growth-mindset
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- PaperJournal of Second Language Writing17 Jul 2026
Can GenAI deliver growth-oriented feedback? Evidence for enhancing learners’ growth mindset and adaptive motivation in second language writing
Yuan Yao, Mi Rong, Nigel Mantou Lou
A field experiment with 92 Chinese undergraduates compared GenAI-generated growth-oriented feedback to corrective feedback in L2 writing. Growth-oriented feedback enhanced students' growth mindset and maintained adaptive responses to mistakes, while corrective feedback led to a decline in adaptive responses. The change in growth mindset mediated effects on adaptive responses and writing performance.
Original abstract
Drawing on the mindsets theory, this study explores the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in producing growth-oriented feedback (i.e., feedback that aligns with the principles of growth mindset) and investigates its impact on students’ growth mindset, adaptive responses, and second language (L2) English writing performance. This field experiment was conducted at a university in China, involving 92 first- and second-year undergraduate students ( M age = 18.76, SD =.882; 80.4% males and 19.6% females). The participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group ( n = 49) or a control group ( n = 43) and completed pre- and post-questionnaires. Over the course of a semester, the participants completed three argumentative writing tasks. After each task, the experimental group received GenAI-generated growth-oriented feedback, whereas the control group received GenAI-generated corrective feedback. The results showed that growth-oriented feedback significantly enhanced students’ growth mindset and maintained their adaptive responses to mistakes at a relatively high level. In contrast, GenAI-generated corrective feedback led to a decline in adaptive responses to mistakes. Moreover, the change in growth mindset mediated the effect of feedback types on adaptive responses and writing performance. This study offers insights into the effectiveness of GenAI in generating growth-oriented feedback, highlighting its potential of GenAI feedback in L2 writing to go beyond error correction and foster motivational, behavioral, and academic development.
- PaperDOAJ — Language assessment1 May 2026
“I Can Do It” or “It’s Hard”: a comparative qualitative study of Thai EFL students’ mindsets and speaking engagement
Jeffrey Wilang
A comparative qualitative study of 70 Thai EFL university students found that those with growth mindsets used active strategies like self-talk and peer modeling to re-engage during speaking tasks, while fixed mindset students tended to withdraw or disengage. The study highlights the role of mindset in moment-to-moment classroom engagement and offers pedagogical implications for supporting fixed mindset learners.
Original abstract
Abstract This study investigates how language learners’ mindsets—growth or fixed—influence their engagement and re-engagement strategies during English-speaking tasks. Grounded in mindset theory, the study examines the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral mechanisms that students employ when disengaging from oral performance tasks in the classroom. Data were collected from 70 university students enrolled in a speaking-focused English course. Students first completed the Language Mindset Inventory to determine their mindset orientation, then participated in a mock job interview. Afterward, individual interviews were conducted in the students’ native language to gain deeper insights into their experiences. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed that, although both students endorsing growth and fixed mindsets faced similar situational challenges, such as anxiety, cognitive overload, limited vocabulary, and environmental distractions, their responses diverged significantly. Students with a growth mindset employed active strategies, such as self-talk, reframing, peer modeling, and digital tools, to regain focus and continue participating. In contrast, fixed mindset students were more likely to experience cognitive shutdown, hesitate, or withdraw from tasks, and rarely described internal coping mechanisms or structured plans for improvement. The study offers targeted pedagogical implications to support fixed mindset learners, including normalizing mistakes, teaching self-regulation, scaffolding speaking practice, and promoting motivational language use. Findings suggest that cultivating growth-oriented habits can enhance resilience and engagement in language learners, particularly in high-pressure speaking contexts. This research contributes to the growing field of language mindset studies by highlighting the role of mindset in both long-term achievement and moment-to-moment classroom engagement. Future research is encouraged to examine interventions that help students with fixed mindset orientations develop more adaptive strategies for speaking and communication in second language acquisition.