Teaching with GenAI: Custom GPT as a Scaffolding Tool for Phrasal Verb Learning

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Green cover for WAESOL Educator, Summer 2026, Volume 51, Issue 1.
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Published: Oct 16, 2026

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Terrence Tianzhi Zhang
Gonzaga University
Jiqing Xiang

Summary

This study explores a customized ChatGPT scaffolding tool for multilingual English learners studying phrasal verbs. Grounded in sociocultural theory, the Custom GPT followed a seven-step sequence to guide learners in understanding particles’ semantic roles. Four college-level learners participated in five GPT-assisted tutoring sessions. Findings indicate high technical feasibility and strong conversational accuracy, despite occasional glitches and cognitive overload. Students reported that GPT mediation enhanced conceptual understanding and made phrasal verbs easier to remember.

Article Details

How to Cite
Zhang, T. T., & Xiang, J. (2026). Teaching with GenAI: Custom GPT as a Scaffolding Tool for Phrasal Verb Learning. WAESOL Educator, 51(1), 33–38. Retrieved from https://educator.waesol.org/index.php/WE/article/view/323
Issue
Vol. 51 No. 1 (2026): WAESOL Educator—Summer 2026
Section
Scholar-Practitioner
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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Author Biographies

Terrence Tianzhi Zhang, Gonzaga University

Dr. Terrence Tianzhi Zhang is currently an Assistant Professor in the MA TESOL program in the Department of Teacher Education at Gonzaga University. He received his PhD in Language, Literacy, and Culture from the University of Pittsburgh in 2024 and his MA in TESOL from Penn State University in 2018. He has 10 years of experience in researching and teaching to support multilingual English learners. His research interests include second language writing, AI-assisted language learning, and language teacher education, guided by Sociocultural Theory and Systemic Functional Linguistics.

Jiqing Xiang

Jiqing Xiang graduated from the MA TESOL program at Gonzaga University in 2025 and is currently working as a language teacher at PlayThrive, a Mandarin immersion program. She brings three years of K-12 English teaching experience and has volunteered with various ESL programs in Spokane. Jiqing also served as the leading coordinator at Gonzaga ESL Community Outreach for a year. Her research interests include multilingualism, project-based learning (PBL), language teaching, and translanguaging.