Building English Writing Confidence in Adult Learners: A Pilot Study on a Telegram-Based Text Detective Game

This pilot study introduces a prototype AI-powered interactive detective narrative implemented as a Telegram chatbot to support adult English learners in building writing confidence. The research investigates what aspects of interactive detective narratives learners find engaging or challenging for their English writing practice and how adult learners experience English writing anxiety in an interactive detective narrative with AI characters. The study adapts an offline mystery dinner party game into an AI-driven interactive narrative, using Llama-3.3-70b-versatile for generating characters’ and narrator’s replies. Participants reported relatively high levels of English writing anxiety in the pre-test, with low comfort in writing and high ratings for writing avoidance. The post-test results suggest that in-game writing did not feel harder for the participants than their usual writing tasks, and all participants reported strong interest in solving the mystery. Interviews revealed varied experiences of the in-game writing, with some participants feeling more secure and relaxed, while others found it overwhelming. The study concludes that the detective setting supported engagement and reduced anxiety, but the level of player autonomy and linguistic difficulty need further adjustment. The findings highlight the potential of AI-powered interactive narratives in language learning and provide directions for future research.