


































Teaching Technique 

Julia Duncanson, Doctoral Student, Department of Language & Literacy Education, University of 

Georgia, Athens, GA; email Julia217@uga.edu (https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5210-619X).   

Supporting L2 Writing Using 

QuillBot

GATESOL Journal 

2024, Vol. 33(1), pp. 33–39 

doi:10.52242/gatesol.195 

ISSN: 2331-6845 

Julia Duncanson 
University of Georgia 

Abstract 

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) grows in accessibility and popularity, educators are faced with 

the challenge of adopting this new form of information disbursement. AI platforms could 

benefit language learning by providing individual writing support in addition to instructional 

support for the classroom teacher. AI platforms could pose risks to student fidelity with AI-

produced work products. This paper will discuss and exemplify the use of QuillBot, an AI 

writing platform, that could be used as a teaching and learning tool for second language (L2) 

writing instruction. By using this technology to plan meaningful and student-tailored lessons, 

educators can continue to provide an interactive learning space for multilingual learners (MLs) 

in the language classroom. 

Keywords 

Artificial Intelligence (AI), language learning, teaching and learning tool, L2 writing 

instruction, multilingual learners (MLs) 

Introduction 

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms emerge, teachers and academics are interested in 

exploring how this new technology supports multilingual learners’ second language writing 

development. Teachers may integrate AI tools throughout the writing process – planning, drafting, 

editing, and revising. In the planning stage, AI tools may be used to help learners begin writing 

(Barrot, 2023) – a commonly challenging aspect for writers of all proficiency levels. Subsequently, 

in the drafting and editing stages, multilingual learners (MLs) could use AI as an editing tool to 

make suggestions on vocabulary usage, syntax, and discourse structure. One can simply prompt 

Chat GPT with the following request: “Hi, Chat. Can you please provide me with suggestions on 

how to fix the cohesion and coherence of this paragraph?” Ultimately, these tools have the potential 

to assist students across all stages of the writing process. 

From a research perspective in second language writing, Jia et al. (2022) discovered that 

learners' writing skills improve with AI-generated corrective feedback. Additionally, toward the 

end of the writing process, students' language can be supported with Automated Writing 

Evaluation (AWE) systems when implemented in a context-appropriate manner (Alharbi, 2023). 

This growing body of research indicates the potential of AI tools to support language learners at 

various stages of their language development.  

Specifically, this teaching technique piece will highlight the utilization of QuillBot, a tool 

designed to bolster sentence structure and vocabulary proficiency among multilingual learners. 

However, before delving into strategies for incorporating QuillBot into instruction for multilingual 

learners, it is imperative to first examine the potential risks associated with AI. 

mailto:Julia217@uga.
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5210-619X


Duncanson 34 

Risks of AI 

Although AI provides various language support platforms, educators should view AI with a critical 

lens. Ethical considerations will include considerations relating to the AI platforms chosen. AI is 

limited in that it only knows the information that it has been given by its program users. According 

to Vaccino-Salvadore (2023), there is possible biased language generation and the perpetuation of 

stereotypes, discrimination, and prejudice in language learning interactions with AI. AI could 

produce misinformation, such as incorrect information relating to historical data. In his research, 

Barrot (2023) claims that teachers should provide students with appropriate ways to engage with 

technology, including ethical considerations and precautions. Therefore, it is essential to highlight 

the risk of AI platforms becoming biased, racist, and discriminatory based on information received. 

In the ML classroom, educators should be mindful of which programs will produce the 

most accurate language support. MLs are learning academic and communicative language, so 

teaching the differences between written and spoken language is imperative. AI is a tool to support 

the acquisition of these different language domains. Moreover, students should learn ways in 

which to use AI as a learning support tool and not as a tool for plagiarism. When using QuillBot 

as a teaching tool, educators should plan for student writing to occur within the classroom space 

and under their supervision. This will prevent any student from using this platform or any other 

AI writing tool to do their work for them. 

QuillBot 

QuillBot is an AI platform that provides writing support by displaying sentence structure and 

vocabulary variations in a side-by-side format (see Figure 1 below). A writer may input a sample 

of their writing and see the changes by mode, QuillBot’s term for writing style. The modes 

available through the platform are labeled as standard, fluency, formal, academic, simple, creative, 

expand, and shorten. Each mode provides distinctive wording and phrasing at the platform’s 

discretion. Additionally, there is a custom writing mode, with the premium account, that enables 

the writer to use writing style variations like Shakespeare, a social media influencer, and Gen Z 

slang, to name a few. 

