularly valuable. They can practice both written and spoken English simultaneously, using AI tools to provide feedback on pronunciation, transcription, and even content creation. This multimodal approach aligns perfectly with the diverse needs of modern learners. UNESCO (2023) highlights that this technology should be integrated in ways that promote equity, ensuring all students have access to AI-enhanced learning environments.

Keeping the Teacher at the Heart of the Workshop

Here’s where I think it’s crucial to clarify something: AI is not a replacement for the teacher. In my research, I found that teacher guidance is essential for helping students develop their internal criteria for writing (Barboza, 2011). Yes, AI can handle the routine mechanics—grammar checks, sentence suggestions—but it’s the teacher who guides the deeper work: the critical thinking, the structuring of ideas, the crafting of a narrative.

In a GenAI-enhanced classroom, teachers can focus on higher-order concerns, trusting that AI will assist with the fundamentals. It’s a partnership that allows for a richer, more dynamic learning experience.

How Students Can Prompt GenAI for Writing Support

One of the greatest advantages of AI in the Writer’s Workshop is how interactive the learning process becomes. Students can now guide their own learning by prompting the AI with specific writing tasks. Here are a few examples of how learners can make the most of GenAI in real-time:

Expanding on Ideas

Student Prompt: "I’m writing about overcoming a challenge, but I’m stuck. How can I describe my feelings more vividly?"

AI Response: "Try to focus on the emotions you felt during each part of the experience. For example, when you first encountered the challenge, were you anxious, scared, or determined? Use sensory details—what did the situation look, sound, or feel like at the time?"

Rewriting for Clarity

Student Prompt: "Can you help me rephrase this sentence: 'I had a hard time overcoming the challenge, but eventually, I did it'?"

AI Response: "Sure! You could say: 'Overcoming the challenge was difficult, but I persevered and ultimately succeeded.'"

Organizing an Essay

Student Prompt: "Can you help me outline my essay on social media’s impact on society?"

AI Response: "Here’s a possible outline for your essay:

Introduction: Define social media and introduce your argument.

Body Paragraph 1: Explain the positive effects of social media, like connectivity and access to information.

Body Paragraph 2: Discuss the negative effects, such as addiction and mental health issues.

Body Paragraph 3: Address counterarguments, such as the idea that social media can be used responsibly.

Conclusion: Summarize your main points and restate your thesis."

These real-time interactions provide a personalized, adaptive layer of support that enhances the traditional feedback loop in a writing classroom.

Conclusion: What’s Next for Writing Instruction?

Bringing GenAI into the Writer’s Workshop doesn’t disrupt the model—it enhances it. By building on the solid foundation we’ve already established (Barboza, 2011), and expanding on tools like Google Docs that have proven their effectiveness in collaborative environments, AI tools can offer real-time feedback, provide adaptive writing prompts, facilitate smoother peer collaboration, and support multimodal learning. And through it all, the role of the teacher remains central.

The future of writing instruction is here, and it’s more exciting than ever. As educators, we have the opportunity to embrace these new tools and help our students thrive in ways we couldn’t have imagined just a decade ago.

What about you? Are you already using AI tools in your teaching? What kind of writing prompts would you like to see AI generate for your students? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below or connect with me to discuss how AI is shaping your teaching experience.

Bibliography

Atwell, N. (1998). In the middle: New understandings about writing, reading, and learning (2nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.

Barboza, W. S. (2011). ESL Writers 2.0: Using a Technological Writer’s Workshop to Improve ELLs’ Writing. Greensboro College, NC. Unpublished Master’s Thesis.

Graves, D. H. (1983). Writing: Teachers & children at work. Exeter, NH: Heinemann Educational Books.

ISTE. (2024). Evolving Teacher Education in an AI World. International Society for Technology in Education.

Kroll, B. (2001). Exploring the dynamics of second language writing. Cambridge University Press.

UNESCO. (2023). Guidance for Generative AI in Education and Research. Paris, UNESCO.