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DeepSeek's Feedback on Short Essay-Writing in EFL: Pre-Service Primary School Teachers' Perceptions

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Title: DeepSeek's Feedback on Short Essay-Writing in EFL: Pre-Service Primary School Teachers' Perceptions
Language: English
Authors: Abraham Cerveró-Carrascosa (ORCID 0000-0002-3545-1085), Sofia Di Sarno-García (ORCID 0000-0001-9952-4178)
Source: The EUROCALL Review. 2025 32(2):38-48.
Availability: European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL). EUROCALL Headquarters, School of Modern Languages, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK. Tel: +34-67-943-1283; Web site: http://www.eurocall-languages.org/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 11
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Elementary Education
Descriptors: Essays, Writing Instruction, English (Second Language), Second Language Instruction, Feedback (Response), Artificial Intelligence, Preservice Teachers, Elementary School Teachers, Student Attitudes, Technology Uses in Education, Universities, Foreign Countries, Writing (Composition), Writing Improvement, Second Language Learning
Geographic Terms: Spain
ISSN: 1695-2618
Abstract: Over the past few years, there has been a growing use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to support the development of writing skills among language learners. However, limited attention has been given to the potential of AI in pre-service teacher (PST) education, and specifically, the tool DeepSeek has yet to be examined. This study, therefore, aims to investigate PSTs' perceptions of the usefulness of DeepSeek's feedback on the production of a text following a task-based teaching intervention. Thirty-nine primary education pre-service teachers took part, they were first-year students from a Spanish university whose English proficiency ranged from A2 to B2. The task required them to write a short essay. Data were collected using a pre- and post-test with open-ended questions adapted from Di Sarno-García and Argüelles-Álvarez (in press), along with a focus group discussion, thus adopting a mixed-methods approach that triangulates quantitative and qualitative data. The results of the Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated a statistically significant decline in some items, as well as a slight decrease in mean scores from pre- to post-test which are aligned with the participants' contributions from the open-ended questionnaire and focus group. These findings suggest that DeepSeek may not have been as effective as anticipated in providing feedback on content and text organisation for this particular task. Nevertheless, participants reported that they found the tool helpful for improving grammar, vocabulary, and spelling in their texts.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1494424
Database: ERIC
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Abraham+Cerveró-Carrascosa%22">Abraham Cerveró-Carrascosa</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3545-1085">0000-0002-3545-1085</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sofia+Di+Sarno-García%22">Sofia Di Sarno-García</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9952-4178">0000-0001-9952-4178</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22The+EUROCALL+Review%22"><i>The EUROCALL Review</i></searchLink>. 2025 32(2):38-48.
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  Data: European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL). EUROCALL Headquarters, School of Modern Languages, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK. Tel: +34-67-943-1283; Web site: http://www.eurocall-languages.org/
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  Data: Over the past few years, there has been a growing use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to support the development of writing skills among language learners. However, limited attention has been given to the potential of AI in pre-service teacher (PST) education, and specifically, the tool DeepSeek has yet to be examined. This study, therefore, aims to investigate PSTs' perceptions of the usefulness of DeepSeek's feedback on the production of a text following a task-based teaching intervention. Thirty-nine primary education pre-service teachers took part, they were first-year students from a Spanish university whose English proficiency ranged from A2 to B2. The task required them to write a short essay. Data were collected using a pre- and post-test with open-ended questions adapted from Di Sarno-García and Argüelles-Álvarez (in press), along with a focus group discussion, thus adopting a mixed-methods approach that triangulates quantitative and qualitative data. The results of the Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated a statistically significant decline in some items, as well as a slight decrease in mean scores from pre- to post-test which are aligned with the participants' contributions from the open-ended questionnaire and focus group. These findings suggest that DeepSeek may not have been as effective as anticipated in providing feedback on content and text organisation for this particular task. Nevertheless, participants reported that they found the tool helpful for improving grammar, vocabulary, and spelling in their texts.
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  Data: EJ1494424
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 38
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      – SubjectFull: Essays
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Writing Instruction
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      – SubjectFull: English (Second Language)
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      – SubjectFull: Second Language Instruction
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      – SubjectFull: Feedback (Response)
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      – SubjectFull: Artificial Intelligence
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      – SubjectFull: Preservice Teachers
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      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Teachers
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      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Second Language Learning
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      – SubjectFull: Spain
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      – TitleFull: DeepSeek's Feedback on Short Essay-Writing in EFL: Pre-Service Primary School Teachers' Perceptions
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