Figure 1 



35 GATESOL Journal 33(1) 

The platform is available in 26 languages and provides paraphrasing, a grammar checker, 

a plagiarism checker, QuillBot Flow which is a co-writer feature, a summarizer, a citation 

generator, and a translator feature. The grammar checker scans any writing input and makes 

grammar corrections and/or suggestions. The plagiarism checker scans writing for parts of the text 

that may not be cited correctly. The co-writer feature (see Figure 2) provides grammar, spelling, 

and phrasing suggestions to the right of the screen as the writer types into the QuillBot platform. 

It also provides feedback on writing similar to what a human instructor may give. 

In the classroom, QuillBot may act as an additional resource for learning about different 

writing styles. When using the paraphrase tool in the program (see Figure 3), writing that is input 

into the left-hand side of the screen results in changes in phrasing and vocabulary on the right-

hand side of the screen. A valuable aspect of this platform is that it provides a visual comparison 

of writing so the learner sees the changes that may happen throughout changes in writing style. 

Figure 2 

Figure 3 



Duncanson 36 

Teaching Example 

When teaching narrative writing in a seventh-grade classroom, QuillBot could act as a co-teacher, 

aiding students in their writing process by providing suggested revisions. I will demonstrate how 

to use this platform for a 10-minute warm-up exercise.  

Step 1:  Provide a writing prompt asking students to write about their best birthday memory. 

Step 2:  Display a sample writing about a birthday memory in QuillBot. 



37 GATESOL Journal 33(1) 

Step 3: Show the birthday memory sample in different genres of writing, discussing the variations 

in phrasing and vocabulary use. Students then compare and contrast the two genres - formal and 

academic below. 

Formal 

Academic 



Duncanson 38 

Step 4:  Students will take their previous writing sample and write it in a different genre. 

In a separate lesson, the students could divide into small groups, with their writing samples, 

and practice making changes to these samples when given a particular genre. By focusing on a 

particular genre, each group would have the opportunity to not only practice writing in this genre 

but also to work with other students to make genre-specific changes in phrasing and vocabulary. 

As a whole class activity, students would share their original writings and their new writings in 

the chosen genre for their group. Other groups would have the chance to make suggestions for 

changes or to ask questions about the reasoning behind the changes made. Samples from each 

student group would be compared in QuillBot to samples given by the platform. The class 

discussion would continue with a list of common features seen in each genre of writing. After a 

few lessons of writing practice as a whole group and in small groups, a final individual student 

assessment could be a writing assignment where students are given a sample of writing and asked 

to change it to a particular style. 

L2 Writing & QuillBot 

In the language classroom, QuillBot may be a tool for building student efficacy in L2 writing. 

QuillBot provides several supports for L2 writers, most notably the paraphrase tool. Using 

QuillBot’s paraphrase feature, L2 writers may explore various styles of writing. This AI platform 

creates a visual learning experience for the L2 writer by highlighting vocabulary and phrasing 

changes when comparing two modes of writing, hence supporting the development of writing style 

variations for L2s. 

Conclusion 

Educators have the opportunity to integrate AI as a beneficial tool for writing in the classroom so 

students may use these programs effectively outside of the classroom. Leveraging platforms like 

QuillBot empowers teachers to assist L2 writers by providing grammar and phrasing suggestions, 

essentially allowing AI to function as a collaborative co-teacher, exemplifying writing learning 

processes. 

References 

AbdAlgane, M., & Othman, K. A. J. (2023). Utilizing artificial intelligence technologies in Saudi 

EFL tertiary level classrooms. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 23(1), 92–99. 

https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v23i1.124   

Alharbi, W. (2023). AI in the foreign language classroom: A pedagogical overview of automated 

writing assistance tools. Education Research International, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1155/

2023/4253331   

Barrot, J. S. (2023). Using ChatGPT for second language writing: Pitfalls and potentials. Assessing 

Writing, 57, Article 100745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2023.100745 

Jia, F., Sun, D., Ma, Q., & Looi, C.-K. (2022). Developing an AI-based learning system for L2 

learners’ authentic and ubiquitous learning in English language. Sustainability, 14(23), 

Article 15527. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315527   

Langreo, L. (2023, September 18). Beyond ChatGPT: The other AI tools teachers are using. 

Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/technology/beyond-chatgpt-the-other-ai-tools-

teachers-are-using/2023/08 

https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v23i1.124
https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/4253331
https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/4253331
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2023.100745
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https://www.edweek.org/technology/beyond-chatgpt-the-other-ai-tools-teachers-are-using/2023/08
https://www.edweek.org/technology/beyond-chatgpt-the-other-ai-tools-teachers-are-using/2023/08


39 GATESOL Journal 33(1) 

Vaccino-Salvadore, S. (2023). Exploring the ethical dimensions of using ChatGPT in language 

learning and beyond. Languages, 8(3), 191. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages8030191 
____________________________________________________________________________

Received: March 2, 2024 | Accepted: April 12, 2024 | Published: May 24, 2024 

https://doi.org/10.3390/languages8030191

