EFL Writing Teachers’ Agency in Response to AI Emergence from an Ecological Perspective

This chapter reports a qualitative study on the agency formation of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing teachers amidst the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Teacher agency holds significance in educational discourse as agency supports educators’ professional growth and enables them to adeptly navigate the dynamics of educational environments and enhance student outcomes. Data were collected from computer-assisted live personal interviews with seven Vietnamese experienced teachers. Using the ecological model framework (Priestley et al. in Teacher agency: an ecological approach, 1st edn. Bloomsbury Academic [1]) and a thematic analysis process (Braun and Clarke in Qual Res Psychol 3:77–101 [2]), the study uncovered a complex relationship between EFL teachers and AI tools like ChatGPT. Results show the teachers’ reluctance to accept AI due to adherence to traditional pedagogies, lack of clear AI integration guidelines, and concerns over AI's accuracy and potential misuse. The findings suggest that, in AI's early integration stage, teachers’ professional agency evolves independently of AI influences, viewing AI as a supplementary, non-disruptive tool in language education. Implications for teacher education and training are discussed.