Impact of Auto-Correction Features in Text-Processing Software on the Academic Writing of ESL Learners

The intrusion of technology into language education is undeniable. However, its impact on English as a Second Language (ESL) learners remains unexplored. This study explores how the text-processing and suggestion features of Microsoft Word affect the English language development of ESL learners. The writing samples show that while beginners make fewer spelling and punctuation errors, prolonged reliance on software weakens long-term language proficiency. This finding is supported by cluster analysis of first-year undergraduates, thirdyear undergraduates, and postgraduates. Conversely, first-year undergraduates learners excel in structuring paragraphs and writing a variety of sentences, which are the areas untouched by automation offered in the tested software. Semi-structured interviews with research-active academics and postgraduate students further validated these findings, highlighting a critical decline in writing confidence due to over-dependence on emerging technology. The study underscores the hidden costs of convenience, urging a recalibration of technology-integrated language pedagogy.