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Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on Artificial Intelligence, No. 3. 2026. Pp.232- 250
English Language Instructor/Scientific Research Committee Member
AlKhaleej Training and Education at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics,
English Language Skills Department,
Common First Year, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Generative Artificial Intelligence is increasingly used in language education; however, its effectiveness in supporting early academic writing has not been thoroughly evaluated through classroom-based research. This study investigates whether guided text-to-image prompting facilitates vocabulary acquisition, short-term retention, and the development of descriptive writing among Saudi foundation-year EFL students. The research emphasizes responsible, learner-authored applications of Generative Artificial Intelligence, which remain insufficiently explored, particularly in foundational EFL contexts where vocabulary and sentence-level development present ongoing challenges. Two B1-level classes (N = 50) at a Saudi public university were assigned to experimental and control groups for a six-week intervention. The experimental group engaged in vocabulary and writing tasks using text-to-image prompting, while the control group completed parallel text-based activities. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative measures included pre-, post-, and delayed vocabulary tests, as well as sentence-level assessments of lexical diversity, clause density, and modifier use. Qualitative analysis focused on mid- and post-intervention writing to evaluate linguistic integration and descriptive development. Results demonstrate that the experimental group outperformed the control group in vocabulary improvement, retention, sentence elaboration, and descriptive richness. Additionally, learners in the experimental group more consistently integrated target vocabulary into cohesive texts. The study concludes that guided text-to-image prompting serves as a pedagogically responsible multimodal supplement to traditional instruction and recommends further research on GenAI designs that enhance learner-generated language without replacing student writing
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Dr. Heena Saifullah Amjad is an English Language Instructor in the English Language Skills Department, CFY at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, under AlKhaleej Training and Education. She holds a PhD in English Linguistics and specializes in corpus linguistics, critical discourse analysis, and digital discourse studies. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5490-2033
Dr. Hanady Abdulaziz Alfalig is an Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics at King Saud University. She holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from Ball State University. Her research interests include pragmatics, sociolinguistics, and English language teaching. She has also held leadership roles and served in several committees. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4766-5451