Exploring Pre-service EFL Teachers' Perceptions of AI-Generated Feedback and Teacher Feedforward in Argumentative Writing: A Process-Genre Perspective

This study investigates pre-service EFL teachers' perceptions of AI-generated feedback and teacher feedforward in the development of argumentative writing within a process-genre instructional framework. Grounded in feedback theory and conceptualized through a dual-level mediation perspective, the study positions AI as providing micro-level linguistic support, while teacher feedforward facilitates macro-level rhetorical development. A mixed-methods design was employed, involving 22 third-year pre-service teachers enrolled in an academic writing course at a Thai university. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. The findings reveal that learners perceived AI-generated feedback as highly effective in identifying language-related issues and supporting immediate revision. In contrast, teacher feedforward was viewed as essential for improving argument structure, idea development, and overall coherence. Importantly, participants highlighted the complementary roles of AI and teacher feedback, which together enhanced their awareness of the writing process, confidence in revision, and engagement in autonomous learning. The study contributes to the growing body of research on AI in L2 writing by offering an integrated perspective on feedback mediation and highlighting the pedagogical value of combining AI-supported and teacher-guided feedback within a process-genre approach.