Exploring Teachers' and Students' Perceptions of Using ChatGPT to Enhance English Paragraph Writing at a Foreign Language Center in Ho Chi Minh City

Abstract

This study explores teachers’ and students’ perceptions of using ChatGPT to enhance English paragraph writing at a foreign language center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Using a quantitative research design, survey questionnaires were administered to 73 students and 27 English teachers to examine their perceptions regarding the usefulness, instructional support, benefits, and challenges of ChatGPT in writing instruction. The findings indicate that both teachers and students generally hold positive attitudes toward the use of ChatGPT in English paragraph writing. Participants highly valued its ability to support idea generation, improve vocabulary and grammar, and provide immediate feedback. However, concerns related to content accuracy, over-reliance on AI, plagiarism, and academic integrity were also identified, particularly among teachers. In addition, teachers demonstrated a more comprehensive understanding of both the advantages and potential risks of ChatGPT compared to students. The study contributes to the growing body of research on AI-assisted language learning and suggests that ChatGPT should be integrated into writing instruction in a critical, ethical, and pedagogically guided manner.