Using artificial intelligence to support written production skills in German as a foreign language: the case of DeepL Write

The paper aims to explore the potential and limitations of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing written production skills in German as a foreign language (GFL) using the AI tool DeepL Write. The objective is twofold: firstly, to demonstrate how AI can provide a concrete opportunity to expand written production practice in GFL courses; secondly, to provide critical tools and operational strategies for the informed and pedagogically sound use of new technologies in the classroom. The paper is thus divided into two parts. The first presents a theoretical analysis of the objectives to be pursued in the context of the potential development of written production skills through AI tools and defines the objectives and methodology chosen for the practical part. The second part comprises practical didactic and methodological considerations, which were used to carry out a pilot study. The conclusion presents the results and discusses them.