How Can Al Support ESL Writing Without Encouraging Metacognitive Laziness? A Structured Use of ChatGPT via Fobizz in a Secondary School Writing Task

This master’s thesis examines how a structured use of artificial intelligence (AI) can

support English as a Second Language (ESL) writing in secondary education without

encouraging metacognitive laziness. The project grew out of classroom practice and

explores how guided interaction with ChatGPT can help students think about their own

thinking while writing.

Grounded in theories of metacognition, cognitive offloading, dialogic feedback, and

desirable difficulties, the study implements a three-step writing process: students first

handwrite their drafts, then type and expand them, and finally use ChatGPT via Fobizz

to receive feedback that they must accept, adapt, or reject with justification. Successive

drafts, short reflection notes, and open-ended questionnaires provide insight into how

students plan, monitor, and evaluate their writing.

The results show that when AI feedback is embedded within a teacher-structured

framework that demands explanation and accountability, learners engage more deeply

with their own revision process. They become more reflective, clearer in expression,

and more confident in making choices about their texts.

The thesis concludes with practical implications for classroom use: prompts should

invite reasoning, not simple correction; AI feedback should remain dialogic and

reflective; and writing tasks should align with Lehrplan 21 (curriculum) competencies on strategy

use and self-regulation. Overall, the study offers a concrete example of how AI can be

integrated responsibly into school-based ESL writing to strengthen, not replace,

students’ metacognitive awareness.